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Dowry Murder - the killing of a young bride whose dowry has been deemed insufficient by her groom's family - has long been thought a holdover from a system of Hindu custom fundamentally misogynistic by nature. In this learned and controversial book, Veena Oldenburg argues that dowry murder is not about dowry per se nor is it rooted in an Indian culture or caste system that encourages violence against women. Rather, dowry murder can be traced directly to the influences of the British colonial era. In the precolonial period, dowry was an institution managed by women, for women, to enable them to establish their independence. As a consequence of the massive economic and social upheaval brought on by British rule, women began to lose control of the system, and consequently of precious land and resources, ultimately resulting in a devaluing of their very lives. Combining rigorous research with empassioned analysis and a nuanced treatment of a complex, deeply controversial subject, Dowry Murder is that rare book that challenges us to rethink basic assumptions about the history of colonialism, the human and economic rights of women, and of India.