Reading Information

Bernard S. Cohn, “Chapter Five: Cloth, Clothes, and Colonialism,” Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge

Overview

Chapter 5 talks about the importance of clothes and clothing of the people in India and its relations to colonialism. The wearing of the turban in India was a highly disputed topic among the British and the Indians. The turban led to a lot of economic, political, and cultural issues between both sides. This dispute led to constant rebellions by the Indians against the British. The Indian see the wearing of the turban as a form of self identity. There were 2 types of turbans: one was for plain clothes and the other was for rulership which had ajigha and sairpatch on it. The British realized that an effective way of ruling the Indians was to control their clothing rules and what they were allowed to wear. The British took the privilege of self identity away from the Indians and imposed their own clothing rules on the nation. The Indians were limited to wearing certain amount of clothing.  The Sikhs that served in the army had the right to wear a turban which  was seen as an important item of their army uniform. This was known as the military-style turban and it was seen by the Sikhs as an attempt to maintain their whole unique identity. Clothes are not seen only as a body covering but they also signify power and authority. The turban also had several different uses. Placing a turban at the feet of a conqueror signified surrender, or asking someone for a favor, or the willingness to become their slave. Cloths and clothes were also received as presents.

Keywords

1. sikhism- a monotheistic religion founded in Punjab in the 15th century by Guru Nanak.
2. turban-a man’s headdress, consisting of a long length of cotton or silk wound around a cap or the head, worn especially by Muslims and Sikhs
3. guru-  a spiritual teacher(usually with Hinduism and Buddhism) , especially one who imparts initiation

Argument

Cohn argues that, “Clothes are not just body coverings and matters of adornment, nor can they be understood only as metaphors of power and authority, nor as symbols; in many contexts, clothes literally are authority” (Cohn 114)

Evidence

Cohn uses the accounts of Englishmen as evidence to support his claims and argument. Authority could seen as something that could be transferred through acts of incorporation. F.W Buckner agrees that robes worn by kings could transmit their authority. Buckner see robes as a symbol of success and its ability of continuation. The usage of clothes can distinguish the power and status of a person.

Historiographical Debate

Cohn  does not explicitly situate himself in a wider scholarly debate in Chapter 5.

Contribution to Our Understanding of Colonial Rule

Chapter 5 helped me understood more about the importance and value of clothes in the Indian society. It made me realize how important the turban was seen as and how restricted the Indians were due to the limitations set by the British. I learned that controlling the clothing of the Indian society would be one key way that the British had to control and take over a nation. The British knew that the turban was seen as a form of self identity so they wanted to strip them off their identity. The dispute over the wearing of a turban lead to a lot of ongoing issues between the Indians and the British. Clothing wasn’t only seen as a form of covering but also as a form of authority. Reading this chapter helped me understand the changing and limitation of clothes would be another strategy for the British to take over and rule effectively of a nation.

Reading Information

Bernard S. Cohn, “Chapter Three: Law and the Colonial State in India,” Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge

Overview

In Chapter 3, Cohn talks about British rule in India. Conquering India was a new experience that had never occurred to the British. India already had a state system which was acknowledged by the British. Conquering India was totally contrasting from conquering the native americans and the slaves of the new world. India unlike other nations that the British conquered already had a form of self government that was stable. India was a nation that was very huge in size. The time period that is being discussed in the chapter range from the eighteenth century to the nineteenth century. The British wanted to divide the huge land and conquer the nation of India in an effective way. Warren Hastings who was a commercial and diplomatic agent was in charge of making sure the Bengal territories were governed in a stable manner. He believed that Indian knowledge was relevant to develop British institutions. Sir William Jones felt that British law was at a higher level than the laws of India. Jones wanted to translate texts from Sanskrit to Persian. Jones’s successor H.T Colebrooke completed the translation that Jones had been working on. Colebrooke had an affect on the variation of the cultural differences in India. In 1864, the British got what they wanted for a period of time. A reform of the judicial system took place which basically transformed Hindu law into a form of English law. Breaking down and translating the laws and constitution of India helped the British rule in an effective way.

