Contributors:

Akshata Chandrashekar Pritha Banerjee Ankitha Venkataram Priyama Chakravarty Ashwini Shridhar Prutha Deshpande Bhagirath Ashiya Raksha Balakrishna B.M. Mandara Ryan Anthony Diksha Dewan Saba Firdaus Dipali Sheth Sakina S.L. Elizabeth Shaji Sharmila Kumari Jain Hema K. Shruthi Nambiar Krupa Verghese Shruthi Nirmal Namitha Soma Hegdekatte Nandini G. Sonaksha Iyengar Nandita Krishna Tulika Aggarwal Nemy Tombing Ujjaini Chatterji Nicole Barboza Varsha Gopalakrishnan Poorvi Iyengar

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

FACULTY IN CHARGE Ms. Reva George

STUDENT EDITOR IN CHARGE Ms. Sonaksha Iyengar Ms. Munira Rampurawala Ms. Sahana Srinath Preface

To learn is every man's continuous task. Books are our constant guides and companions on this everlasting journey. It is with great pride that we announce the third edition of Perspectives. Perspectives is more than a collection of book reviews. It is a unique adventure undertaken by both faculty members and students of the Department of Social Sciences. This endeavor seeks to combine learning with interest by allowing students to push the boundaries of the syllabus and review books that contain applied matter of the concepts taught in the classroom.

The students have expressed their honest views and opinions through their reviews. The reviews are a reflection of their innate curiosity and natural inclination. Most importantly, it has been a platform for them to employ their critical thinking skills and give a free rein to their creativity.

We would like to express our gratitude to our Principal, Fr. Dr. Jose C.C for his constant encouragement. We extend our gratitude and appreciation to all the teachers of the Department of Social Sciences for their valuable time and guidance. We would like to specially thank the student editorial committee for the efforts taken in editing and putting together the content of Perspectives. We would also like to thank Mr. Joy V.A. for his valuable time. Last and definitely not the least, we thank all the reviewers who have taken time and effort to contribute towards this venture.

As we hand our work over to the readers, we hope that our sincere effort reaches out to each one of you. We hope that each of you enjoy reading this edition as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you.

Ms. Reva George Department of Social Sciences Contents

Subject Page Number

Psychology 01 - 26

Economics 27 - 50

History 51 - 67

Sociology 68 - 89

Political Science 90 - 110 Foreward

The famous American writer and critic, Elizabeth Hardwick , once boldly stated that “The greatest gift is a passion for reading”. In today's world where digital media has overtaken our lives, the written word continues to humbly push its worth through and firmly establish itself as one of the greatest joys of life. Perspectives is one such endeavor that seeks to promote reading amongst our students. It is also a forum for them to evaluate and challenge ideas and topics while honing their analytical and critical thinking skills.

The second edition of Perspectives was successfully released in the previous year and has been well received by all. I am now proud to announce the third edition of Perspectives. I congratulate all the faculty members and the reviewers from the student fraternity for contributing to this endeavor.

Wish you all an enjoyable reading

Fr. Dr. Jose C.C.

Principal Book Reviews PSYCHOLOGY INDEX 1. Words Can Describe – Abi Grant - Sonaksha Shridhar Iyengar

2. Social Intelligence – Daniel Goleman - Raksha Balakrishna

3. The Indian Psyche – Sudhir Kakkar - Ryan Anthony

4. Zen and the Art of Happiness – Chris Prentiss - Shruthi Nirmal

5. General Introduction to Psychoanalysis – Sigmund Freud - Akshata Chandrashekar

6. The Unthinkable – Amanda Ripley - Nemy L. Tombing

7. Intelligence – A Very Short Introduction – Ian J. Deary - Bhagirath Ashiya

8. Happiness – The Science behind your Smile – Daniel Nettle - Elizabeth Shaji

Perspectives 1 1.Title and Author: Words Can Describe, Abi Grant Reviewer: Sonaksha Shridhar Iyengar, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Note on the author: Abi Grant was born in Shepherd's Bush, London W12 in April 1965. She attended a local comprehensive but left as soon as was legally possible, starting work variously as a chamber maid in Earl's Court, an agency cleaner and finally as a park-keeper at Bishops Park for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. She is also a playwright and now author.

Words Can Describe- A review When we were told we had to review a psychology book, to state a fact I was actually delighted. Rather eager to look for books, I went online the same day looking for some names of psychology books but it was in vain because I only got about ten books which interested me, none of which were available in any store that I knew of. So I decided to check out the stores myself. After a lot of hassle with the racks at the bookstore I came across something unusual. “Words can describe” by Abi Grant, attracted me because the title was so subtle but in its own way, pretty and defining.

Abi Grant had a life that was rather enviable, she was a show writer, and was even nominated for an Olivier award. She had a stable, all together nice life until the incidence that turned her life upside down. It all starts with that one night when she left her bedroom window open, which changes her life forever.

The story begins with a light description of a casual scenario but soon enough heads into the life changing incident itself. She describes the incident just as it occurred and readers would probably feel that pain just as she did.

Perspectives 2 I was then awakened with a start. I realised that the duvet had been pulled off and there was a man on top of me. I was flat on my back and he was flat on me. His chest was on my chest, and his face was inches from mine. I was pinned down and my arms were by my side

She moves on to talk about the struggle she had with him and how she managed to escape the intercourse part. We are told how her landlady is luckily there to help and she escapes by a narrow margin. The question that landed first in my head were subject to the author's emotions after the assault. She tells us about her emotional trauma and how she began blaming herself though it was not her fault. The author even mentions that she could not face friends and colleagues.

A few days after the rape assault, and Abi was into all the wrong things. She sketches out what her life had become. She drank and slept and missed all her meetings and went back to alcohol. She went from occasional to everyday and it just made her feel better. Her world was broken down and so was she. Hesitant to consult a doctor but guilty about taking advantage of her neighbor/landlady, she decides to do something. Soon she moves back into her house with great difficulty as the fear of the incident still remains sided by lingering anxiousness.

Something positive then happens in Abi's life, she stops being an alcoholic keeping up to her resolutions. She believed that she is reaching recovery.

At this point in the book I realized that what Abi Grant was facing was a term in psychology known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Though she was hesitant to visit a doctor or psychologist, I'd made my own judgments. Analyzing her behavior she displayed many of the symptoms of PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a disorder that can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless. Some of the symptoms are: Anger and irritability, Guilt, shame, or self-blame, Substance abuse,

Perspectives 3 Feelings of mistrust and betrayal, Depression and hopelessness, Suicidal thoughts and feelings, Feeling alienated and alone, Physical aches and pains, Not feeling like doing something that used to interest them before. According to the descriptions and portrayal in the book my analysis proved that Abi was a victim of PTSD. She constantly blamed herself, felt irritated, didn't feel like writing and was in a state of complete depression. PTSD can be treated especially at the early stages . The earlier it is done, the cure is better. One of the core factors in PTSD states that as a part of avoidance symptoms the victim will stay away from objects, places or events that act as reminders of the experience. This aspect can be seen in Abi when she is unable to live in her flat anymore and decides to move out.

