A thematic history of the women’s movement in India both before and after independence, this book covers the period from the nineteenth century to the present day. It looks at how women’ s issues were raised, initially by men and as part of the movements for social reform, and then with the involvement of women in the nationalist movement, by women themselves. Using photographs, old and new documents, excerpts from letters, books and informal writings, the author documents the growing involve...

Despite the clear danger of the rise of totalitarianism in today, this book’s aim is to look forward to the moment when democracy will be renewed in the country and ask what lessons can be learnt from past experience to anchor it more firmly when the opportunity arises. It is generally assumed that Indian democracy has had an unbroken run since Independence, with the brief disruption of the 1975–77 Emergency. While those two years saw a stark assault on democratic institutions, Indian demo...

The Partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 left a legacy of hostility and bitterness that has bedevilled relations between India and Pakistan for over fifty-five years. The two countries, both nuclear powers now, have fought three wars since Independence and have twice come to the brink of war in recent years. Each of their attempts to make peace has failed, and each failure has added a new layer of anger and mistrust to existing animosities. So what will it take for India and Pakist...