Keywords

1. sovereignty- power or authority claimed by a nation

2. legitimacy- the state of conforming to law or rules

3. despot- a ruler or figure that holds absolute power

Argument

Cohn’s argument in Chapter 3 was that “most of the British who were concerned with India agreed that India had a state system-which by the middle of the eighteenth century was in decline and disarray but which had recognizable institutions and functions of a state”(Cohn 58).

Evidence

Cohn wrote about several different scholars and historians in this chapter. He uses these figures as examples to support his points and arguments. Cohn uses some of Sir William Jones’s thoughts to support his claims and argument.  Jones believed that British law was better than the laws that were existing in India. Jones agreed that India had its own state system but it was not as good as the British system. Jones did not trust Indian scholar’s interpretations of their own traditions. Jones wanted to have a “complete digest of Hindu and Musliman Laws”.

Historiographical Debate

Cohn does not explicitly situate himself in a wider scholarly debate in chapter 3.

Contribution to Our Understanding of Colonial Rule

This chapter helped boost my understanding of colonialism and colonial rule. This chapter is based mainly on the law system and the colonial state of India. Reading this chapter helped me understood more about the law system of India before and after the British came. India already had an existing law system before the British showed  up unlike the other nations that the British had previously conquered. After reading the chapter, I understood how the British managed to rule a nation that already had a stable government. This chapter taught me to how the British can somehow take over an epistemological space which is a very tough task to do. The British managed to translate and understood the law system of India. This led to the reform of the judicial system which completely transformed Hindu law into English law and that was how the British effectively ruled and conquered the nation of India.

Reading Information

Overview

Chapter 1 is about European states and nations that are starting to gain more power and authority. Their influences are starting to become established and extended to different foreign nations around the world. As ideas and practices start transforming into a modern period, there is a growth of new education and beliefs of how things should be. The time period that is being described in this chapter is the period after the eighteenth century. This chapter focuses on the power and influence of Great Britain that was imposed on India. Conquering India was a huge and important task for the British. India was the largest and most vital colony of Great Britain. Events that are mentioned in this article would include the invasion of India by Great Britain and their attempts to assimilate within the Indian community. Great Britain was on a journey to emerge as an imperial power. This chapter relate to the topic of colonialism/ imperialism/ empire since the British is slowly gaining more power and overtaking other nations around the world. Conquering India was a complete new experience for the British and it was a relatively tough mission. The British had to learn the language and traditions of the Indian society. Having knowledge of the local language was important since it could enable the British to collect taxes, issue orders, and maintain order within the community. The acquisition of India to the British Empire lets us know that some nations back then were desperate for more power and would do anything to gain more territories such as learning the language and the culture of their colonies.

Keywords

Investigative Modality- the information that is collected from appropriate knowledge and transformed into useful forms such as published reports, encyclopedias, and histories

Epistemological- a type of philosophy that investigates on the nature and origin of human knowledge

Acquisition- gaining possession and having control over another colony or nation

Argument

Cohn argued how in coming to India, British “unknowingly and unwittingly invaded and conquered not only a territory but an epistemological space as well.”(Cohn 4)

Evidence

Cohn uses evidence from surveyors to support his points and argument. He references to surveyors like James Rennall, William Lambton, Colin Mackenzie, Alexander Cunningham, and Francis Buchanan Hamilton. Using the survey modality, a new survey was launched when the British acquired a new territory or land. They studied the practices of how knowledge was gathered. They also learned a lot about the process of their knowledge in India which were transformed into textual forms.

Historiographical Debate

Cohn does not explicitly situate himself in a wider scholarly debate in Chapter 1.

Contribution to Our Understanding of Colonial Rule

This chapter helped me understand colonialism and colonial rule a lot better. Before reading this chapter, I just had a simple knowledge and definition of these terms. I felt that I learned more and understood more of what took place back in that time period after reading the chapter. I found the term “investigative modality” to be very interesting since I have never heard of it and I learned a lot about this term throughout the chapter. Reading the chapter also taught me different forms of modalities such as historiographic and museology which are considered “general”. Some other modalities were the survey and census ones which were considered “highly defined”. Also,  there were the observational/ travel modality, enumerative modality, surveilance modality, and the investigative modality. I felt that Cohn gave a good description and good details of each modality which helped me learn more and gave me a better understanding about the modalities and its functions.

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