Later in the chapter she shifts from her house to another rented house and has a relationship with her neighbor which does her no good. He introduced her to drugs and she got into the habit of doing them and making herself feel good. This relationship went steady for a while but in course of time it came to a bitter end and she had to move out of the flat. This caused another down in her already broken life. It was now that she consults Waterlow Hospital for Mental Health. She is diagnosed with PTSD by the doctors and is given treatment for it. The treatment included medications like Prozac and therapy. In her case Group Therapy was a suggested method of recovery.

Something that Grant stated that actually left an impact on my mind was that her case of rape was different from usual because there was no intercourse and hence she lacked the physical pain that the woman usually go through. The author undergoes more of psychological trauma blaming herself because she left the garden chair outside or left the window open.

At this point the book completely diverts its attention from the focus of a memoir of rape to issues like feminism, pornography and sexual assault reasons. The book lacks a sense of wanting to read further at this stage. At a point you might even have the urge to shut Perspectives 4 the book. Grant describes the whole process of justice attainment using a monotonous technique.

The author describes her recovery process as she joins MIND (am organization) and begins teaching Computer Science to children there. She also helps solve people's problem. Now here is another point where the author totally brings a change in the picture. According to me since Grant herself is not a fully recovered trauma patient she wouldn't be in a position to actually help others. Although she may not be the best counselor unconsciously she will feel good about herself by doing good for other which will help boost her self esteem. As all this drama is going on in her life Abi decided she was done fighting the case for her justice and it was time to forget it.

As Abi begins settling back into her life and starts enjoying it, everything seems just fine, with her back to doing some actually work. 15 years after the incident, the Cold Case Unit comes back knocking at her door, telling her that they had found her rapist. After this we see her struggle into whether she will take up the case or let go? Subsequent to which her life would fall in place.

The story started off as a memoir of sexual assault but became something much like a social appeal owing to inclusion of many issues dealt with. The author described her feelings at first with great intensity but as the book progressed it reduced and she began narrating her story with an insipid approach. The book deals with certain issues that trauma patients face and the author unintentionally puts forth her revival techniques. Victims who read this book might be able to relate to it and in reality gain some amount of benefit.

At the end of the book, the author gives friendly advice and tips with ways to deal with trauma victims. Abi Grant makes no hesitation in putting across her story in a truthful, frank and daring method. The language used by the author is of modern English and certain amounts of slang. This book is a good read for victims of Perspectives 5 rape assaults would be the general idea, but in my opinion this would make a good read for assailants also because they would be able to recognize, understand and comprehend the pain that the victims go through because of a simple sexual desire of theirs and this might help in bringing about a micro change in the number of victims.

Words can describe is a novel that exhibits a victims struggle with trauma but it also shows how she fights back and brings a change in her life. Over all it is a respectable attempt at depicting the pain and difficulties faced by such victims. It is a good read and I'd recommend it if you want to understand certain emotions faced by such people.

2.Title and Author: Social Intelligence, Daniel Goleman Reviewer: Raksha Balakrishna, II PPES ‘O’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Neuroscience has discovered that our brain's very design makes it sociable, inexorably drawn into an intimate brain-to-brain linkup whenever we engage with another person. That neural bridge lets us impact the brain—and so the body—of everyone we interact with, just as they do with us.

The book that I have chosen is named Social Intelligence written by Daniel Goleman. This book talks about the findings in the fields of biology and brain science – the fact that we are 'wired to connect'.

This science reveals to us startling insights into our interpersonal world! It also talks about the deep and long-lasting impacts that our relationships have and the impressions that they leave on every aspect of our lives. Our brain, cells, even our genes are greatly influenced and shaped by the various interactions and encounters that we have with different people everyday, especially people who we are closely associated to. The most potent exchanges occur with those people with whom we spend the greatest amount of time day

Perspectives 6 in and day out, year after year—particularly those we care about the most. Though we are not aware of it, we are constantly engaged in the process of connecting brain-to-brain with those around us. Even our most routine encounters act as regulators in the brain, priming emotions in us, some desirable, others not.

During the neural link-ups, our brain engages in a dance of emotions. Our social interactions also continually reset some key aspects of our brain function. The way in which Goleman brings out these interesting findings is very appealing. Another interesting aspect that he has spoken about is the influence our emotions have on the immune systems of our body. They also affect the most important cells like the 'T' lymphocytes especially when under extremely stressful or traumatic situations. Nourishing relationships have a beneficial effect on our health while toxic ones can act like slow poisons in our body.

Goleman also explains the accuracy of first expressions, the complexity of sexual attractions, emotional power and how we detect lies. He also reveals the dark side of social intelligence like narcissism and psychopathy.

Questions regarding the success of a marriage, raising of children, prejudice between groups, peaceful living etc find answers in this wonderful book. The book describes the many implications of this new science, including for altruism, parenting, love, health, learning and leadership. Goleman talks about these issues in a powerful manner and conveys the importance and advantages of developing social intelligence for a better living.

Daniel Goleman is fully entitled to all the praise that he earned through this book. The practical lesson for us all comes down to nourishing our social relationships. I would suggest that everyone read this book and understand the fascinating concept of 'Social Intelligence'.

Perspectives 7 About the Author: Daniel Goleman is an internationally known psychologist. Working as a science journalist, Goleman reported on the brain and behavioral sciences for The New York Times for many years. He has also written books like 'Emotional Intelligence' and 'Ecological Intelligence'. He also spent a lot of time in India and Sri Lanka during his research on meditation and wrote the book 'The Meditative Mind'. Currently he lives in the hills of Massachusetts and continues to write.

3.Title and Author: The Indian Psyche , Sudhir Kakar Reviewer: Ryan Anthony, II HEPP ‘N’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Introduction Indian culture with its diversity in religious thought and belief is a subject of fascination for the seemingly spiritually starved west. Parallel to this the Indian mind and thought processes are increasingly getting a high amount of attention.

The amount of studies on the Indian psyche is growing in number and the most prominent and impressive of the lot is Sudhir Kakar's "The Indian Psyche". The book is a compilation of three of Kakar's popular books titled “The Inner World”, "Tales of Love, Sex and Danger” and "Shamans, Mystics and Doctors".

