The Basel Mission between Switzerland, Germany and South India : Entangled Histories from Conversion to Commerce

Abstract

This book traces the intricate entanglements between the Swiss-German world and South India through the history of the Basel Mission Society. Founded in 1815, the Mission drew its support from present-day Switzerland and the southern German region of Baden-Württemberg. In South India, particularly in Kerala and Karnataka, these missionaries combined theological ideals with technical expertise, fostering schools, industries, and congregations that linked Europe and India in unprecedented ways. The Basel Mission in India brings together, for the first time, a group of international scholars to provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary account of the Mission’s activities in India since 1834. The chapters range from studies of pietism and industrial enterprise such as tile-making to examinations of caste, gender, education, and material culture, drawing on new archival and museum sources—including collections at the Museum der Kulturen Basel. By reassessing the Basel Mission’s theological, social, and economic legacy, this volume advances debates on colonialism, global Christianity, and transnational exchange. It offers fresh perspectives on how faith, labour, industry, and material culture intersected to shape an entangled world across Switzerland, Germany, and South India.