Vineet Thakur Knihy

Challenging the conventional narrative of International Relations' origins, this book reveals its ties to the Round Table, a network of late 19th-century imperialists from British societies. Rather than emerging solely from the aftermath of WW1, IR was shaped by efforts to enhance imperial governance and control global affairs. The authors explore how the Round Table’s methodologies influenced the discipline, highlighting the overlooked significance of the Global South and the intersection of imperial racial ideologies with early IR scholarship.

Focusing on the Indian tradition of liberalism, the book offers a critical intellectual biography of Valangaiman Sankaranarayana Srinivasa Sastri, a prominent politician, diplomat, and educationist during colonial India. As a founding member of the National Liberal Federation, Sastri played a significant role in shaping liberal thought and politics in the country, making him a key figure in understanding the evolution of Indian liberalism.

Offering a fresh perspective, this book explores the origins of International Relations through an alternative historical lens. It challenges conventional narratives and delves into lesser-known events and figures that shaped the field. By reexamining key moments and ideas, the author reveals how various cultural, political, and social influences contributed to the development of international relations theory. This critical analysis invites readers to reconsider established views and understand the complexities of global interactions.

Though now largely a forgotten figure, V.S. Srinivasa Sastri was a celebrated Indian politician and diplomat in the early 20th Century. This book rehabilitates Sastri and offers a diplomatic biography of his years as India's roving ambassador in the 1920s.