The Politics of Autonomy: Indian Experiences

Description

The purpose of this critical political inquiry is to look into the conditions and dimensions of autonomy, their historical nature, and their political significance in terms of enriching democracy. The volume catalogues the resistance to the power of the state-the demand for autonomy in other words-that is encountered among various sections of society such as women, ethnic groups, and classes. The collection establishes that the various forms of autonomy we witness today indicate the direction of politics in the future, the new forms of contestations and the new possibility of disentangling democratic theory from its close association with the dominant organization of power. The Indian experience is seen to be most instructive because of its diversity and range, the extent of colonial innovations, multiple forms of autonomy, the complex path of constitutionalism, a wide variety of accords, and the unyielding though innovative state that is determined to keep the nation intact. In particular, the issues discussed are: women’s autonomy; peace accords; the nature of federalism in the Indian constitution; autonomy and international law; resources for autonomy. These debates are then underscored by the case studies which form the second part of the volume-Kashmir; Darjeeling; and the Northeast (particularly Tripura and Mizoram).