Kakar was born in 1938 in Uttarakhand, India and studied mechanical engineering for his graduation and business economics for his post-graduation. In 1971 he went to Frankfurt to study psychoanalysis at the Sigmund Freud Institute.

Although the books size can be rather intimidating, the author's writing-style makes up for the appearance of excessive information. His writing is unlike many other authors in the academic field as it reads more like a narrative in a work of fiction while maintaining the constant assault of real information that accompanies academic books.

Perspectives 8 The book is academic in nature but even for a layman with not much prior knowledge of the school of psychoanalysis the book proves to be an interesting read. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is among the most comprehensive of the books on the subject, covering multiple aspects and views on the subject while staying true to its Freudian derivations.

· The Inner World The Inner World is a study of the Hindu world from two aspects- the personal and developmental factors, and the societal and cultural factors. It begins with a discussion on the Hindu belief system starting with moksha as the goal of the Hindu individual and the position of the self in relation to the brahman and maya.

The author also brings to the forefront the problem faced with the translation of the Hindu texts to English and the discrepancies that can arise because of the different interpretations of a single Sanskrit word. Added to that, the fact that the abstract terms that the sacred texts speak of have no proper definition even in the various Indian languages, makes a proper psychological analysis of the religious concepts quite hard if not completely impossible. But the author still makes an attempt to analyse Hindu religion and culture psychoanalytically.

The first chapter is an analysis of the Hindu belief system. The book then dives deep into the development of the Hindu individual and the phenomenal influence that the environment and the society have on the individual.

What is impressive in the chapters that succeed the first is the author's focus on the Indian woman whose oppression through the country's history has made a lasting impression on the psyche of both the women and men of the culture by means of the simple idea that females are inferior to males. The author effectively explains this by describing the psychological and social situation the girl is in.

Perspectives 9 The Hindu woman according to the author is unconsciously striving for the embodiment of Sita, the ideal woman. She is constantly attempting to find her place in society and unlike the male needs to find herself strictly within the confines of the limits set down by society. That concreting of her position and importance in society is achieved when she becomes a mother (the role of the mother in Hindu and Indian culture is powerful, having immense religious importance even in the stories from the sacred texts).

This is seen quite interestingly when the author begins a discourse on the complexities in the relationship between the Indian male and his mother. In 'The Bad Mother' segment where he speaks about the stories in Hindu culture, where the mother is fuelled by lust for her son and how often that myth can turn to reality; he brings up a number of stories that symbolically indicate the underlying sexual complexities of the society. He intelligently dissects the stories involving both the Oedipus and the Electra complex and relates them to both Indian societal beliefs and Hindu religious beliefs.

The book is one of the best on the psychology of Hindu culture. But one fault that is unappealing is the manner in which it is organised. That having been said it still remains an interesting read, both academically and casually.

· Tales of Love, Sex and Danger Co-written with John Munder Ross, this book is an application of psychoanalysis to the study of famous romantic (and tragically romantic) tales from literature and mythology from all over the world, the basic idea being that the stories that are passed down from generation to generation, by whatever means, inevitably become part of the culture, in turn influencing the psyche of those people while and by reflecting it.

Love is a complex emotion having multiple facets and as such it requires a certain level of persistence to understand academically. It has been demonstrated over time that a simple story tends to drive Perspectives 10 home a point more clearly than a detailed discourse on that same point.

Thus, you have Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet demonstrating the devastating effect that familial pressure can have on love between two individuals in love or how society misunderstands and dismisses adolescent love.

Similarly the authors derive psychological meaning from the stories of Layla and Majnun, Radha and Krishna, Tristan and Isolde, etc. giving the reader both amusing as well as serious observations of the realities of love and the society secretly(and openly) portrayed by the stories.

Of the three books in the compilation “The Indian Psyche”, this one is the easy-read.

· Shamans, Mystics and Doctors “Shamans, Mystics and Doctors” was by far (for me) the most interesting of the three books in the compilation. Kakar appears to have a reputation of mixing mysticism with his psychoanalysis and this is clearly shown through this book (one would not expect any less of a book titled in the manner that it is).

Today a member of the urban educated class would not look at visiting a Pir (elder Sufi), tantrik or witchdoctor in case of signs of a mental or physical sickness. But during the period of the books writing (1979-1982), western medicine and technology was not a fully accepted, fully trusted path for even the urban folk in India. Psychology was not remotely as established as it is now. Thus, a large number of people turned to witchdoctors for solutions to their ailments.

In the chapter “Soul Knowledge and Soul Force” he focuses on Islamic Mysticism (Sufism) and the working of a Pir (who he spent time with and observed) who specializes in exorcisms of balas (different types of demons). He observes and speaks to the Pir about Perspectives 11 his working and we gain an in depth look into the world of the Sufi elder. His discussions with the Pir allow him to understand the method used to exorcise (cure the mental illness) and the cause of the possession (the mental illness).

Although this list may seem restricted when compared to the large number of symbols used in dream interpretation it is sufficient enough to accurately diagnose the illnesses of the clientele that visits the Pir. But no matter what the dream, the diagnosis was still the same-“You are possessed by a Bala (demon)”.

This gives the patients the relief that it is not a mental illness, mostly caused by suppressed emotions and sex-drives of their own, but some external being bent on causing harm to them that is responsible for their ailment. Inevitably the solution to a problem this elaborate would have to be equally elaborate if not more so.

The book appeals to both the seeker of an understanding of occult practices in India and the serious psychology student with an interest in Indian culture. As with Kakar's other books in this compilation his boon remains his curse, as his lack of organization makes the information in the book quite random at times.

Conclusion It is not the books wealth of knowledge alone that makes it stand out. The author's style of writing makes the reader feel like he is reading something casual, setting it aside from other academic books. The fact that the author is an Indian, having been brought up and living in the country is an added advantage as the author speaks from the inside and not merely through observation.

What is revealed phenomenally in this book is the evidence that the West and the East are not really so different in their problems and even their solutions when concerned with mental illnesses. It just so happens that the East chooses a more colourful and exotic way to deal with them as opposed to the West's choice to look at them more objectively and mundanely. Perspectives 12 4.Title and Author: Zen and the Art of Happiness, Chris Prentiss Reviewer: Shruthi Nirmal, II PPES 'O’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore ‘Zen and the Art of Happiness' is a book on spirituality. This book is a guide to happiness. It talks about how the universe and its laws play a vital role in every individual's life. The understanding of one's personal philosophy and control of mind will lead to happiness.

