The book presents debates around the concept of representation and how these ideas apply to representation for selected disadvantaged groups in India. It discusses empirical concerns and examines political representation of these disadvantaged groups in post-independence India. The experience of political representation of SCs, STs: the method of election, role of political parties in providing representation, role played by these groups in parliamentary institutions, and the extent of their participation. A second, significant area the volume attempts to cover is representation of the Muslim minority in parliament and state assemblies and understanding the reasons for their under-representation since independence, and more particularly in recent years.

Discusses about providing adequate representation to disadvantaged groups Provides an understanding of why women and minorities have not been provided special representation Deals with politics of Representation at a time of rightwing and majoritarian ascendancy

Autorentext

Dr Sudha Pai retired as Professor from the Centre for Political Studies and as Rector (Pro-Vice Chancellor) of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in January 2016. She was Senior Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi from 2006 to 2009 and National Fellow of the ICSSR from 2015-2017. Dr Pai was awarded the 2019 Exemplar Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement by the South Asian Studies Association, USA at the South Asian Studies Association Conference at Claremont College Mckenna, Los Angeles, in 2019.

Dr Sukhadeo Thorat is Chairman, Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR); former Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC); and Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has a BA (Milind College of Arts, Aurangabad, Maharashtra), MA in Economics (Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad), MPhil/PhD in Economics (Jawaharlal Nehru University) and Diploma in Economic Planning (Main School of Planning, Warsaw, Poland). His research areas include agricultural development, rural poverty, institution and economic growth, problems of marginalised groups, economics of caste system, caste discrimination and poverty. He was the Director of the Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi from 2003 to 2006 and the Research Associate of International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, USA, since 1992. In 2008 he was awarded the Padmashree in the field of literature and education.

Inhalt
Introduction:- I Politics of Representation: Historically Disadvantaged Groups in India's Democracy .- Chapter 1:- Beyond Representation.- Chapter 2:- Political Representation and Reservations for Inclusion of Minorities.- Chapter 3:- Paradoxes of Political Inclusion: Political Reservation for Scheduled Tribes in India.- II Political Representation in Institutions and Parties .- Chapter 4;- Ambedkar's Proposal to Safeguard Minorities against Communal Majority in Democracy.- Chapter 5:- Which Electoral System Ensures Real Representation.- Chapter 6:- Scheduled Caste Members of Parliament: Analyzing their Role in Influencing Policy Making.- III Political Representation of Religious Minorities .- Chapter 7:-Majoritarianism and the Political Representation of India's Muslims.- Chapter 8:- Representing Indian Muslims: Parliamentary Questions as Instrument of Evaluating Substantive Representation in Lok Sabha 1999-2016.- Chapter 9;- Shifting Terrain of Muslim Representation: New Political Experiments in Indian States in the 2000s.- IV. Political Representation of Women .- Chapter 10;- Legislative Presence and Substantive Representation: The Case of Women Legislators in India.- Chapter 11;- Democratic Institutions, Political Representation and Women's empowerment: The Quota Debate in India.- Chapter 12;- Does Representation Guarantee Recognition and Resources? Women in Indian Parliament.