Gorky Chakraborty (ed),

Citizenship in Contemporary Times: The Indian Context,

Routledge, USA, 2023, 278 pp

Anonymous

 

The book, Citizenship in Contemporary Times: The Indian Context, edited by Gorky Chakraborty, is divided into five parts that examine aspects of citizenship, belonging, and political and social exclusion through an overview of nationalism and spatiality. In the introductory part, literature and literary works are the primary focus. The second case of Assam is elaborated on. In the third, West Bengal is highlighted, while in the fourth, cases of Tibetans, Nepalis(ese) of Darjeeling are explained. The fifth part addresses the concerns of indigeneity and immigrant labelling in Manipur and the Northeast. The book is lucid and offers historical accounts of citizenship dynamics in West Bengal and the heterogeneous Northeastern states. These areas are often overlooked in favour of the Hindi heartland or the rest of the country. Supported by facts and chronological details, the events are described with ease, avoiding jargon, making the book informative for both laypeople and academics interested in understanding the citizenship debates of the region. Part II of the book comprises three chapters, two of which explore literary perspectives on citizenship, focusing on the ways in which debates around citizenship are transnationally featured in fiction. The other focused on poetry by the Miya community. Another chapter in the same part emphasised 'Char lands' and the statelessness of the people residing there. Part III of the book comprises four chapters that address citizenship concerns in Assam. The fourth part of the book comprises chapters that focus on citizenship-related concerns in West Bengal. The final part of the book deals with chapters that highlight questions related to citizenship for Tibetans, Nepalis(ese) of Darjeeling hills, Manipur and Chakmas in North-East India.