Gavin Flood is Professor of Religion at the University of Stirling, and the author of An Introduction to Hinduism (Cambridge University Press, 1996).

• 1. Setting the parameters; Part I. The Ascetic Self in Text and History: 2. The asceticism of work: Simone Weil; 3. The asceticism of action: The Bhagavad-gita and Yoga-sutras; 4. The asceticism of action: Tantra; 5. The asceticism of the Middle Way; 6. The asceticism of the desert; 7. The asceticism of love and wisdom; Part II. Theorising the Ascetic Self: 8. The ritual construction of the ascetic self; 9. Modernity and the ascetic self.

Gavin Flood is Professor of Religion at the University of Stirling, and the author of An Introduction to Hinduism (Cambridge University Press, 1996).

• 1. Setting the parameters; Part I. The Ascetic Self in Text and History: 2. The asceticism of work: Simone Weil; 3. The asceticism of action: The Bhagavad-gita and Yoga-sutras; 4. The asceticism of action: Tantra; 5. The asceticism of the Middle Way; 6. The asceticism of the desert; 7. The asceticism of love and wisdom; Part II. Theorising the Ascetic Self: 8. The ritual construction of the ascetic self; 9. Modernity and the ascetic self.

Gavin Flood is Professor of Religion at the University of Stirling, and the author of An Introduction to Hinduism (Cambridge University Press, 1996).

• 1. Setting the parameters; Part I. The Ascetic Self in Text and History: 2. The asceticism of work: Simone Weil; 3. The asceticism of action: The Bhagavad-gita and Yoga-sutras; 4. The asceticism of action: Tantra; 5. The asceticism of the Middle Way; 6. The asceticism of the desert; 7. The asceticism of love and wisdom; Part II. Theorising the Ascetic Self: 8. The ritual construction of the ascetic self; 9. Modernity and the ascetic self.