About the author Chris Prentiss, the author of ''Zen and the Art of Happiness'' is the cofounder and co-director of the Passages Substance Abuse Treatment Center, located in Malibu, California. He is also the author of 'The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure: A Holistic Approach to Total Recovery'. He has also written a dozen books on Chinese philosophy and personal growth. He has done a marvellous job in this book by giving a descriptive yet easy to understand guide to attain peace and happiness in one's life.

Summary Throughout the book there are sayings of great men which give a better understanding to the reader. This book teaches us one main lesson which is that we are the authors of every next moment in our lives. The Zen of doing anything is doing it with a particular concentration of mind, a calmness and simplicity of mind, that brings the experience of enlightenment and, through that experience, happiness.

Zen is too vast a subject to be dealt with in its entirety in this small book, but the author explores how the essence of Zen, its method, and its approach can be used effectively by us to achieve our goal of happiness. Zen is a Chinese word that is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “meditation”. Zen is a journey of expectation and way of living that, in and of itself, does not belong to any one religion or tradition. It is about experiencing life in the here and Perspectives 13 now and about removing the dualistic distinctions between “I” and “you”, between “subject” and “object”, between our spiritual and our ordinary, everyday activities.

Cutting edge science and spirituality tell us that what we believe, think, and feel actually determine the makeup of our body at the cellular level. In ''Zen and the art of happiness'', you will learn how to think and feel so that you create happiness and vibrancy in your life, rather than gloominess or depression.

You'll learn how to adapt to life's inevitable changes, how to deal with stress in a healthy way, and how to nurture a state of mental happiness in your daily life. Most importantly, the gentle wisdom of Zen and the art of happiness will show you how to invite magnificent experiences into your life with an optimistic approach and create a personal philosophy that will sustain you through anything.

There is only one way to achieve lasting happiness. That way is simply: Be happy. In this book, the author warns you that you may see statements that are contrary to what you believe, contrary to what your experience has taught you, contrary to the spiritual traditions you grew up with, contrary to what others have told you, and even contrary to your own common sense. If it were not that way, he says that we would have already achieved the art of happiness.

Enlightenment is all about achieving the “oneness with the universe”, knowing that everything in the universe is created from and is part of the same energy, and knowing in what way we relate to it all. Once that awareness is obtained, all else falls into place, everything makes sense and everything can be understood clearly. “To be enlightened is to be intimate with all the things in the world'’ The goal of this book is to help you bring enlightenment into your life through understanding some of the most important laws that govern our world and the universe learning how those laws affect Perspectives 14 you, and then using that information to achieve happiness. The “concentration of mind” that characterizes Zen comes into play as you apply what you have discovered to every situation and events that affect your life, happiness that is achieved through an essential understanding of universal laws and of our relationship to the universe is true happiness. That kind of happiness endures and does not decrease with the changing conditions of time. It sees us through every difficulty, every loss, every hardship, and it brightens even our best days. To reach the goal of happiness, act as though the following statement is true: Everything that happens to me is the best possible thing that could happen. This statement is given utmost importance in this book. Happiness comes from within. It is a state that is produced by our minds. Neither happiness nor unhappiness is contained in the event itself.

Conclusion The metaphysical law says that every action produces a reaction, and it is in exact accord with the action. The mind follows this law too when it comes to beliefs. Every belief that you hold manifests itself in some manner by either causing you to take some form of action or preventing you from it. The author concludes by explaining that we should heal the past by positive thinking and by living in the present moment in happiness to lead a stress free and successful life. This book is a timeless work about the art of happiness, the way of happiness, and the inner game of happiness.

Perspectives 15 5.Title and Author: General Introduction to Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud Reviewer: Akshata Chandrashekhar, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Sigmund Freud is called the father of psychoanalysis. So when I stumbled upon this book, I jumped at the chance to review it. This book is a collection of lectures delivered by Freud regarding all his major concepts.

In order to understand this book, however, we first have to understand the concept of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is a method of therapy where the patient tells the analyst verbalizes his thoughts, including free associations (which involve telling the analyst everything that comes to mind), dreams and fantasies. Freud believed that a person's behavior was determined by his covert thoughts. Keeping this principle in mind, he created psychoanalysis to bring out the thoughts and therefore understand why a person behaved in a certain manner.

This book is divided into 2 main segments, “the Psychology of Errors”, & “the Dreams and the General Theory of Neurosis”. Though these titles sound complicated let me assure you they are not.

The Psychology of Errors deals with the daily, minute errors we commit. For example: We say “cockporn” instead of “popcorn” (also called Freudian slip), or forgetting to complete a task on time. Though these errors seem to be tiny to pay any attention to, Freud assures his readers that they in fact play a huge role in determining the thought processes of an individual, because the mistakes we make via speaking, writing etc. tell us what the person's sub- conscious thoughts are. Also if the person forgets to complete a task it means that the individual subconsciously has no intentions of completing the task.

Perspectives 16 The second part of the book talks about dreams. Freud talks about manifest dream content and latent dream content. Manifest dream content is the actual subject matter of the dream and latent dream content is the underlying psychological meaning of the subject matter, which according to Freud, is more or less sexual in nature. In general theory of neurosis, Freud talks about various mental disorders and how these disorders took place because of events that happened in the person's life which he could not get over.

The book is a good read if you are well versed in psychology. It makes it easier for us to read other books by Freud because it simplifies the concepts he uses in those books. However, it is not a book to be read by people who know very little about Freud's concepts.

6.Title and Author: The Unthinkable, Amanda Ripley Reviewer: Nemy .L. Tombing, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Why do some people survive disasters and some don't? Why do some victims accept what has happened better than others? These are some questions that the book, 'The Unthinkable' tries to answer. The sub-title of the book, 'Who survives when disaster strikes-and why' aptly describes the book's content. It deals with the study of several disasters, man-made and natural, and its effect on the human psyche. We all share a basic fear response however various individuals perform better than others during stress. This book attempts to understand why, and how the human mind works under the stress of a disaster. This it does by analyzing in three parts or phases-Denial, Deliberation and The Decisive Moment.

How biology plays a part in our survival instincts is an essential component in the introduction of the book. Human beings have evolved to escape predators, but not buildings that reach floors into

Perspectives 17 the sky. However with time, along with our genetic evolution we have also evolved culturally. This cultural evolution has progressed much faster and created 'instincts' which are combined with the passed –on-skills on how to deal with modern risks. One of the coping skills that has long existed is narrative, giving reason as to why the event has taken place. According to the author, narrative is the beginning of recovery.

Phase One-Denial: It is mind boggling to know that when the first plane hit the World Trade Centre on 9/11 many office workers stayed at their desks, stopped to gather their possessions, others paced as if nothing had happened, while some made phone calls and about 1000 workers took the time to shut down their computers. On average Trade Centre survivors waited 6 minutes before heading downstairs to safety (2005 survey by National Institute of Standards and Technology). This is the first part of the survival arc and is called the 'Denial Phase'. Laughter, silence or delay is a classic manifestation of denial.

