Negotiation and resistance: a history of consumption in British India
Journal of Historical Research in Marketing
ISSN: 1755-750X
Article publication date: 7 February 2018
Issue publication date: 18 October 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the key literature pertaining to consumption during the colonial period in India, broadly covering the time period from the early nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century. The review shows the prominent themes and patterns that help us understand colonial Indian consumers’ encounter with Western products and institutions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is a review of historical research papers and papers pertaining to the colonial period in India.
Findings
British colonialism introduced new products, institutions and ways of living into India, which were negotiated with and contested by Indian consumers and intellectuals. These new products and practices were not seamlessly adopted into the Indian context. Rather, they were appropriated into existing social structures determined by caste, gender and religion. The tensions produced by such negotiations and contestations fed Indian resistance to colonialism, culminating in British withdrawal from India.
Originality/value
Historical research pertaining to marketing in the Indian context is scarce. Moreover, there are few reviews which outline the important consumption practices and changes pertaining to the colonial period. The findings of this review will be of use to researchers and students of history, marketing and cultural studies.
Keywords
Citation
Sreekumar, H. (2018), "Negotiation and resistance: a history of consumption in British India", Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 280-293. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHRM-05-2017-0019
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited