Cosmopolitian Spaces- Indian Literature and Counterpoints of Modernity

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Cosmopolitan Spaces: Indian Literature and Counterpoints of Modernity. The contrapuntal forces of a globalizing world have propelled debates on the concept of cosmopolitanism as space, attitude, experience and conduct among several other considerations. While there is no consensus on definitions, the term erupts periodically in public discourses of which literature is a part. Is communication, commerce, and a net based knowledge industry building cultural bridges or causing schism among the beneficiaries of an interlinked society?

The anthology delves into a contemporary and challenging theme that cuts across the literature and languages of India. The scope is vast in terms of the time frame and the multi-layered socio-political imperatives. The archives are opened and libraries rummaged by our eminent scholars and writers from many parts of India in order to bring cutting edge arguments to this forum.

Malashri Lal, Dept of English, recently retired from her academic and administrative positions at the University of Delhi. Her specialization is in Literature, Women and Gender Studies about which she has 15 books including In Search of Sita: Revisiting Mythology (Penguin 2009), Chamba-Achamba: Women's Oral Narratives (Sahitya Akademi 2012) and Tagore and the Feminine: A Journey through Translations (Sage 2015). Malashri Lal has been a Senior Consultant to the Ministry of Culture. and UGC nominee to several universities. She has served on international book award committees including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Malashri Lal is currently the Convener of the English Advisory Board of the Sahitya Akademi.

I am delighted that the outcome of the Sahitya Akademi's national seminar on "Cosmopolitan Spaces: Indian Literature and Counterpoints of Modernity", held in Bangalore in 2016, has taken the shape of this impressive anthology of scholarly essays. It was with great pleasure that I spoke at the inaugural session, and I wish to highlight some issues presented from my viewpoint as a writer with an interest in folk literature and oral traditions.

**Contents and Sample Pages**