The YMCA in Late Colonial India: Modernization, Philanthropy and American Soft Power in South Asia

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This book explores the history and agendas of the Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA) through its activities in South Asia. Focusing on interactions between American Y workers and the local population, representatives of the British colonial state, and a host of international actors, it assesses their impact on the making of modern India. In turn, it shows how the knowledge and experience acquired by the Y in South Asia had a significant impact on US foreign policy, diplomacy and development programs in the region from the mid-1940s. Exploring the secular projects launched by the YMCA such as new forms of sport, philanthropic efforts and educational endeavours, The YMCA in Late Colonial India addresses broader issues about the persistent role of religion in global modernization processes, the accumulation of American soft power in Asia, and the entanglement of American imperialism with other colonial empires. It provides an unusually rich case study to explore how global civil society emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, how it related to the prevailing imperial world order, and how cultural specificities affected the ways in which it unfolded. Offering fresh perspectives on the historical trajectories of Americas moral empire, Christian internationalism and the history of international organizations more broadly, this book also gives an insight into the history of South Asia during an age of colonial reformism and decolonization. It shows how international actors contributed to the shaping of South Asias modernity at this crucial point, and left a lasting legacy in the region.

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Meticulous scholarship and innovative research make this a highly original contribution to understanding the historical significance of American soft power in South Asia. By foregrounding the seminal role of transnational agency and Americanization on India and Indians, the book radically reconfigures the story of colonial India and nationalist opposition. * David Arnold, Professor Emeritus, University of Warwick, UK *

Author Bio

Harald Fischer-Tin is Professor of Modern Global History at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He has published extensively on global history, South Asian colonial history and the history of the British Empire.