Democracy Against Equality

Caste, Institutions and Power in Postcolonial Punjab
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-1-009-67903-9
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 197 Seiten

Reihe: South Asia in the Social Sciences

This book traces the shifting contours of caste and agrarian inequality, revealing how older hierarchies are being reconfigured in new forms and how they impact democracy. It offers a compelling ethnographic account of how democratic mechanisms-including political participation, elections, and protest movements-actually function in rural India. Focusing on Indian Punjab, it reveals the often stark disconnect between formal democratic ideals and ground-level realities. Engaging with major debates on clientelism, identity politics, and the criminalisation of politics, the book sheds light on the complexities of political representation and accountability. The book also fills a critical gap in the political anthropology of Indian Punjab, offering valuable insights into the region's current political discontent. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Martin, Nicolas

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgements; Introduction: Unpacking Punjab's Discontent; 1. Farmers and the Political Economy of Rent-Seeking; 2. Caste Dominance or Elite Factionalism?; 3. Panchayati Raj or Party Raj?; 4. Electoral Politics in Panchayat Raj Institutions; 5. Informality and Dispossession; 6. The Boundaries of Dalit Assertion; Conclusion: A Crisis of Governance; Bibliography; Index.

Über Autor(innen)

Martin, Nicolas
Nicolas Martin is Associate Professor of Modern Indian/South Asian Studies and Deputy Director Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies at University of Zurich, Switzerland. He teaches courses focusing on political, economic and social transformation in South Asia. His research interests lie in electoral politics and welfare provision, debt and micro-credit, and social mobilization in South India.