Author: Eminent Contributors
Neil DeVotta/
Editor(s): Sumit Ganguly/Neil DeVotta
Publisher: Viva Books
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 313
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8176494615
Description
This book represents efforts by a dozen scholars to share their expertise on India. Many policymakers and academics correctly see India playing a significant role on the global stage in the twenty-first century. Understanding Contemporary India is a good place to begin to appreciate this exceedingly fascinating, complex country. The chapters that follow are designed to acquaint students with India’s geography, history, nationalist movement, politics, international relations, economy, society, religions, environmental challenges, and arts and literature.
The book is not meant to be the most authoritative statement of India-the country’s unrivaled diversity and complexity make such an endeavor impossible in a single volume. Yet, given that there is no comparable work on India geared toward introducing the country across a range of issues, Understanding Contemporary India is both unique and necessary.
India is both a marvel and a paradox. The world’s largest democracy, it is a mind-boggling polyethnic society numbering more than 1 billion people. It is one of the world’s oldest civilizations and has produced four major religions- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It is a mostly agrarian, poverty-stricken country, even though it is a world leader in information technology and space exploration. It is the birthplace of Mohandas Gandhi and the influence for various nonviolent crusades, even as the country ever more confidently brandishes its nuclear capabilities. And it is a young state that is constantly seeking to negotiate the present and future, even as it almost fanatically holds on to a glorious past.
Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
Introduction
India: A Geographic Preface
The Historical Context
The Nationalist Movement
Indian Politics
International Relations
India’s Economy
The Role of Women
Population, Urbanization, and the Environment
Religion
Caste
The Arts
Trends and Prospects
Glossary
The Contributors
Index
About the Book