Denial manifests due to the thinking that-nothing will happen to me, everything is OK-as it almost always has been before. Psychologists term this as the “normalcy bias.” Our brain uses information from the past to determine our future and take best possible actions. Hence, we are slow to recognize exceptions as our brain is not familiar with it.

Denial also manifests because of our calculations of the risks we face. Days before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Patrick Turner (aged 88) refused to leave even after Mayor Ray Nagin requested citizens to evacuate. Even his children could not talk him into leaving his home. He just didn't believe that it could happen after all the years he had seen. He made a fatal mistake that even he admitted when his children called him, but it was too late and he did not survive.

Perspectives 18 Phase Two-Deliberation: When faced with tough decisions our brain takes what are called 'Heuristics.' These are emotional shortcuts. They come in handy but however are not very reliable. At this stage the human mind does not think rationally. Hence, out analysis of the risk factor gets flawed. However, the author makes it clear that emotions and feelings are not impediments to reason. For example dread, if properly tapped, can save our lives. Once the procrastinating stage is over, we start milling. This 'milling' ritual is part of the second phase. No matter how shrill the alarm or the warnings we check in with one another or deliberate with ourselves. 'Groupthink' is also an important aspect of deliberation. Contrary to popular expectation, when a real disaster happens, people move in groups, look out for one another and are usually far more polite than they normally are. Here, the author quotes prominent disaster psychologist Lee Clark,” People die the same way they live, with friends, loved ones, and colleagues, in communities.”

Fear guides every step through the survival arc. It is the most fundamental of all emotions. Physiologically, when we detect danger, the signals reach our brainstem, neurons pass along the information to the amygdala (The almond shaped mass of nuclei that is central in regulating and bringing about fear), turning our body into survival mode without any decision-making on our part. The chemistry of our blood literally changes, so that it would be able to coagulate easily, blood vessels constrict to prevent the loss of blood in the event of an injury. Our sympathetic nervous system kicks in and our blood pressure and heartbeat shoot up and hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) are released. In extreme duress some victims, especially childhood sexual abuse victims, experience an out-of-body experience. They feel as if they are watching themselves from above. Extreme dissociation is the brain's last line of defense.

Phase Three-The Decisive Moment: It is known that panic sometimes triggers paralysis. On April 16, 2007 when Seung-Hui Cho went on a shooting rampage in Virginia Perspectives 19 Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, one of the first classrooms he went to was intermediate French. Halfway through the class they heard the gunshots. While most students froze, Clay Violand, a junior, instructed his teacher to put a desk against the door. He recalls not being able to remember her name at that exact moment. A few seconds later Cho burst in to the class and opened fire. While many were caught in the fire, Violand instinctively crumpled to the floor and played dead. Violand was from a posh suburb and played in a band but the voice inside his head seemed to have already experienced it all. After a while paralysis overtook him and he felt his whole body go numb, like all his limbs had fallen asleep. This is the body's naturally evolved defense. The author admits that it is hard to understand how these thinking processes happen in a select few and that much more research needs to be done. However we cannot underestimate the complexity of not doing anything in the face of danger.

Recent studies have shown that people who are unrealistically confident tend to fare amazingly well in disasters. We might call them arrogant; however psychologists term these people as “self- enhancers”. Studies have also found that people with a higher ID tend to fare better after a trauma. Either they feel a greater sense of purpose or control or the confidence that comes with the high IQs lead to them being more resilient.

The book has been a very interesting read. Though it could not really clear various doubts that I still had, it has taught me so much more. While there exists many books on disaster and trauma psychology, this book is more of a general read. It does not bore you with too many difficult psychological concepts. In other words you do not have to have studied psychology to enjoy this book. It is a very appropriate book at a time when we are facing risks from bombings and such disasters we have not evolved to react aptly to. Using actual events that have taken place and interviews of victims to prove or put forth a point, the author has ensured the book is a reliable, practical and realistic read. I would recommend it for its

Perspectives 20 potential to prepare us on what we can expect if ever we find ourselves in a disaster.

7. Title and Author: Intelligence: A Very Short Introduction, Ian J. Deary Reviewer: Bhagirath Ashiya, II HEPP 'N’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

The book 'Intelligence' is undoubtedly relevant today, in a world of growing competition between the people. We human beings have come a long way from just survival through instincts to using human intelligence as a tool for survival. From the Medieval age to the information age, the approach towards intelligence has come a long way. Unlike the execution of scholars , scientists , before the period of Renaissance , life shifted from physical work to mental work , from just competitiveness to intense competition . The author clearly states in the beginning of the book that, he intends to describe 'how and why people differ in their thinking powers.’

After reading this book, certain questions arose in my mind with regard to the form of education imparted to us Indians, different from that of the west. So examinations do not test the complete mental abilities that human being possess, they are undermined and not developed upon throughout life . Our Indian system , of education hasn't changed much , from what the British left us with . In my view such tests discriminate and focus on certain measurable mental abilities , thus there is no place for innovative or “out of the box'' thinking .The subject of Political Science in the book is described as being multi – disciplinary . This very short Introduction describes what psychologists have discovered about how and why people differ in their thinking powers.

The book doesn't provide a textbook-style introduction to the topic of “Intelligence'' Instead it's more of a commentary on

Perspectives 21 Intelligence .The book largely consists of the author's personal observations and opinions. A company is even providing an tablet for age group 4 – 9 year olds , in my view this would restrict brain development in children ,producing a generation less intelligent .

These children wouldn't develop writing skills or their vocabulary would not be that strong. The author wants his book to be reader friendly, and explains various concepts of intelligence in simple language, with plenty of examples .Various statistics have been used and this makes this book on intelligence unique .Compared to other books, the volume of pages in this book is less, but it is the content that really matters .The author tries to cover all the present debates and questions raised in the field of Psychology with regard to Intelligence.

The book is easy to read and ample illustrations add a sense of completeness to the book. The beginning of the book evokes interest in the reader where the author uses the lines “People value their powers of thinking and most of us are interested in why some people seem to drive a highly tuned Rolls Royce brain while others potter along with a merely serviceable Ford Fiesta.”

The book takes readers from no knowledge about the science of human intelligence to a stage where they are able to understand it .To some degree it is correct that , since no one wants to be told that she is not as bright as someone else, no matter how true it may be , people generally ignore it .

The book isn't a type of book to be read by an expert in psychology but for an individual with no past knowledge of the subject .

