Editorial Note, Nov-Dec, 2015

The papers in the current issue of Social Scientist deal with diverse themes. The lead article by Samita Sahgal, which seeks to locate kingship in early India within a frame of masculinity, shows how this frame mutated over time. While the masculinity of the ideal king in earlier times was defined not just by his ability to administer, but also by his ability to perpetuate lineage and exhibit valour on the battlefield, with urbanisation new attributes were added to this frame such as good looks. The new definitions of masculinity that emerged over time were however not uniform across the country: each region appeared to be developing its own mutation with regard to the concept of masculinity.