In a few years, India will become the world’s most populous country and, probably not long thereafter, the fastest growing economy on the planet. On the domestic scene, the mere scale of India’s democracy is spectacular. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a right-wing Hindu nationalist, has sought to secure his country a commensurate place on the geopolitical stage. But can India overcome the serious challenges it faces in both the international and the domestic context? Will India’s unique social and cultural architecture—its caste system; its linguistic, ethnic and regional variety—prove an asset or a liability as it pushes forward into the next chapter?
Professor Darren C. Zook’s primary areas of interest include the comparative politics of the Asia-Pacific region, international law, human rights, and issuess of diversity and identity in the global context. He has spent much of his career doing research and field work in complex political environments, including a three-year residence in India.
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