Independent India, 1947-2000

Wendy Singer?s book is a clear and concise look at post-independence India, addressing all the key themes of the period ? industrial development versus the agrarian sector; religious conflict; the rise of political parties; caste tensions. All issues are discussed in a chronological framework, beginning with the making of the constitution in the first five years of independence, through to India?s role in the 1971 civil war in Pakistan, the two-year Emergency declared in 1975, the rise of the middle class in the 1980s, and economic and local government reforms in the 1990s. The Assessment section of the book draws the themes together and reflects on recent events ? such as the testing of nuclear weapons.

For the past twenty years, Wendy Singer has studied Indian politics, living in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh while conducting this research. She has written books and articles on a range of related topics, initially focusing on the 1930s and more recently turning to the post-independence period. Her books include Creating Histories: Oral Narratives and the Politics of History Making (1997) and A Constituency Suitable for Ladies and Other Social Histories of Indian Elections (2006).