Communities as Vote Banks

This book analyzes the electoral behavior of communities constituted on the basis of religion, caste and region. It also presents a critique of media, emphasizes the use of latest technological devices, and proposes practical reforms to ensure better representation.

Indian plurality is unique in the world. No other country can boast of having so many races, religions, castes, cultures, languages and regional diversities within its boundaries as India can. This plurality, while providing a very chequered and rich socio-cultural scenario, also impinges a few tensions that often lead to violent clashes. Since India is also the largest democracy in the world, its diversified society also influences the electoral scenario.

This book compiles research papers by social scientists to analyze the electoral behavior of communities constituted on the basis of religion, caste and region. It also presents a critique of the role of media during elections, emphasizes the need to use latest technological devices to increase the involvement of the electorates, and proposes necessary and practical reforms in the process of elections to ensure better representation.

Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Bhutan)

Autorentext

Zaheer Ali is Mumbai-based academician, freelance journalist and social activist. Presently, he heads the Centre for the Promotion of Democracy and Secularism (CPDS) that is essentially committed to disseminating values such as secularism, democracy, justice, and equality. Besides contributing several research papers to leading publications, he has also written and edited several books on socio-political and literary themes both in English and Urdu.

Inhalt

Foreword by S.Y. Quraishi

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Theme

1. Democracy, Electoral Behaviour and Communities as Vote Banks: A Perspective on the Indian Electoral Process

Religion

2. Muslim Voting Behaviour: Myth and Reality

3. Muslim Voting Behaviour: Facts and Fallacies

4. Communities and Voting Behaviour: A Case Study of Jains in India

Caste

5. The Dictatorship of the Past: Caste and the Problem of the Traumatic Excess

6. Caste, Dalits and the BJP's Social Engineering

Region

7. North-South Divide: A Study in Two Political Cultures

Media

8. The Political Economy of Elections and Media in Contemporary Times

Reforms

9. Partial List Based Proportional Representation: A Workable Option in Indian Elections

10. Electronic Voting: A Leap Forward in Election Reforms