Inclusion and Exclusion in Local Governance: field studies from rural India / B. S. Baviskar | Georhe Mathew

1. Introduction;
2. Including the excluded: empowering the powerless through Panchayati Raj in Maharastra;
3. Power to the excluded groups and panchayati Raj in coastal orissa;
4. Negotiating with empowerment: panchayati raj in Andhrs Pradesh;
5. Panchayati Raj or party Raj? understanding the nature of local government in West Bengal;
6. On the floor and behind the veil: the excluded in the panchayati raj in Haryana;
7. Including the excluded through Panchayati Raj in Karnataka;
8. Understanding grassroots power and excluded communities in kerela;
9. Caste, party and democratic decentralization in karnataka;
10. Gender, caste and politics in rural Tamil Nadu;
11. 'Brushed ubder the carpet'; inclusion and exclusion in Manipur;
12. Changing power relations through Panchayats in Maharastra;
13. Dynamics inclusion and exclusion in Uttar Pradesh;
14. Devolution of power through Panchayats in Rajasthan;
15. Local Governance and social change in Gujarat;

INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE: FIELD STUDIES FROM RURAL INDIA is a product of a rare national-level study conducted in forty two panchayats across twelve states to reveal how democratic decentralization is working in Indian Villages. This is done through stories of empowerment as well as discrimination against women, scheduled caste and scheduled tribes (SCs and STs). The contributors have adopted a unique research metjhology which may set a trend for future national-level qualitative studies. The field studies offer insights about rural India from a micro-level perspective instead of providing macro-level generalities.