The author also discusses the role of age , race and inheritance.He comes to the conclusion that human IQ levels are rising compared to previous generations .The author being a British psychologist ,compares , analyzes and gives examples of the trend in Britain regarding Intelligence .In my view this is the negative aspect of the book , as a reader may not be familiar of the educational ,social and Perspectives 22 cultural aspects that exist in Britain .The Indian system is quite different from that of the British system of judging intelligence or intelligence testing .In my view mental speed cannot be measured as workings of the brain , are not entirely understood by the scientists . One negative aspect of the book was that the author uses key data sets for analysis purposes, but a reader would have preferred examples of daily life. Though, I'd also mention how I really appreciated the simple language used by the author .

In the end we as humans, all need - not muscle power but brain power in todays world to survive. The growing population and want of jobs led to intelligence testing by the companies. The book though an Indian edition is not Indian in character. It doesn't discuss Indian problems. What we need today in India is a change in its education system. Amongst all the branches of Psychology, Psychometrics has the greatest importance.

The author in the end suggests various sources on the internet as well as books, for further reading and in the end the writer admits that his book on, “Intelligence” was to just ignite the students interest in the topic.

I realized that this book is just an introduction to the vast field of Intelligence research and study. The author misses out on topics such as race and artificial intelligence. This is a serious lapse in the book, where such topics are of great curiosity in today's world especially artificial intelligence.

I also couldn't understand the difference between wisdom and intelligence .In my view, wisdom comes from experience, and intelligence is innate .Everyone is born with a brain, but it is how it is trained to operate that matters. Man is the creator of his own destiny , similar with regard to intelligence .Every human can manipulate his brain , to meet his challenges , we still only utilize 10 percent of our brain .It is because of such higher order thinking or intelligence , that we humans have reached the top of the food chain Perspectives 23 It is evident that our society values intelligence and intelligence is normally considered to be the most important quality for those in the scientific establishment. We need technology to be happy is primarily a Western assumption. The Native Americans and Africans, for instance, would very well say that they have been happy all along until colonization happened and their society became destabilized. They, of course, did not need technology.

“We have all met people who have are “book smart” but are not “life smart.” Should we be saying that they are intelligent? Some people who did poorly in school often turn out to be very successful in later life.”

In my view, IQ score is only a number. It does not really define us as multi – talented human beings. I think it is just a starting point to the vast treasure of our talents. Many other qualities that we already possess or develop in life are also important for success in life. Emotional intelligence, has been an overlooked factor that is important for success in life and career.

I would conclude by saying that in order to be successful, one needs to possess the best of both worlds- that is I.Q and EQ. However they aren't the be all and end all of life.

8. Title and Author: Happiness: The Science behind your Smile, Daniel Nettle Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaji, II HEPP 'N’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author: Daniel Nettle studied psychology in Oxford and anthropology in London. He is currently Reader in Psychology at Newcastle University. He studies human personality, emotions and well- being and is the author of several books including 'Happiness: The Science Behind your Smile, Vanishing Voices (with Suzanne Romaine), Linguistic Diversity and Strong Imagination: Madness, Perspectives 24 Creativity and the Human Nature.

Daniel Nettle is an evolutionary anthropologist and psychologist with particular interests in the variability of human behaviour. He has studied this at many different scales, from the macro-level diversity of cultures, to individual-level variation in personality research.

THEME OF THE BOOK: Happiness- the one thing that all people on earth want, the one thing we all strive for in common though our means differ. This is the most convincing argument put across by the author in the beginning of the book to prove his point that happiness is a very important part of study in psychology. It is ironical how a basic emotion and an integral part of life such as this was not considered important enough to be studied when even the minute details of behaviour such as “rates of eye-blinking” was studied related to emotions! With his point proven, the author continues to explain…Happiness!

As characteristic of all basic emotions, happiness too is universal, innate. However what makes it elusive is that it cannot be clearly defined. There are three levels of happiness: Level one is the simple feeling of joy when a desired state or object is achieved. Level one is clearly expressible and can be measured.

Level two is broader and is based on a balance in life. It is not only a hybrid of emotions but also involves judgment of these and the result is a balance between the pains and pleasures of life. It is more relative in nature.

Level three goes beyond and is what Aristotle calls 'Eudemonia' or good life. It includes not just the emotions and need not necessarily mean a higher rate of pleasure in life but it relies on judging whether the individual realizes and fulfills his/her true potential. Level three is the most difficult to comprehend due to its subjectivity, and the moral, cultural and societal factors that influence it. Perspectives 25 Perhaps the third level of happiness is what every individual strives to achieve and this need to achieve it motivates us to work to our true potential.

Another very interesting part of this book is the study conducted where people were asked to rate their lives and how satisfied they were on a scale of 10 and most people reported that their lives were above 5 and an average score of 7-8 was also noticed. In order to have practical view on this I asked few people I knew well and they too reported 7-8 despite their numerous troubles. Another contradiction is how people still look for mood altering drugs, therapy etc even though they claim to lead happy lives. The author explains that such a difference is based on the momentary judgment of life and it tends to be sensitive to context. There are also gender differences and contradictions- women are more prone to fear and anxiety but women are also said to experience more happiness than men. Other comparisons are between married and single individuals where it was found that a married individual. Extroverts are happier than introverts.

Money or wealth is sometimes considered essential for happiness. There was a comparison between the different classes of workers from class I (professionals) to class V (unskilled labour) and class I people were found to be on a higher level. What is interesting however is that, it was found that non-income benefits (societal factors, luxuries enjoyed by being a part of class I) created more happiness than the income itself. In simple words, if an individual receives a high income without any such non-economic benefits, he/she would be less satisfied.

Conclusion: Thus on the whole this book can prove, through its lucid and simple explanations, how important happiness is in one's life and shows a beautiful cycle of how happiness is needed to achieve something and by doing that we are happy! Something for the pessimists- this book can surely bring a change in your perspectives of happiness! Perspectives 26 ECONOMICS

INDEX

1. We are like that only - Rama Bijapurkar - Soma Hegdekatte 2. The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell - Krupa Maria Verghese 3. The World Is Flat: A Brief history of the Twenty-First Century - Thomas Friedman - Nandita Krishna 4. The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World - Niall Ferguson - Saba Firdaus 5. The Argumentative Indian – Amartya Sen - Ujjaini Chatterji 6. Rich Dad's Prophecy - Robert Kiyosaki - Ankitha Venkataraman 7. Predictably Irrational – Dan Ariely - Prutha Deshpande 8. Human Rights, Gender and the Environment - Manisha Priyam, Krishna Menon and Madhulika Banerjee - Sharmila Kumari Jain 9. Development as Freedom - Amartya Sen - Nandini G. 10. Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom - Rajni Bakshi - Ashwini Shridhar

Perspectives 27 1.Title and Author: - We are like that only, Rama Bijapurkar Reviewer: - Soma Hegdekatte, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author - Mrs. Rama Bijapurkar is one of India's leading market strategist and an expert on Indian consumer behavior. Known for her insight on Indian consumer behavior and unique business models, Mrs. Rama has worked with many leading companies in India. She has also served as an independent director on the boards of India's leading companies and is a visiting faculty at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmadabad.

