Subjects, Citizens and Law

This volume investigates how, where and when subjects and citizens come into being, assert themselves, and exercise subjecthood or citizenship in the formation of modern India. It argues for the importance of understanding legal practice how rights are performed in dispute and negotiation from the parliament and courts to street corners and field sites. The essays in the book explore themes such as land law and rights, court procedure, freedom of speech, sex workers union rights, refugee status, adivasi people, and non-state actors, and bring together studies from across north India, spanning from early colonial to contemporary times.