CULTURE, POLITY AND ECONOMY

Rajasthan has rich past. People talk about Rajasthan’s culture, history and polity. It has been an abode for diverse religions and the society of Rajasthan over the centuries has evolved into a well-knit fabric. The economy of Rajasthan has a feudal past and presently trying to come out of its shackles to become a modern economy.

This book is a collection of select papers presented at the Fifth International Conference on Rajasthan with the theme ‘‘Multiple Histories, Ethnicity, Pluralism and Institutions’’. The contributors share their experiences about Rajasthan focusing on issues related to multiple histories, pluralism, multiculturalism, ethnicity and socio-cultural institutions.

Tod has interested many scholars and varied interpretations of his work have been provided. There are papers that delve on his work in Rajasthan’s context. The fragile environment of Rajasthan and its animal wealth has also been scrutinized. The papers in this volume, thus, focus on Rajasthan’s changing face. Each paper in this volume in its own way significantly adds to the study and understanding of a mosaic that Rajasthan is.

The volume no doubt would attract attention of newer scholars to study Rajasthan and reinvent it.

Varsha Joshi is Associate Professor at Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur. She specializes in cultural studies, gender issues and food and nutrition security. Her published works includes “Polygamy and Purdah; Culture, Communities and Change; and Institutions and Social Change.”

Surjit Singh is Director, Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur. His interests are development studies and economic policies. He has authored “Modelling Indian Economy; Urban Informal Sector; Agriculture Credit in India and Rural Credit: Issues for the Nineties and co-edited Political Economy of WTO Regime: Some Aspects of Globalisation and Governance; Sustainable Agriculture, Poverty and Food Security; Institutions and Social Change; ” and “Rajasthan: The Quest for Sustainable Development.” Dr. Singh is also associated with the Institute of Rajasthan Studies, Jaipur as its Honorary Director.