Author Description

This study examines the dualistic nature of colonialism and its effects on colonialised society. It shows how Indian Christians' concept of community and self were manipulated via colonial power structures. They reacted and interacted with the all- powerful British colonialist, but such responses were often not solely a direct reaction to colonialism but a result of a fusion of ideas. Indigenous traditions and the acquisition of modern ideas played an important role. Interaction between these opposing elements often brought about a concoction of concepts often unfamiliar to both traditional and modern circles. Assimilation into colonial structures was more akin to a relationship of borrowing and difference. Life under colonialism was epitomised by the dual faces of repression and coercion. Colonialism used these elements in tandem, consciously excluding some groups while 'accepting' others.