Recommended Prerequisite: GVPT280 or GVPT282. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program

"India has a well-established reputation for violating social science generalizations," -India After Gandhi, by Ramachandra Guha. Starting with its origins as an independent country and over the following seven decades, there has been speculation about whether India would stay united or would sustain its democratic institutions. Yet, in a relatively short period of time of seventy-five years, India s politicalsystem has become an example of a consolidated democracy in Asia. This course provides an introduction to the politics of India, with an emphasis on the key actors, institutions, and ideas that have shaped theevolution of Indiandemocracy and society.