University of California Press Kin Clan Raja and Rule: State-Hinterland Relations in Preindustrial India (Center for South and Southeast Asia Studies, UC Berkeley)

Kin, Clan, Raja, and Rule: State-Hinterland Relations in Preindustrial India delves into the intricate dynamics between local communities and the broader state structures in preindustrial northern India. This study bridges historical and anthropological approaches, examining the cultural and political interactions that defined state-hinterland relationships. By focusing on the patterns of governance, kinship structures, and developmental cycles of Rajput lineages, the work sheds light on how local identities and state mechanisms coexisted and influenced one another. The author aims to offer insights not only into Indian history but also into the broader comparative study of political systems, situating Indian civilization within a global discourse on state formation and community relationships. Eschewing dense technical terminology and exhaustive specificity, the book adopts a broader lens to highlight the overarching processes and regularities in state and kinship interactions. The narrative draws on historical materials, notably the meticulous records of British colonial officers and contemporary scholarship, to articulate the cyclical nature of state-building and decline in the region. Through this synthesis of history and anthropology, the author seeks to advance understanding across disciplines, presenting a work accessible to both South Asia specialists and general readers interested in political anthropology and the unique contours of Indian civilization. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1971.