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In this book William Gould explores what is arguably one of the most important and controversial themes in twentieth-century Indian history and politics: the nature of Hindu nationalism as an ideology and political language. Rather than concentrating on the main institutions of the Hindu Right in India as other studies have done, the author uses a variety of historical sources to analyse how Hindu nationalism affected the supposedly secularist Congress in the key state of Uttar Pradesh. In this way, the author offers an alternative assessment of how these languages and ideologies transformed the relationship between Congress and north Indian Muslims. The book makes a major contribution to historical analyses of the critical last two decades before Partition and Independence in 1947, which will be of value to scholars interested in historical and contemporary Hindu nationalism, and to students researching the final stages of colonial power in India.

In this article, we wish to reflect upon some of the findings of a recent Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded Global Challenges Research Fund Participatory Video (PV) project 'Voicing Hidden Histories'. Working in South Africa, India and Brazil, this project has been using PV to support specific marginalised communities in each country to challenge the way their nations present themselves-and in particular their national history-to the world via 'nation branding' and other 'soft power' initiatives. Specifically we ask: why use filmmaking as an international development tool? What are the enablers of-and barriers to-successful PV initiatives and what does 'success' mean in this context? Moreover, while such projects invariably make claims for PV as a particularly effective method for 'giving' communities 'voice'-however such potentially patronising terms might be defined-very little space is usually dedicated to the exploration of the films produced in such projects, that is to the specific articulation of this 'voice'. Thus, we also wish to challenge a trend in the analysis of such projects that focuses entirely on questions of methodology and an understanding of PV as a Participatory Video in Development: the Voicing Hidden Histories Project, Soft Power, Community Advocacy and Film Language This article reflects upon the findings of the recent AHRC project 'Troubling the National Brand and Voicing Hidden Histories'. Working in Brazil, India and South Africa' the project used participatory video to support specific marginalised communities in country to challenge the way these nations present themselves to the world via 'nation branding' and other 'soft power' initiatives. In so doing, the project sought to raise awareness nationally and internationally of these communities' precarious place in society and to support them in campaigning to effect change in their lives. Why use filmmaking as an international development tool? What are the enablers ofand barriers tosuccessful PV initiatives? What does 'success' mean in this context? What is the role of the filmmaker? Is s/he an artist? A community worker? A therapist? Moreover, while such projects invariably make claims for PV as a particularly effective method for 'giving' communities 'voice', very little space is usually dedicated to the exploration of the films produced in such projects, that is the specific articulation of this 'voice'. Thus, we also wish to examine the ways in which 'Voicing Hidden Histories' used film language both to reflect upon, and communicate, the experience of the participants involved.

This special issue ofModern Asian Studiesexplores the shift from colonial rule to independence in India and Pakistan, with the aim of unravelling the explicit meanings and relevance of ‘independence’ for the new citizens of India and Pakistan during the two decades after 1947. While the study of postcolonial South Asia has blossomed in recent years, this volume addresses a number of imbalances in this dynamic and highly popular field. Firstly, the histories of India and Pakistan after 1947 have come to be conceived separately, with many scholars assuming that the two states developed along divergent paths after independence. Thus, the dominant historical paradigm has been to examine either India or Pakistan in relative isolation from one another. While a handful of very recent books on the partition of the subcontinent have begun to study the two states simultaneously, very few of these new histories reach beyond the immediate concerns of partition. Of course, both countries developed out of much the same set of historical experiences. Viewing the two states in the same frame not only allows the contributors to this issue to explore common themes, it also facilitates an exploration of the powerful continuities between the pre- and post-independence periods.