Contemporary India: Economy, Society, Politics

Front Cover
Neera Chandhoke, Praveen Priyadarshi
Pearson Education India, 2009 - India - 414 pages
Edited by Neera Chandhoke and Praveen Priyadarshi, Contemporary India addresses issues facing the nation-state and civil society from diverse perspectives: those of political science, sociology, economics and history. The book is thematically divided into three parts Economy, Society, and Politics and includes discussions on topics as wide-ranging as poverty, regional disparities, policies, social change and social movements, the elements of democracy, dynamics of the party system, secularism, federalism, decentralization, and so on. The common thread of democracy, which strings together different aspects of contemporary India, serves as the framework of understanding here and underlies discussions in all the chapters. The book includes 23 original, well-researched and up-to-date chapters by authors who teach different courses in the social sciences. Without compromising on the complexity of their arguments, the authors have used a lucid, conversational style that will attract even readers who have no previous knowledge of the topics. The contributors have also provided a glossary, questions and further readings lists with students examination needs in mind.

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Contents

Basic Features of the Indian Economy in 1947
3
The Evolution of Development Strategy Since Independence
16
Some Important Constituents of Economic Policy
33
Regional Disparities Poverty and Food Insecurity
49
Health and Education
70
IT and Social Change
86
The Changing Social Structure in Contemporary India
107
The Explosion of the Middle Class
121
An Evaluation
226
Social and Economic Dimensions
247
The Changing Nature of the Party System
260
The Nature of Coalition Politics
277
Why Is Secularism Important for India?
288
Contemporary Debates on Nationalism
306
Dimensions of Indian Federalism
324
Democratic Decentralization and Panchayati Raj
344

Adult Franchise and Education
139
Social Movements and the Mass Media
156
Social Mobility and Changes in Occupational Structure
169
Challenges and Opportunities
184
The Nature and Functioning of Democracy
215
The Changing Nature of Public Administration
358
India in the Global Strategic Environment
372
Glossary
389
About the Editors and the Contributors
400
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