Democracy and Development in India
GOVT 383
Fall 2020 not offered
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Much has been written and said about the link between democracy and religious/ethnic fragmentation. When India gained independence from British Rule in 1947, many observed that the likelihood of the new country remaining democratic was limited. Yet, democracy has thrived in India for almost 70 years. Other South Asian countries have recently followed suit. How do countries with multiple social, economic, ethnic, and linguistic cleavages manage democracy and what is the connection between their successes (and failures) in this area and the persistence of widespread poverty? This course focuses on the "politics of accommodation" in South Asia, examining institutions, elite bargaining, the deployment of force, accommodation of regional leaders and their political aspirations, and the constant reconfiguration of caste, party, and religious alliances to explain why Indian politics in particular is often dominated by social accommodation rather than the amelioration of poverty. In addition to focusing on India, we will examine a number of comparative cases from elsewhere in South Asia. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS GOVT |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (GOVT)(GOVT-Comparativ) |
Major Readings:
Edward Luce, IN SPITE OF THE GODS: THE RISE OF MODERN INDIA, Anchor, Second Edition, ISBN 978-1400079773.
Katherine Boo, BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL FOREVERS: LIFE, DEATH AND HOPE IN A MUMBAI UNDERCITY, Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2014 Reprint, ISBN 081297932X.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Two short papers (4-6 pages), one in-class presentation, and one final paper (10-15 pages). |
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