Public Faces, Private Lives

Download or read book Public Faces, Private Lives written by Mattison Mines and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1994-12-19 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Individuality is often viewed as an exclusively Western value. In non-Western societies, collective identities seem to eclipse those of individuals. These generalities, however, have overlooked the importance of personal uniqueness, volition, and achievement in these cultures. This book weaves together personal life stories, historical description, and theoretical analysis to define individuality in South Asia and to distinguish it from its Western counterpart.