The idea of the book initially emerged from a panel discussion at the Specialist Group on South Asia of the Political Studies Association, UK, in March 1993. On its tortuous path to publication, it has been enriched by critical comments from Sumit Ganguly, Vernon Hewitt, Iftikhar Malik, Gurharpal Singh and David Taylor. The volume has benefited fromSubrata Mitra's long association with the Centre for Indian Studies at the University of Hull and stimulating discussions with members of the Center for South Asian Studies and the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, during his sabbatical term (spring 1994). The contributions, although completed by summer 1994, recognise the ongoing changes throughout the region.

The second edition of this textbook brings together general political theory and the comparative method to interpret socio-political phenomena and issues that have occupied the Indian state and society since 1947. It considers the progress that India has made in some of the most challenging aspects of post-colonial politics such as governance, democracy, economic growth, welfare, and citizenship. Looking at the changed global role of India, its standing in the G-20 and BRICS, as well as the implications of the 2014 Indian general elections for state and society, this updated edition also includes sections on the changing socio-political status of women in India, corruption and terrorism. The author raises several key questions relevant to Indian politics, including: * Why has India succeeded in making a relatively peaceful transition from colonial rule to a resilient, multi-party democracy in contrast to its South Asian neighbours? * How has the interaction of modern politics and traditional society contributed to the resilience of post-colonial democracy? * How did India's economy moribund-for several decades following Independence-make a breakthrough into rapid growth and can India sustain it? * And finally, why have collective identity and nationhood emerged as the core issues for India in the twenty-first century and with what implications for Indian democracy? The textbook goes beyond India by asking about the implications of the Indian case for the general and comparative theory of the post-colonial state. The factors which might have caused failures in democracy and governance are analysed and incorporated as variables into a model of democratic governance. In addition to pedagogical features such as text boxes, a set of further readings is provided to guide readers who wish to go beyond the remit of this text. The book will be essential reading for undergraduate students and researchers in South Asian and Asian studies, political science, development studies, sociology, comparative politics and political theory.

The second edition of this textbook brings together general political theory and the comparative method to interpret socio-political phenomena and issues that have occupied the Indian state and society since 1947. It considers the progress that India has made in some of the most challenging aspects of post-colonial politics such as governance, democracy, economic growth, welfare, and citizenship. Looking at the changed global role of India, its standing in the G-20 and BRICS, as well as the implications of the 2014 Indian general elections for state and society, this updated edition also includes sections on the changing socio-political status of women in India, corruption and terrorism. The author raises several key questions relevant to Indian politics, including: * Why has India succeeded in making a relatively peaceful transition from colonial rule to a resilient, multi-party democracy in contrast to its South Asian neighbours? * How has the interaction of modern politics and traditional society contributed to the resilience of post-colonial democracy? * How did India's economy moribund-for several decades following Independence-make a breakthrough into rapid growth and can India sustain it? * And finally, why have collective identity and nationhood emerged as the core issues for India in the twenty-first century and with what implications for Indian democracy? The textbook goes beyond India by asking about the implications of the Indian case for the general and comparative theory of the post-colonial state. The factors which might have caused failures in democracy and governance are analysed and incorporated as variables into a model of democratic governance. In addition to pedagogical features such as text boxes, a set of further readings is provided to guide readers who wish to go beyond the remit of this text. The book will be essential reading for undergraduate students and researchers in South Asian and Asian studies, political science, development studies, sociology, comparative politics and political theory.

Level of compliance - one of the most important prerequisites of good governance - varies widely across countries of the Global North and the less developed, Global South. Acts of non-compliance, such as electoral irregularities, dubious deals between private and public sectors, questionable role of the justice systems and financial scandals, though they vary greatly across countries, are an omnipresent reality of contemporary life. This volume has brought together a number of case studies of such deviant behavior in political, juridical and corporate fields, from several countries of Asia, Europe and South America, within a common framework. Instead of a moral approach based exclusively on the legality and illegality of the act, the authors of these essays dissect non-compliance analytically, taking culture and context into account. They argue that, while criminal and corrupt dealings deserve to be exposed by all means from an ethical point of view, seen from an interdisciplinary angle, one needs to probe deeper into the dynamic that leads to such non-compliance with the law in the first place.

Political parties are recognized as a highly important instrument for the functioning of democratic politics. They are essential for state formation and the intermediation between the state and society. This book is a pioneering attempt to discuss and analyze the complex variations of the party landscape in South Asia. It pays special attention to the evaluation of the role of political parties in the creation of multicultural, pluralist, and democratic societies. The contributions to this volume come from indigenous authors who bear the necessary contextual knowledge needed to analyze the political parties in South Asia. This work helps explain why analytical concepts can provide explanations in some areas of this subject but fail in others. It also argues that the political parties in South Asia should not be assessed only through criteria taken from western experience. The material in this volume is sure to inform academic debate.

Poverty reduction challenges in the twenty-first century are not the same as those from the previous century. The shift is due in no small part to climate change and climate-related weather disasters, such as extreme flood and drought. The magnitude and frequency of such events are only expected to increase in the coming decades, affecting more and more impoverished people across the globe. Poverty Reduction in a Changing Climate, edited by Hari Bansha Dulal, is a work which discusses the new innovations and funding mechanisms which have emerged in response to the rise of climate-related challenges in the twenty-first century. Dulal and the text's contributors explore the synergies and implications of those innovations with respect to poverty alleviation goals. This collection brings together a range of scholars from different backgrounds, ranging from political science, economics, public policy, and environmental science, all analyzing poverty reduction challenges and opportunities from different, forward-thinking perspectives.

Poverty reduction challenges in the twenty-first century are not the same as those from the previous century. The shift is due in no small part to climate change and climate-related weather disasters, such as extreme flood and drought. The magnitude and frequency of such events are only expected to increase in the coming decades, affecting more and more impoverished people across the globe. Poverty Reduction in a Changing Climate, edited by Hari Bansha Dulal, is a work which discusses the new innovations and funding mechanisms which have emerged in response to the rise of climate-related challenges in the twenty-first century. Dulal and the text's contributors explore the synergies and implications of those innovations with respect to poverty alleviation goals. This collection brings together a range of scholars from different backgrounds, ranging from political science, economics, public policy, and environmental science, all analyzing poverty reduction challenges and opportunities from different, forward-thinking perspectives.