ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

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What Is New about Contemporary Indian Democracy?

The New Republic: Populism, Power and the Trajectories of Indian Democracy edited by Shray Mehta and Ravi Kumar, New Delhi: Aakar Books, 2022; pp 192, `495.

Mirror and the Lamp

Land, Guns, Caste, Woman: The Memoir of a Lapsed Revolutionary by Gita Ramaswamy, New Delhi: Navayana Publishing, 2022; pp 432, `599.

From Resources to Functionings

The role of social and cultural capital in reproducing caste hierarchies and shaping the capabilities and functioning of different caste groups in percussion arts in Kerala is examined. The macro-sociological framework of Pierre Bourdieu and the individual-centric capabilities approach of Amartya Sen is integrated, for this inquiry. Emphasising the artists’ lived experiences of caste discrimination in the field of performing arts, the interviews elaborate upon the role of caste status in maintaining power and domination of the “upper”-caste artists. This adversely affects the opportunities for performance, recognition in the field, upward economic mobility and even the expression of dissent for the artists from the historically marginalised castes.

Legislating against Caste

Capturing Caste in Law: The Legal Regulation of Caste Discrimination by Annapurna Waughray; New York: Routledge, 2022; pp 336, £130.

Towards a Theorisation of Emerging New Sociality in Western Uttar Pradesh

Badalta Gaon, Badalta Dehat: Nayi Samajikta ka Uday by Satendra Kumar, Oxford University Press, 2018; pp xxii + 156, `275 (paperback).

Penetrating Caste

Water in a Broken Pot: A Memoir by Yogesh Maitreya, New Delhi: Penguin; 2023; pp 320, `499.

Modern Challenges to the Dravidian Movement: The Question of Access and Quality of Higher Education in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has one the highest g ross e nrolment r at io in h igher e ducation among major states in India at 51.4%. These impressive numbers can be traced to multiple schemes of successive Dravidian g overnments that placed a firm emphasis on caste-based social justice, while also focusing on economic development and mobility. However, the abject quality of h igher e ducation i nstitutions in Tamil Nadu casts a serious shadow on the legacy of the Dravidian Movement. Increased privati s ation, low employability of graduates , and poor quality of h igher e ducation i nstitutions (HEIs) further exacerbate wage disparities and income inequalities, taking away the benefits of caste-based reservations, among other legacies of the Dravidian m ovement. This article analyses the shortcomings of the h igher e ducation model in Tamil Nadu and shows how increased access to higher education does little to acknowledge the socio-economic processes of caste in Tamil Nadu.

Lahori Ram Balley (1930–2023)

As a committed follower of B R Ambedkar’s vision, Lahori Ram Balley (1930–2023) devoted his life to advancing the cause of social justice and equality. He passed away at 93, leaving behind a legacy of activism and leadership that inspired many in Punjab and beyond

The Lived Experience of the Law in India

Law, Justice and Human Rights in India: Short Reflections by Kalpana Kannabiran, Hyderabad: Orient Blackswan, 2021; pp 416, `1,500.

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