"One of the very best books by a sociologist published in recent
years. Profound and significant, both for scholars and educated lay
people. A must read for all interested in the subject and its
numerous implications."--Amitai Etzioni, author of The Spirit of
Community
"A distinguished and superior piece of sociological analysis which
is bound to elicit enthusiastic responses by readers in sociology
but also in other social science domains as well as in schools of
theology. I believe much of what he has to say is bound to
influence scholars who will come after him."--Lewis A. Coser, SUNY
Stony Brook and Boston College
"Milner's analysis of Indian society has the comprehensiveness and
depth of a masterwork. The book bears favorable comparison with
Louis Dumont's Homo Hierarchicus, the modern classic on this topic.
It is likewise an important work of general theory, examining India
as a crucial case where the principles of the status order may be
seen in their most extreme form, and laying bare the nature of
struggle over the appropriation of status
resources."--Randall Collins, University of California,
Riverside
"This elegant and imaginative construction of a general theory of
status via a detailed study of the caste system displays sustained
argumentation of a high order. It wouldn't be extravagant to
compare it with Durkheim's theory of the religious life. The
difference is that Milner takes the most complex, instead of the
most elementary, case."--David Lockwood, University of Essex
"Probably destined to become a major work in the sociology of
religion....Tightly reasoned and schematic, this book will likely
interest a broad array of scholars concerned with the relation of
religion to social inequality. Certainly it is the most ambitious
new interpretation of caste to appear since the competing theories
of Louis Dumont and McKim Marriott, which have dominated the
scholarly discussion about Hindu society for the past twenty-five
years.
Recommended for all academic libraries."--Religious Studies
Review
"One of the very best books by a sociologist published in recent
years. Profound and significant, both for scholars and educated lay
people. A must read for all interested in the subject and its
numerous implications."--Amitai Etzioni, author of The Spirit of
Community
"A distinguished and superior piece of sociological analysis which
is bound to elicit enthusiastic responses by readers in sociology
but also in other social science domains as well as in schools of
theology. I believe much of what he has to say is bound to
influence scholars who will come after him."--Lewis A. Coser, SUNY
Stony Brook and Boston College
"Milner's analysis of Indian society has the comprehensiveness and
depth of a masterwork. The book bears favorable comparison with
Louis Dumont's Homo Hierarchicus, the modern classic on this topic.
It is likewise an important work of general theory, examining India
as a crucial case where the principles of the status order may be
seen in their most extreme form, and laying bare the nature of
struggle over the appropriation of status
resources."--Randall Collins, University of California,
Riverside
"This elegant and imaginative construction of a general theory of
status via a detailed study of the caste system displays sustained
argumentation of a high order. It wouldn't be extravagant to
compare it with Durkheim's theory of the religious life. The
difference is that Milner takes the most complex, instead of the
most elementary, case."--David Lockwood, University of Essex
"Probably destined to become a major work in the sociology of
religion....Tightly reasoned and schematic, this book will likely
interest a broad array of scholars concerned with the relation of
religion to social inequality. Certainly it is the most ambitious
new interpretation of caste to appear since the competing theories
of Louis Dumont and McKim Marriott, which have dominated the
scholarly discussion about Hindu society for the past twenty-five
years.
Recommended for all academic libraries."--Religious Studies
Review
"
Ask a Question About this Product More... |