India is widely recognised as a new global powerhouse. It has become one of the world's emerging powers, rivalling China in terms of global influence. Yet people still know relatively little about the economic, social, political, and cultural changes unfolding in India today. To what extent are people benefiting from the economic boom? Does caste still exist in India? How is India's culture industry responding to technological change? And what of India's rapidly changing role internationally? This Very Short Introduction looks at the exciting world of change in contemporary India. Craig Jeffrey provides a compelling account of the recent history of the nation, investigating the contradictions that are plaguing modern India and the manner in which people, especially young people, are actively remaking the country in the twenty first century. One thing is clear: India is a country that is going to become increasingly important for the world over the next decades. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

About the Author
Craig Jeffrey is Director and CEO of the Australia India Institute and a Professor of Human Geography at the University of Melbourne. He has formerly worked in Cambridge, Edinburgh, Seattle and Oxford. His research focuses on youth, education, and everyday politics in India and has published six books on this theme, including the acclaimed Timepass: Youth, Class and the Politics of Waiting in India (Stanford University Press, 2010).

Reviews
It is a feat to condense the history of India into a snappy pocket-size book. Craig Jeffrey's vividly and lucidly written ^ * Debjani Bhattacharyya, The American Historical Review *
A short and serious account of present-day India * Indian Link *
A remarkable achievement, to provide such an inclusive introduction to a diverse, vast, and ancient country so concisely. * Sir Mark Tully *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198769347
Author Craig Jeffrey
Format Paperback
Page Count 160
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 119g
Dimensions(mm) 172mm * 110mm * 8mm