Introduction: Reframing Indian Political Thought

Abstract

This introductory chapter discusses the theme of this volume which is about the reframing of Indian political thought (IPT). It discusses how IPT has gained distinctive tradition and highlights the fact that it remains undeniably rooted in the necessity to assume the thought of the nation as an ethnos. It analyses the issues raised by the construction of the tradition of modern IPT (MIPT) and describes the complex positions and patterns of practices of MIPT under colonial modernity. This chapter also highlights the importance of the issue of discontinuities in IPT, particularly in terms of borders and geographical spread of political traditions.