CADM's fifth book released New insight on resistance revealed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 30 2016 : Colonialism and varied forms of resistance as chronicled in the history of Manipur were deli-berated today at Manipur Press Club here on the occasion of releasing a new book titled 'Colonialism and Resistance: Society and State in Manipur'.

The book is a compilation of articles already published in Alternative Perspectives, a quarterly journal published by the Centre for Alternative Discourse Manipur (CADM) .

Co-edited by Arambam Noni and Kangujam Sana-tomba, the book is published by Routledge, Francis and Taylor Group, New Delhi, London and New York.

The book was jointly released by former Manipur University Registrar Prof N Lokendra, Prof Ch Priyo-ranjan of Department of Economics, Manipur University and Arambam Noni.

Alternative Perspectives Editor Konthoujam Indra-kumar opened the function by giving a brief account of the CADM and its academic endeavours.

CADM's fifth book released New insight on resistance revealed

Arambam Noni gave a short introduction of the book before Prof N Lokendra and Prof Ch Priyoranjan presented succinct analysis of the book.

The book is divided into four parts and each part comprises of four articles.

The first part contains 'Cast of Colonialism: Constructing the Peculiar Northeast India' by Arambam Noni, 'Colonial administration, knowledge and intervention: Colonial project of ethnicisation in Manipur' by Homen Thangjam, 'Revisiting the Kuki Rebellion and Nupi Lan' by Lisham Henthoiba and 'Colonialism and movement for democracy in Manipur' by Konthoujam Indrakumar.

The second part consists of four articles viz; 'Religious revivalism and colonial rule: Origin of the Sanamahi movement' by Khuraijam Bijoykumar, 'Politics, society and literature in modern Manipur' by Arambam Noni, 'Desire, disgrace and colonialism: A reading of Bor Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi' by Rajkumari Smejita and 'Jesters of popular genres as agents of resistance through reflexivity' by Ksh Imokanta.

The third part features 'Situating Manipur in the geopolitics of imperial powers' by Laishram Churchil, 'Consolidation of British indirect rule in Manipur' by Naorem Malemsanba, 'Interrogating into the political status of Manipur' by Kangujam Sanatomba and 'Christian missionaries and colonialism in the hills of Manipur' by Lianboi Vaiphei.

The fourth and final part too has four articles viz; 'Organisational politics in 20th century Manipur: Trajectories and footprints' by Arambam Noni, 'Polemics of the Manipur Merger Agreement 1949' by Kangujam Sanatomba, 'Centrality of body politics in Thokachanba's script and cultural revivalism in Manipur' by Naorem Malemsanba and 'Re-casting space: Politics of frontier-making' by Thingnam Sanjeev.

The book presents dialectical resistance against categories such as ethnicity, hill-valley division etc.

These categories are considered alien as they were invented in the process of colonial consolidation.

The book theoretically disagrees with the idea that all forms of resistance and national quest evolved out of copying from European experience.

Incidentally, CADM has already four books to its credit.

The four books published by Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi on behalf of CADM are 'Look East Policy& India's North East: Polemics and Perspectives' edited by late Thingnam Kishan, 'Location, Space and Development' edited by Konthoujam Indrakumar and Homen Thangjam, 'Quest for development in Manipur: Continuity, constraints and contradictions' edited by Homen Thangjam and H Isworchandra and 'Cultural practices and identity politics in Manipur' edited by Lisham Henthoiba and Laishram Churchil.

The book release function culminated with the vote of thanks given by H Isworchandra, Economics Department, MU.