Introduction - Nokia won, Honda won. Mercedes struggled, Nike limped along, MTV was localized, GE appliances didn't work out, and LG and Samsung took the cake! Never before did the world see a more schizophrenic and rebellious market than the one they faced in India! And how did India respond to that claim? ''We are like that only''!

'We are like that only'' is essentially about understanding Indian consumerism. To understand India and her consumers was not an easy task for foreign markets post liberalization. This book tries to facilitate this process by giving us inputs on the mindset of Indian consumers. Indian consumerism has many layers and a lot of contradictions. This book tries to peel these layers one by one to make our understanding of Indian consumerism better. The book divides Indian consumers into different layers according to their preferences and incomes. Moreover it also deals with different aspects of Indian consumers, like the emerging Indian woman and young India. With examples and a backup of statistics, it subsequently helps companies to make policies based on these understandings.

Perspectives 28 The book tends to clear some of our wrong notions about consumerism. An example for this is the fact that the book tells us that the poor India has more potential than the rich India. How? Because though it has lesser income, it has more consumers. The book strategically shows us the potential 'poor' India has and shows us ways of attracting this part of India. Moreover, we as Indians live in a world where we don't completely let go of our traditions but tend to modify according to our needs. A clear example for that is how we still opt for the arranged marriage system, yet don't mind finding spouses on internet through a Skype chat. This tendency of ours and many other such tendencies are also seen in our consumer behavior. The best part of this book is how beautifully it points out these simple facts, which we know but never tend to acknowledge. Understanding Consumer India lies essentially in understanding Indians, and this is the core understanding which a reader develops from this book.

For a student of economics, this book is very helpful. Though mainly written to cater to the needs of men in white collar jobs, this book also gives students a better understanding of the subject and its practical usage. The book is written in simple language and doesn't use complex economic dynamics, which makes it a good book for a beginner in this subject. One very interesting thing I personally learnt from this book is the fact that the India I see around me i.e. the 'rich' of India is just a mere 10% of the whole India. We in our daily lives see only one dimension of consumer India and believe it to be the reality. But the fact remains that most of India is still far away from the malls and multiplexes. As a student of economics, this fact has helped me understand the dynamics of consumerism even better.

So what does the author finally say about how to understand Indian consumerism? Her solution is that India needs its own model strategy. She quotes that the Indian model should have an amalgamation of “this as well as that”, which means that models

Perspectives 29 which have worked out in the west have to modified to cater to Indian consumers. In simple words, you can start a McDonalds franchise in India, but to make it a success to need to add a vegetarian 'Mc Aloo Tikki'.

In conclusion, 'We Are Like That Only' is a highly knowledgeable and interesting book and is a book for your hours of intellectual enjoyment.

2.Title and Author: The Tipping Point , Malcolm Gladwell Reviewer: Krupa Maria Verghese II PPES ‘O’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author - Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer with The New Yorker magazine since 1996. He is the author of four books, "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference," (2000), "Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking" (2005), and "Outliers: The Story of Success" (2008) all of which were number one New York Times bestsellers. Malcolm Gladwell has had many awards conferred on him; in 2005 Time named him one of its 100 most influential people. In 2007 he won American Sociological Association's first Award for Excellence in the Reporting of Social Issues and was also given an honorary degree from University of Waterloo.

About the Book - The book “The Tipping Point” is Gladwell's first book and stands true to its subtitle – How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference. This book not only falls into the genre of economics but also that of psychology and sociology.

The author Malcolm Gladwell captures the attention of the reader through examples and anecdotes which are generously peppered throughout the book. Gladwell's simple and precise style of writing Perspectives 30 ensures that all who read this book, be it an experienced economist or a student, will easily be able to grasp the different ideas explained in it.

Gladwell in his book throws light on the 'tipping point' phenomenon that aims at changing the way people think about promoting ideas or products. The author goes on to explain the various rules, laws and factors influencing the 'tipping point' of any epidemic. Gladwell studies an assortment of phenomenon, from neighbourhood shooting incidents to famous television programs like Sesame Street or Blue's Clues. Gladwell even provides case studies to reinforce the reader's understanding of the different ideas in the book.

“The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell provides a wholesome learning experience to each of its readers and not just to social science students. This is a book that you would definitely want to read more than once. It gives you a deeper insight each time you flip through its pages. This book is a reminder that sometimes, when a situation looks immovable, a slight push in just the right place is all that is needed for it to tip.

3.Title and Author: The World Is Flat: A Brief history of the Twenty-First Century, Thomas Friedman Reviewer: Nandita Krishna, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

When I chose this book it was with a lot of expectations and preconceived notions. With books like 'The Lexus and the Olive Tree' to his credit, Thomas Friedman comes across as a realistic writer and hence his title 'The World is Flat' makes us sit up. It makes you want to know why anyone would make a statement as bizarre as that. Though this book is a political- economy book, it is the economic competition which is interwoven in every page and makes us realize the impact of Perspectives 31 any country's economy on itself as well as on the world.

This book traces Friedman's journey across India and China. He discovers the various factors due to which the world is being “flattened” both economically and politically. One might wonder what exactly this so called new 'flat' world refers to (?) It is nothing but the leveling of playing fields by many developing countries due to the rise in competition to emerge as a self sufficient and collaborative economy. It is a phenomenon which all of us have addressed since the liberalization of some of the economies which has propelled them to become economic powers. But how may of us actually figured out why this sudden economic competition which extends to all sectors happened? This is where Friedman gives us ten flattening forces, right from the collapse of the Berlin Wall to the demand in outsourcing and in-sourcing, he gives us ten possible reasons for the creation of more innovative and new forms and tools for collaboration.

The account of his journey starts from India. It makes for an interesting read as most of us living in the “Silicon Valley of India” can actually relate to it. We know that at the end of every other road there is a BPO, call centre or the likes. We all have one cousin or relative working at absurd hours at some outsource company or the other. But reading it from an American's point of view makes us defensive when he generalizes and mollified when he says our engineers are educated and intelligent. His next stop China is an equally interesting revelation. He shows how the country, being Communist, emerged as one of the most feared economies, mainly due to their willingness. There are many funny incidences during his trip which makes it a light read. His interviews with well known people and the common man add to the credibility of the book and make us all feel like we are on the journey with him.

