The Promise of India's Secular Democracy

These essays are written over the last two decades by Rajeev Bhargava, one of the most insightful commentators on philosophical and historical questions around secularism. The topics covered are the democratic vision of the new republic of India, the evolution and distinctiveness of India's linguistic federalism, the distinctiveness of Indian secularism, India's secular constitution, and Muslim personal law and the majority-minority syndrome. The essays are crucial to the debates about secularism. They raise and answer important questions pertaining to it. This collection has one common thread running through the chapters-democracy and India. The topics covered are highly significant not only for India, but for the modern world in general. It is a part of regular reading for courses on religion and secularism.