1857 War of Independence or clash of civilizations? : British public reactions / Salahuddin Malik.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Malik, Salahuddin.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

History.

Public opinion.

India--History--Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858--Public opinion.

India.

India--Foreign public opinion, British.

Public opinion--Great Britain.

Great Britain.

India--History--Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858--Religious aspects.

Physical Description:

xxvii, 288 pages, 14 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Karachi : Oxford University Press, 2008.

Summary:

This study has significant historical value. It offers an in-depth perspective into the British psyche at the height of Victorian England by delving into the serious debates which ensued in the wake of the revolt in India. The result is analytical reflections on British imperial, evangelical, economic, political, military, and moral thinking. The book destroys a number of myths which had been carefully nurtured in Britain about the popular acceptance of British rule in India. Furthermore, it opens a new vista in the study of the Indian 'mutiny'. To date it has been viewed as everything except a Muslim rebellion, while the reports from the field indicated that this was its true nature, first and last. The book also opens a new chapter on the degree to which Christian evangelism had taken hold of the British imperial effort in India, and how it used the government machinery to expand and advance missionary work in the South Asian colony. It also reveals the degree to which Christians had become intolerant of other faiths.

Contents:

Background of British reaction to the Crisis of 1857

Causes of the military mutiny

Causes of the revolution

The conspiracy theory : a recurring theme

Muslim conspiracy

Muslim rebellion

Worldwide jihad or a clash of civilizations?

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [256]-281) and Index.

ISBN:

9780195474220

0195474228

OCLC:

175283831