Includes bibliographical references (pages 367-419) and index.

South Asia: a geographical, environmental and historiographical introduction -- Geographical and political South Asia -- Historiography of modern South Asia since the 1980s -- The concept of this book -- Part I. State formation and empire building in South Asia c. 1660-1800 -- Forms and models: a theoretical approach -- State formation in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries -- Part II. Patriotisms and nationalisms in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries -- The great rebellion (1857-59) -- National movements (1860-1947) -- Part III. Empire building and state formation in South-Asia 1858-1998 -- The British Raj in India (1858-1947) -- Indian monarchies and principalities -- India, Pakistan and Bangladesh -- Part IV. Agriculture and agro-economy -- Themes and subjects -- South Asia's agriculture in the eighteenth century -- Continuities, changes and breaks under the colonial rule -- Characteristics and consequences of colonial agrarian policy -- The Green Revolution and the Gene Revolution 1960-2010 -- Part V. Silviculture and scientific forestry -- Nature, culture and time -- Forest management in South Asia until 1820 -- The impact of scientific forestry (1860-1920) -- Increasing exploitation and growing resistance 1920-1990 -- The new millennium -- Part VI. Migration, circulation and diaspora -- Theories and thoughts -- Early South Asian migration and diaspora communities -- South Asians on the new sub-continental and global labour markets -- Recruitment of indentured labourers -- Migration and settlement -- South Asian communities overseas -- Migrants, twice migrants, guest workers -- A global Indian diaspora? -- Part VII. Urbanisation and industrialisation -- General observations on urban history and urban development -- Overall trends in crafts and industries -- Industrialisation and de-industrialisation -- Indian owned industries -- The labour market and labourer's organisations -- Urbanisation -- Municipality and urban planning -- Urban development after 1947: metropolises, megacities, middle towns -- Part VIII. Knowledge, science, technology and power -- Themes, theories and subjects -- Education: schools, colleges, universities -- History and historiography -- Natural sciences: botany, geography and geology -- From medical knowledge to scientific medicine -- Irrigation systems and hydraulic constructions -- Railway construction and railway networks -- Telecommunication systems and networks -- Afterthought and prospect.