Round Table Conference Geographies
Constituting Colonial India in Interwar London

‘Legg radically reimagines the Round Table Conference (RTC), often relegated to a stodgier sideshow of state-making and nationalism on the ground, by focusing on the politics of representation, labour, infrastructure and space that went into making the RTC. In doing so, he shows how Indian delegates at the RTC innovated new spaces of internationalist politics and challenged Western stereotypes of backwardness. Elegantly crafted, and engagingly written, Legg offers us rich theoretical tools and incisive methods to understand the production of internationalism in the 20th century.’ Rohit De, Yale University

‘This compelling, beautifully written and detailed account of the Round Table Conference brings together geographies of colonialism and diplomacy to exemplify how colonial democracy was practised. Stephen Legg brings to attention a largely overlooked conference and the deliberations that occurred and extended beyond the meeting venue itself, providing captivating insights into how representation, communication and decision-making unfolded. The book includes evocative details of how the Indian delegates negotiated the simultaneously racist and hospitable landscape of 1930s London and draws on archival material to illuminate their experiences of being lavishly entertained at tea parties, receptions and soirees. Legg offers a distinctly geographical exploration of a unique historical event that highlights how liberalism and imperialism were being played out in the interwar period. In bringing together geo-political debates with the intricacies of practices and encounters, this book both delights and challenges the reader.’ Uma Kothari, University of Manchester

‘Legg helps us understand the contentious relationship between empire and democratisation through an underappreciated forum - the conference. With forensic and careful argumentation, Legg provides an intimate political geography of power and representation.’ Robbie Shilliam, Johns Hopkins University

‘Stephen Legg’s scholarship was already beyond compare. With Round Table Conference Geographies, Legg has cemented his position as a historian whose works must be read in order to understand late colonial India. In particular, for anyone working on Indian constitutional histories, Legg’s book is a must-read. In the beginning of the book, Legg mentions three doyens of this field whose works remained close to him, R. J. Moore, Carl Bridge, and Ian Copland. (13). Undoubtedly, Stephen Legg has to be the fourth name added by any future scholar working in this field.’ Arvind Elangovan, The London Journal