Bhavani Raman: Being a Marxist the Tamil Way: Karthigesu Sivathamby
This paper considers Professor Sivathamby’s vision of historical materialism as an entry-point into the life of cultural Marxism under conditions of linguistic nationalism in postcolonial South Asia. Karthigesu Sivathamby is best known for his pioneering interdisciplinary study of Tamil performance and cultural forms. This paper attempts to critically engage with his scholarly work and political vision against a broader field of left cultural thinkers such the historian, D D Kosambi, Tamil Marxist writers of history such as Vanamamalai and his own teacher, Georg Thomson, in Birmingham.
Biographical statement:
Bhavani Raman is an Assistant Professor of History in Princeton University. Her research interests are in early colonial bureaucracy of the East India Company in Madras Presidency and on pedagogical practices in the Tamil region. She is currently working on a book manuscript on recordkeeping practices and Company office culture in early nineteenth century Madras.
