Synopses & Reviews
How has democracy taken root in India in the face of a low-income economy, poverty, illiteracy and ethnic diversity? Atul Kohli brings together leading scholars of Indian politics to explore this intriguing anomaly. Themes addressed include politics, ethnicity, federalism, caste, poverty, and Hindu nationalism. This is a tightly conceived volume on an important and controversial topic, which will be as useful in the classroom as it will be for professionals and general readers. It is a book for anyone who wants to learn more about the world's largest democracy.
Review
'... this is an important collection of essays ... by some of the most distinguished scholars in the field ... this book is sure to be widely read and cited'. Journal of Commonwealth & Comparative Politics
Review
'This is an essential read not only for the students of India but also those of democracy.' The Journal of Development Studies
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 270-286) and index.
Table of Contents
List of contributors; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction Atul Kohli; Part I. Historical Origins: 2. Indian democracy: the historical inheritance Sumit Sarkar; Part II. Political Institutions and Democratic Consolidation: 3. India's federal design and multicultural national construction Jyotirindra Dasgupta; 4. Center-state relations James Manor; 5. Making local government work Subrata K. Mitra; 6. Redoing the constitutional design: from an interventionist to a regulatory state Lloyd I. Rudolph and Susanne Hoeber Rudolph; 7. The dialectics of Hindu nationalism Amrita Basu: Part III. Social Demands and Democratic Deepening; 8. The struggle for equality: caste in Indian politics Myron Weiner; 9. Sharing the spoils: group equity, development and democracy Pranab Bardhan; 10. Social movement politics in India: institutions, interest, and identities Mary Katzenstein, Smitu Kothari, and Uday Mehta; Bibliography; Index.