A team of expert authors explore various aspects of the twentieth century Indian state, ranging from the Central Union government level down to grassroots level in the provinces, cities and villages. It considers both political economic frameworks and the ideological and discursive processes that inform and influence them. The book contends that the functioning of the Indian state could not be comprehended simply by looking at the changes at the political center but are fundamentally influenced by developments in the wider civil society. Thus, it aims to bring together a number of insightful views on multiple aspects of the Indian state as a way to understand the interactive process that constitute it.The book will be of interest to undergraduates enrolled on contemporary Asian History and politics courses, as well as to those interested in more general theories of the state and civil society. The work will address questions arising from globalization, liberalization and decentralization that concern political scientists and sociologists as well as contemporary historians. As such, it will also be of interest to Indian historians and social scientists alike. The upsurge in communalism and nationalism in the Indian subcontinent, the ever present risk of conflict between rival nuclear states, and the consequent need the need to analyze and better understand the changing nature of political structures in India, together mean that the volume is likely have considerable relevance for some time to come. The book will therefore be popular with teachers and students in a wide variety of History, Sociology and Politics courses currently being taught in Britain, the United States, India andelsewhere.

A team of expert authors explore various aspects of the twentieth century Indian state, ranging from the Central Union government level down to grassroots level in the provinces, cities and villages. It considers both political economic frameworks and the ideological and discursive processes that inform and influence them. The book contends that the functioning of the Indian state could not be comprehended simply by looking at the changes at the political center but are fundamentally influenced by developments in the wider civil society. Thus, it aims to bring together a number of insightful views on multiple aspects of the Indian state as a way to understand the interactive process that constitute it.The book will be of interest to undergraduates enrolled on contemporary Asian History and politics courses, as well as to those interested in more general theories of the state and civil society. The work will address questions arising from globalization, liberalization and decentralization that concern political scientists and sociologists as well as contemporary historians. As such, it will also be of interest to Indian historians and social scientists alike. The upsurge in communalism and nationalism in the Indian subcontinent, the ever present risk of conflict between rival nuclear states, and the consequent need the need to analyze and better understand the changing nature of political structures in India, together mean that the volume is likely have considerable relevance for some time to come. The book will therefore be popular with teachers and students in a wide variety of History, Sociology and Politics courses currently being taught in Britain, the United States, India andelsewhere.

Paradise Lost examines the state-society relationships in Nepal and demonstrates that the nature of the state, disjuncture between the state and the society, and the rupture of the ideological hegemony of the ruling class of Nepal have created a situation where existing institutional frameworks are disintegrating and the state is rapidly unraveling. Dr. Ali Riaz and Dr. Subho Basu analyze the roles of ethnicity, identity, and deprivation, in engendering discontent and the rise of the Maoists as a formidable political force. Mindful of the geo-strategic importance of the country, this book contextualizes these domestic developments within the post-9/11 global world. Jointly authored by a political scientist and a historian this book brings together structural and historical perspectives. Written in an engaging language, Paradise Lost? will appeal to political scientists, historians, sociologists, and those interested in current affairs.

Paradise Lost examines the state-society relationships in Nepal and demonstrates that the nature of the state, disjuncture between the state and the society, and the rupture of the ideological hegemony of the ruling class of Nepal have created a situation where existing institutional frameworks are disintegrating and the state is rapidly unraveling. Dr. Ali Riaz and Dr. Subho Basu analyze the roles of ethnicity, identity, and deprivation, in engendering discontent and the rise of the Maoists as a formidable political force. Mindful of the geo-strategic importance of the country, this book contextualizes these domestic developments within the post-9/11 global world. Jointly authored by a political scientist and a historian this book brings together structural and historical perspectives. Written in an engaging language, Paradise Lost? will appeal to political scientists, historians, sociologists, and those interested in current affairs.