Public Faces, Private Voices: Community and Individuality in South India

By Mattison Mines

Book Overview

Individuality is often viewed as an exclusively Western value. In non-Western societies, collective identities seem to eclipse those of individuals. These generalities, however, have overlooked the importance of personal uniqueness, volition, and achievement in these cultures. As an anthropologist in Tamil Nadu, South India, Mattison Mines found private and public expressions of self in all sectors of society. Based on his twenty-five years of field research, Public Faces, Private Voices weaves together personal life stories, historical description, and theoretical analysis to define individuality in South Asia and to distinguish it from its Western counterpart. This engaging and controversial book will be of great interest to scholars and students working in anthropology, psychology, sociology, South Asian history, urban studies, and political science.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520084799
• ISBN13: 9780520084797
• Release Date: December 1994
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

An important contribution

I think this is one of the most important contributions to the anthropology of South Asia in the last twenty years. It rings profoundly true and helps us understand Indian civic identity in a manner unmatched previously in the literature. Mines finds a way to critique Dumont while not forgetting his important contributions. It provides an entirely new way to look at Indian identity and civic life - by thinking of an individuality which is defined by the relationships that a person has with others - but that leaves room for a sense of self. This is important readfing for political scientists, economists, as well as anthropologists, and would also be helpful to those in the development world working on demand-driven approaches.