The democratic Left in India is in crisis. During the first decade of this century it slid from its highest parliamentary presence to virtual irrelevance. A key to its retrieval, this book argues, lies in its ability to imagine a new popular politics for reinventing its democratic credentials beyond electoral posturing. In this respect, much can be learnt from the Left's governmental practices as they have evolved since the late 1960s, crafting a unique blend of politics, policy, idealism, practicality, vision and delivery. By looking at the problematics of government from the days of deft land reforms to messy land acquisition, this book situates 'government as practice' as a prism for critical thinking on democratic politics in postcolonial India. Grounded in empirical and archival research, the book will be useful for those who are passionate as well as sceptical about the revival potentials of a new Left in India's fast-changing political economy.

This book situates 'government as practice' as a prism for critical thinking on democratic politics in postcolonial India.

About the Author
Dwaipayan Bhattacharyya works at the Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He was previously Professor of Political Science at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta. A recipient of a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Fellowship, a Nehru Cambridge Trust Scholarship, a Churchill College Honorary Fellowship and a DAAD Fellowship, he has held visiting positions at Claremont University, USA; Massey University, New Zealand; and Gottingen University, Germany.


Book Information
ISBN 9781107102262
Author Dwaipayan Bhattacharyya
Format Hardback
Page Count 290
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 540g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 158mm * 23mm