Caste, Social Formation and Political Mobilization: Modern Bengal in Historical Context

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This edited Volume construes castes dichotomy of Hindu society as a historically pre- ordained phenomenon with deeply ingrained social identifications and socio- cultural attributions. It underscores the pre-modern era; wherein caste played an important role in making of the social structure of India as well as that of Bengal. The introduction of the British rule, had led the emergence of a modern type of economy and education along with the rise of the new class structures like the middle class or the quintessential working class. This in turn resulted in the articulation of new kinds of social reform movements in modern Bengal under the colonial rulers that championed the rise of a new type of caste society in 19th century. Ideological standpoints of the contributor's objectives create a complex algorithm of caste question that undoubtedly would be heterogeneous and rigid. The phrase 'algorithm' became a catchphrase for the book, which was soon taken up by the other contributors of this volume. The book is a valuable rendition on caste for it reflects a wise and contextualized compilation of pieces by well-known scholars as well as new dimensions added to it by young writers who had shown the daring hood to explore the little researched areas.

This Volume reflects the outcome of the many academic scholars and field activists of National Level Seminar undertaken by a team led by Professor Chandan Basu, Director of Social Sciences, and NSOU, which was organized on 15-16th March, 2019. It initiated an intensive, multi-faceted research on Caste, Social Formation and Political Mobilization: Modern Bengal in Historical Context'. Nearly fifty scholars individually specializing in history, anthropology, sociology, political Science, public administration, education, economics, literature and other fields participated in this highly cultivated academic seminar.

I am grateful to the West Bengal Higher Education Department for providing financial assistance for organizing seminar and publication and thankfully appreciate all the faculties of the School of Social Sciences, specially the peer-reviewers and editors, Dr. Manasanta Biswas, Dr. Barnana Guha Thakurta Banerjee and Dr. Srabanti Choudhuri for their immense contribution to this volume.

From this seminar's experience we can say that sometimes it may be needed to search obstruction or to find out obstacles as a pre-requisition of any kind of all round development, otherwise an unbreakable lights makes more shadow beyond in unknown workspace. I think this seminar's outputs help us to understand our society, caste discrimination, culture and politics, few papers also showed the ways of making plural society by avoiding the hurdles of basic needs and violation of human rights. So I am very pleased to the brain-child of this particular thematic seminar.

When any Department or School of Netaji Subhas Open University, jointly or individually published any academic endorsement, a ray of hope and happiness comes from my heart's corner which could not express by words. As an educational administrator I am deep engaged with the all-round development of the University for a long time, the emotion and attachment continuously growing day by day. That is why I always appreciate to the faculty to do some which is academically significant for not only our institution but also broadly our education and society.