Mitra Sharafi
Global protests remind us how race affects policing. But what about caste? Drawing on police station records, this remarkable book reveals caste's omnipresence in Tamil country. If you read one history of policing in India, let this be it.
Rohit De
Engagingly written and incisively argued, Police Matters provides an extraordinary account of postcolonial policing and democracy, explaining how criminal law and procedure became a site for maneuvering between castes as Indians transitioned from colonial subjects to democratic citizens.
Jinee Lokaneeta
An extraordinary book, Police Matters excavates the figure of the Indian police in everyday state practice, both archivally and conceptually. Beyond conceptions of spectacular violence and distant sovereign power, Radha Kumar brilliantly reveals the integral relation of state agents to caste, class, and gender hierarchies.
Hugo Gorringe
Police Matters is a highly engaging account of the intertwined world of policing and caste politics in South India. Kumar skillfully highlights the role of the police in the creation of casted subjectivities and struggles. A must-read.