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A new audience for the sari

25 September 2003

A new book, The Sari, is the result of research conducted by Dr Mukulika Banerjee and Professor Daniel Miller, of UCL's Department of Anthropology.

Dr Mukulika Banerjee and Professor Daniel Miller The authors intend to convey the lives of contemporary Indian women and an intimate sense of their daily lives.

Dr Banerjee commented: "With the sari, putting it on is just the beginning. Its ambiguity and dynamism are being used constantly during the day to change one's appearance and to respond to different environments. It creates a kind of conversation between the sari and the woman."

A highly original contribution to writing about the intimate aspects of wearing clothes, the book examines the sense of what makes people feel comfortable, stylish and functional. Although the book details serious academic research, with topics ranging from poverty to rationality, the presentation makes the content easily accessible to a lay audience.

Professor Miller said: "We feel that a book exploring how people relate to their clothing could appeal to just about anyone. Indeed, we suspect some will buy it for the quality of the photography and design alone, and then be led on to read the text."

To find out more about the book or the department, use the links below.


Links:
Berg Publishing
UCL's Department of Anthropology