School as a Secular Space in Contemporary India
Everyday Practice in Azad Bharat Vidyalaya
Seiten
2026
Oxford University Press (Verlag)
978-0-19-899360-5 (ISBN)
Oxford University Press (Verlag)
978-0-19-899360-5 (ISBN)
- Noch nicht erschienen (ca. Juni 2026)
- Versandkostenfrei
- Auch auf Rechnung
- Artikel merken
This book explores the practice and enactment of secularism in India through the study of a government-aided, non-religious school in Delhi, thereby providing lessons that hold a mirror to the Indian society.
The Constitution of India upholds secularism as a key ideal. Although the 42nd amendment to the Preamble to the Constitution officially declared India to be a 'sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic', the Constitution itself does not prescribe a specific definition of secularism. Given their close relationship with the State, Indian schools are expected to uphold Constitutional ideals, including secularism. School as a Secular Space in Contemporary India journeys into the life of a government-aided, non-religious school in Delhi to explore how the abstract concept of secularism is interpreted and enacted therein. Unpacking the school culture, this book offers insights into the nature of secularism in India. It reveals layers of conformity and contestation of the school's goals in general and its conception and practice of secularism in particular. The notion of secularism is interwoven with nationalism, religion, and community-based assertions, and grounded in the concepts of equality and social justice. Exploring the plural, and even competing, narratives of secularism emerging from these intersections, the author argues that these are not confined to the school alone but mirror the paradox of secularism in the Indian society.
The Constitution of India upholds secularism as a key ideal. Although the 42nd amendment to the Preamble to the Constitution officially declared India to be a 'sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic', the Constitution itself does not prescribe a specific definition of secularism. Given their close relationship with the State, Indian schools are expected to uphold Constitutional ideals, including secularism. School as a Secular Space in Contemporary India journeys into the life of a government-aided, non-religious school in Delhi to explore how the abstract concept of secularism is interpreted and enacted therein. Unpacking the school culture, this book offers insights into the nature of secularism in India. It reveals layers of conformity and contestation of the school's goals in general and its conception and practice of secularism in particular. The notion of secularism is interwoven with nationalism, religion, and community-based assertions, and grounded in the concepts of equality and social justice. Exploring the plural, and even competing, narratives of secularism emerging from these intersections, the author argues that these are not confined to the school alone but mirror the paradox of secularism in the Indian society.
Devika Mittal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. She holds a doctorate degree from the Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics. Her areas of interest include nationalism, secularism, peace and conflict studies, and education. Dr. Mittal is also a peace educator and has co-founded Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a cross-border India-Pakistan peacebuilding initiative.
| Erscheint lt. Verlag | 30.6.2026 |
|---|---|
| Reihe/Serie | Education and Society in South Asia |
| Verlagsort | Oxford |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 140 x 216 mm |
| Themenwelt | Sozialwissenschaften ► Ethnologie |
| Sozialwissenschaften ► Pädagogik | |
| Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie | |
| ISBN-10 | 0-19-899360-9 / 0198993609 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0-19-899360-5 / 9780198993605 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
| Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR) | |
| Haben Sie eine Frage zum Produkt? |
Mehr entdecken
aus dem Bereich
aus dem Bereich
Prolegomena zu einer Geschichte der Magie
Buch | Hardcover (2025)
Matthes & Seitz Berlin (Verlag)
CHF 53,20
ethnographische Texte
Buch | Hardcover (2025)
Konstanz University Press (Verlag)
CHF 36,40
Migration, Körper und Kämpfe ums Ankommen
Buch | Softcover (2025)
transcript (Verlag)
CHF 62,95
