Description
In The Psychic Lives of Statues, Rahul Rao offers a provocative exploration of monuments and their psychological dimensions. Rather than treating statues as mere decorative objects, Rao argues they function as repositories of trauma, desire, and imperial power that shape collective consciousness.
Drawing on psychoanalytic theory, postcolonial studies, and cultural analysis, the book examines how colonial statues continue to haunt public spaces and national identities. Rao traces the rubble of empire through the lives of these objects, revealing how they encode historical violence while simultaneously generating psychological effects on those who encounter them.
This innovative work challenges conventional approaches to cultural heritage and monument removal debates, offering new frameworks for understanding how societies reckon with imperial pasts. Essential reading for anyone interested in decolonization, public memory, and the contested landscapes of contemporary cities.
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