Prof. Rob Jenkins new edited volume, Deconstructing India’s Democracy: Essays in Honour of James Manor, has just been published by Orient BlackSwan Press:
https://orientblackswan.com/details?id=9789354429620
The book highlights the enduring relevance of James Manor’s influential body of work, the result of over fifty years of scholarly engagement with India and Indian politics. Examining the varied meanings of democracy for the Indian polity, the book situates these discussions within an examination of identity, caste, sub-nationalisms, the role of political leaders, parties and brokers, autocracy, clientelism, patronage, elections, popular movements, and decentralisation, thus offering a framework for re-evaluating democracy in India.
The twelve essays, by leading scholars, address diverse aspects of two central themes in Manor’s work—political decay and political renewal—to diagnose the country’s democratic deficits while also highlighting signs of regeneration, resilience, awakening and agency. The authors deploy a range of methods and perspectives to analyse the interplay between regions and the nation, and variations between states, including Karnataka, where James Manor’s work goes back many decades.
