Rethinking State Politics in India

In recent decades, India has been witness to the assertion of geographically, culturally and historically constituted distinct and well-defined regions that display ethnic, communal, caste and other social-political cleavages. This book examines the changing configurations of state politics in India. Focussing on identity politics and development, it explores the specificities of the regions within states - not merely as politico-administrative constructs but also as conceived in historical, geographic, economic, sociological or cultural terms. Adopting a comparative approach, the book looks at alternative theoretical approaches - the quest for homeland, identity, caste politics and public policy. This second edition includes a new Introduction that updates the research in the area, while further developing the theoretical framework. One of the first major volumes on federalism in India, including studies from across the nation, this book will be indispensable for students and scholars of political science, sociology, history and South Asian studies.

Ashutosh Kumar is Professor, Department of Political Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Previously, he lectured at the universities of Jammu and Delhi. He has been associated with the Lokniti network, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi, as State Coordinator for Punjab and has been a visiting faculty member at the University of Tampere, Finland, and the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, Paris. His research interests include state politics in India, with emphasis on issues related to elections, identities and development. He has co-edited a volume entitled Globalisation and Politics of Identity in India (2008). Professor Kumar has also published in national and international journals. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Panjab University research journal Social Sciences (2012-16) and continues to be a part of the four-member Research Promotion Committee of Panjab University.

Introduction to the Second Edition - Beyond Nation-State: Framing Regional Politics in India Ashutosh Kumar Part I: United Colours of New States 1. Rethinking 'Regional Developmental Imbalances'; Spatial Versus the Socio-Political 'Region': The Case of Tribals in Jharkhand Ashutosh Kumar 2. Constitution of a Region: A Study of Chhattisgarh Dharmendra Kumar 3. The Creation of a Region: Politics of Identity and Development in Uttarakhand Pampa Mukherjee Part II: Quest for Territorial Homeland 4. Regions within Region and their Movements in Karnataka: Nuances, Claims and Ambiguities Muzaffar Assadi 5. Backwardness and Political Articulation of Backwardness in the North Bengal Region of West Bengal Arun K. Jana 6. Assertion of a Region: Exploring the Demand for Telengana Rama Rao Bonagani 7. Region, Caste and Politics of 'Reverse Discrimination': The Case of Harit Pradesh Jagpal Singh 8. Regions Within but Democracy Without: A Study of India's North-east Samir Kumar Das 9. Politics of Autonomy in a Comparative Perspective: Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir Ashutosh Kumar Part III: Caste and Politics of Marginality 10. Garv Se Kahon Hum Lingayat Hain! Caste Associations and Identity Politics in Maharashtra Rajeshwari Deshpande 11. Emergence of Dalit Organizations in Tamil Nadu: Causes, Forms of Assertion and Impact on the State Politics of Tamil Nadu Neeru Sharma Mehra 12. Affirmative Action, Group Rights and Democracy: The Mala-Madiga Conflict in Andhra Pradesh Sudha Pai 13. Caste and Marginality in Punjab: Looking for Regional Specificities Ronki Ram Part IV: State Electoral Politics - Regional Variance 14. Subregions, Identity and the Nature of Political Competition in Rajasthan Sanjay Lodha 15. Regions within Regions - Negotiating Political Spaces: A Case Study of Karnataka Sandeep Shastri Part V: Politics of Public Policy 16. Political Regimes and Economic Reforms: A Study of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh Ashok K. Pankaj