Author: Hansen Thomas Blom
Place: New Jersey
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Year: 2001
Pages: 269
ISBN: 0-691-088403
Subject: Bombay/ Mumbai
Sub-Subject: Bombay
Keyword: Postcolonial Bombay
Classification: 324
Shelf: C5R2
Accession No: B60
Contents: Acronyms Introduction: The Proper Name Chap 1: Deccan Pastoral: The Making of an Ethnohistorical Imagination in Western India Chap 2: Bombay and the Politics of Urban Desire Chap 3: Say with Pride That We Are Hindus: Shiv Sena and Communal Populism Chap 4: Thane City: The Making of Political Dadaism Chap 5: Riots, Policing, and Truth Telling in Bombay Chap 6: In the Muslim Mohalla Chap 7: Living the Dream: Governance, Graft, and Goons Conclusion: Politics as Permanent Performance Notes Glossary Bibliography Index
Abstract: *Wages of Violence: Naming and Identity in Postcolonial Bombay* examines how urban violence, identity, and political performance intersect in postcolonial Bombay. Focusing on naming practices, acronyms, and symbolic language, the book explores how communal identities are shaped and contested through violence and everyday acts. Case studies—such as the rise of Shiv Sena, political dadaism in Thane, and communal riots—highlight the performative nature of politics. Through ethnographic and historical analysis, it reveals how governance, corruption, and populism co-construct the city’s volatile landscape. Ultimately, it argues that politics in Bombay is a form of ongoing performance that continually redefines identity and power.