Most studies of the 1857 Uprising look at the causes, the course of events, and
the consequences. This edited volume takes a different approach. It goes before
1857 and focuses on the first half of the 19th century to look for the presence
of long-term structural factors (if any) behind the momentous events of 1857.
Several contributors have studied the late 19th century in order to understand
the impact of the Uprising on Indian society and mentality. Spatially too the
contributors to this volume go beyond India to locate 1857 within the emerging
trend of global history. The essayists do not fall within any single school.