Attitudes towards ‘Racial Mixing’ in Colonial French-India

Abstract

Present day Puducherry is a mixed pot in terms of nationalities, languages, religions and various social markers. The situation is a consequence of the Union Territory’s history, largely influenced by Its colonial heritage. This essay acts as a backdrop to my proposed research project for the final thesis for the Master’s in Social and Cultural Anthropology, which focuses on the current dynamic of Inclusion and Exclusion under certain contexts in White Town, Puducherry. This essay begins to study the different attitudes colonies had towards ‘mixed-race’ populations, primarily in French India.