Gandhi`s Body – Sex, Diet, and the Politics of Nationalism Alter Hardback

University of Pennsylvania Press

Explore the unconventional aspects of Mahatma Gandhi's life and thought in "Gandhi's Body: Sex, Diet, and the Politics of Nationalism" by Joseph S. Alter. This revisionist study moves beyond traditional analyses of nonviolence to delve into Gandhi's preoccupation with sex, diet reform, and naturopathy, arguing that these personal practices are central to understanding his politics and Indian nationalism. Joseph Alter utilizes Gandhi's own writings to place his bodily practices within his philosophical framework. Discover the connections between Gandhi's fasting and his ideas of emptiness, and his celibacy and beliefs about nonviolence. The book also examines the transnational influences on Gandhi's thinking, including German naturopaths and the deliberate reconstruction of yoga as a 'scientific' health regimen for self-rule. "Gandhi's Body" offers a provocative and original perspective, revealing how seemingly idiosyncratic aspects of Gandhi's life are key to understanding not only his political agenda but also the broader context of Indian nationalism. Summary: Politics, Hardcover book by University of Pennsylvania Press, featuring Gandhi's Body: Sex, Diet, and the Politics of Nationalism. Includes 216 pages and was published in 2000.