Handbook of Politics in Indian States: Region, Parties, and Economic Reforms

Indian states have only recently come to occupy a seminal position in national politics. The older form of a single party system is on the wane. With the rise of regional parties, states have become partners in central governance; they are now enjoying more autonomy and, post-liberalization, are enjoying greater financial freedom. While most studies on Indian politics focus on the national level, Handbook of Politics in Indian States maps the changing contours of India's federal democratic politics since independence. Due to the size, diversity, and federal structure arranged along cultural-linguistic lines, developments in the states are determining national patterns. The volume focuses on areas such as democratization, regions and regionalism, political parties and electoral politics, and economic reform. Eminent scholars in the field analyse the changes in the functioning of state politics taking place at two levels-across states and within states. Based on extensive research, the chapters show that these changes have led to the strengthening of Indian democracy by giving voice to the disadvantaged and marginalized sections. This Handbook thus provides a comprehensive account of some of the significant developments and challenges faced by Indian politics today. Contributors to this volume - Dwaipayan Bhattacharyya is Fellow in Political Science, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Kolkata; Maya Chadda is Professor of Political Science, William Paterson University, New Jersey; Director of International Education Program; and Member of Council on Foreign Relation, New York; Stuart Corbridge is Pro Director for Research and External Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK; Chirashree Das Gupta is Associate Professor, Ambedkar University, Delhi; Ainslie T. Embree is Professor of History Emeritus, Columbia University, New York; Sandhya Goswami is Professor at the Department of Political Science, Gauhati University, Assam; and Member of Lokniti, Delhi; Sohini Guha is Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi, Delhi; John Harriss is Professor and Director of the School for International Studies, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver; Rob Jenkins is Professor of Political Science, Hunter College and the Graduate Center, The City University of New York; Sanjay Kumar is Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies and Deputy Director of Lokniti, Delhi; Emma E. Mawdsley is Senior Lecturer of Geography, University of Cambridge; and Fellow of Newnham College; Jos Mooij is Associate Professor in Public Policy and Development Management, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University, Rotterdam; Sajal Nag is Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, Assam Central University, Silchar, Assam; Baldev Raj Nayar is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at McGill University; Sudha Pai is Rector and Professor, Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; M.S.S. Pandian is Professor of Contemporary Indian History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Lloyd I. Rudolph is Professor of Political Science Emeritus, University of Chicago; Susanne Hoeber Rudolph is Professor of Political Science Emerita, University of Chicago; Asha Sarangi is Associate Professor at the Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; E. Sridharan is Academic Director at the University of Pennsylvania Institute for the Advanced Study of India, New Delhi; K.C. Suri is Professor of Political Science, University of Hyderabad, India; Badri Narayan is Professor at G.B. Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad; Anil Kumar Verma is Chair at the Department of Political Science, Christ Church College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Andrew Wyatt is Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Bristol, Bristol.