LIFE ON THE GANGA : BOATM3EN AND THE RITUAL ECONOMY OF BANARAS BY ASSA DORON [HARDBOUND]

About the Book: Life on the Ganga: Boatmen and the Ritual Economy of Banaras This intriguing anthropological study investigates how theboatmen of Banaras have repositioned themselves within thetraditional social organization and used their privileged positionon the river to contest upper-caste and state domination. Theauthor examines the evolution of the boatmen community, drawing ona variety of sources to illuminate the cultural politics of socialand economic inequality in contemporary India. Life on the Ganga:Boatmen and the Ritual Economy of Banaras offers insight intorecent debates about the cultural and historical forms of socialpractice and resistance at the juncture between tradition and theglobal economy, and will therefore appeal not only toanthropologists, but to anyone working in the field of developmentstudies, globalization, religion, politics and culturalstudies. Contents List of Maps and Figures Foreword Preface Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations A note on Translation and Transliteration Introduction Chapter 1 Domesticating the Boatmen of the Ganga Chapter 2 Stepsons of the State: Marginalisation and theStruggle for Recognition Chapter 3 The Moral Economy of Boating: Territorial Clashes andInternal Struggles Chapter 4 River Crossings: Boatmen, Priests and the RitualEconomy of Banaras Chapter 5 The Romance of Banaras: Boatmen, Pilgrims andTourists Conclusion Glossary Bibliography