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Taylor & Francis Coalition Politics And Hindu Nationalism by Katharine Adeney , Lawrence Saez
This new collection examines the emergence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India and the ways in which its Hindu nationalist agenda has been affected by the constraints of being a dominant member of a coalition government. Religious influence in contemporary politics offers a fertile ground for political-sociological analysis, especially in societies where religion is a very important source of collective identity. In South Asian societies religion can, and often has, provided legitimacy to both governments and those who oppose them. This book examines the emergence of the BJP and the ways in which its Hindu nationalist agenda has been affected by the constraints of being a dominant member of a coalition government. The collected authors take stock of the partys first full term in power, presiding over the diverse forces of the governing NDA coalition, and the 2004 elections. They assess the BJPs performance in relation to its stated goals, and more specifically how it has fared in a range of policy fields - centre-state relations, foreign policy, defence policies, the second generation of economic reforms, initiatives to curb corruption and the fate of minorities. Explicitly linking the volume to literature on coalition politics, this book will be of great importance to students and researchers in the fields of South Asian studies and politics. Section 1. Theoretical Concerns Introduction: Coalition politics, religious nationalism, and public policy: a theoretical examination. Katharine Adeney and Lawrence Saez 1. The BJP Coalition: Partisanship and power-sharing in government. Alistair McMillan 2. The Shapes of Hindu Nationalism. John Zavos 3. In part, a Myth: The BJPs organisational strength. James Manor Section 2. Domestic Governance 4. The NDA and the politics of minorities in India Subrata Mitra 5. Hindu Nationalists and Federal Structures in an Era of Regionalism Katharine Adeney 6. Social Justice and Empowerment of the Weaker Sections and Gender Rights Nitya Rao 7. Managing the Anti-Corruption Rhetoric: The NDA, transparency and corruption Gurharpal Singh 8. Indian Education Policy Under the NDA Government Marie Lall Section 3. External Factors 9. The NDA and the Politics of Economic Reform. Rob Jenkins 10. The NDA and Indian Foreign Policy James Chiriyankandath and Andrew Wyatt 11. The NDA and National Security Apurba Kundu 12. The BJP and the 2004 General Election: Dimensions, causes, and implications of an unexpected defeat Christophe Jaffrelot 13. Hindutvas March Halted? Choices for the BJP after the 2004 defeat.