Perspectives 32 Friedman contemplates a society's ability and willingness to sacrifice for the purpose of economic development and frontrunners with vision for change and why some countries will not be a part of this race. He compares countries which have opened their borders and adopted free trade policies versus those who have not. Those who have not illustrated his point, such countries which don't adopt these reforms will lag behind. The author also discusses the reasons why any country, especially a developing country, should have its policies well planned out and strategized. He says only through collaboration, outsourcing and identification of needs, drawbacks, strengths and niches can an economy develop. This is a very valid point in today's world because the fastest growing economies of today actually are the free trade ones dependant on outsourcing.

His supply-chain calming effect theory is very interesting and made me think. China-Taiwan relations and India-Pakistan relations are at this dormant stage only due to the interwoven fabric of free trade. He says countries will think twice before going to war with another nation as war would result in being cut off from the supply chain which will in return reduce the economic returns of the country leading to further losses.

The plus points include the author's vivid articulation and critical thinking. It makes the reader want to analyze. It is easy to read and quite simple to understand even for an economic illiterate. The only drawback being the book is a very Americanized view of the situation.

From teleconferencing to podcasts and outsourcing to collaboration, The World is Flat leaves no stone unturned in trying to explain a problem that most cannot even define.

Perspectives 33 4.Title and Author: The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World, Niall Ferguson Name of the reviewer: Saba Firdaus, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Introduction: Niall Ferguson is a well known British historian who specializes in Financial & Economic History. He is a professor of history in Harvard and is also currently the Philippe Roman Chair in History and International Affairs at the London School of Economics. In this particular book, he examines the history of money, credit and banking in an amusing yet insightful manner which even a layman may easily comprehend.

Review: Regardless of the title, it is a well accepted fact that Money is far from ascending constantly. It rather seems to be taking a free fall on a regular basis. Ferguson acknowledges that the title may seem to rest upon a highly positive, utopist note but argues that the whole financial system that exists today is the reflection of mankind's inability to judiciously use all of nature's resources. Ferguson attempts to evacuate markets of any moral content. It is our greed and ignorance that have created the current crisis, rather than the financial system. There needs to be a more efficient system, and it should start at an individual level.

"Money is not metal. It is trust inscribed” is what Ferguson has to say about the way we should optimally utilize and regard money as 'trust'. The root of the English word credit is credo, Latin for "I believe". In previous civilizations, the material and spiritual symbolism of money was a vital component of its value. To the Incas, gold was the "sweat of the sun" and silver the "tears of the moon". Gold, silver, bronze: the stuff of coinage is the stuff of medals to this day. In modern economies, money has been largely dematerialized. Just 10 per cent of the US money supply now

Perspectives 34 consists of notes and coins in circulation. Wages are paid automatically into bank accounts; mortgages and bills go out the same way.

Did you know that explorers of the new world were looking for gold? Of course you did. Well the Spanish found some in South America, they found a lot. They would mine this gold (and silver) and send it back home which made Spain a very wealthy country. Anytime they needed more money they would just mine more gold and ship it home to be spent. This is not far from “printing” money the way we do today. Eventually, there was so much gold in the market that it became less valuable (depreciating value of the dollar) and the Spaniards spent themselves into financial ruin.

Scotland ministers invented insurance funds in the early 1700s. They didn't like what would happen to widows and orphans of their fellow ministers when the ministers would die. They started a fund where the ministers paid premiums and those premiums were invested for profits. Profits were paid out to those paying premiums when someone died. The key to the success of this first insurance fund was the mathematical precision needed to calculate how much money would need to be paid out every year. As a testament to this first insurance fund's success, it still exists today as Scottish Widows.

But Ferguson's biography of finance, told with verve and insight, throws more light on our predicament than perhaps even he realizes. The Ascent of Money charts the rise of money from clay tokens passed around the villages of Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago to flickering numbers on a foreign exchange screen; yet it also reminds us that money represents a relationship of trust. Ferguson writes, "no one can hear you scream - because the interest you pay on your mortgage is ultimately going to someone who has no idea you exist". Money is indeed trust inscribed; but when the bonds of trust are stretched too far, they are liable to snap.

Perspectives 35 All possible aspects of the term 'money' are discussed and elaborated on in this amazing book. Though a little lengthy, it still keeps the curious minds glued to it. The fact that Niall Ferguson is an historian is pretty evident in the various insights drawn from historical events. The numerous facets of monetary development in the world are analyzed, through sheer elegance and orderly representation of facts. It is a very good read for those who would like to know more about the world and the reasons behind its current situation.

5.Title and Author: The Argumentative Indian, Amartya Sen Reviewer: Ujjaini Chatterji, II HESP 'M' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

The argumentative Indian, authored by Amartya Sen has been an international bestseller. Sen, who is well known for his Nobel Prize for economics, in his book, states that arguments and debates are imbedded in the genes of Indians. The book is extremely well versed on Indian history, culture and mythology. It elaborately discusses the spiritual Vedic dialogues and more importantly, presents many aspects of the epics that often go unnoticed. For instance, Sen highlights Arjuna's perspectives and doubts and contrasts them with Krishna's logic.

As he moves on, Sen brings forth various matters which are essentially intermingled with India's identity. Subjects such as communalism, gender bias, causes for the Indian diaspora and class struggles are spoken about at length. Sen Writes about the Indian zeal and how men like Jamshedji Tata made a difference. However he also points out arguments against all modernist approaches that are arising. Hence he maintains his stand that India is an argumentative nation!!

Perspectives 36 Sen, further talks about various government policies of Dr Manmohan Singh and his cabinet and their implications. He elaborates further on Indo - Chinese relations and the history behind all the present issues to be sorted.

Though the book is a masterpiece on Indian culture, in certain ways, I found it to be slightly racist. Sen fails to recognize Muslim participation in Indian politics. He often feels and quotes that Muslim kings have historically been despotic and fanatic. He fails to point out Islamic contributions and at times misrepresents history. The book is an excellent resource on India and its culture. It is a must read for all 'ARGUMEMENTATIVE MEN', especially Indians.

6.Title and Author: Rich Dad's Prophecy, Robert Kiyosaki Reviewer: Ankitha Venkataram, II PPES ‘O’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Robert Kiyosaki, the famous author of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series, in his fifth book, Rich Dad's Prophecy, discusses an impending financial disaster. Published in 2002 by Warner Business Books, and co-authored with Karen Lechter, the book details much about a coming financial crisis. Prophecy is, as the author puts it, about building an ark. Similar to the ark that Noah builds in the Bible, but this is a financial ark, an ark of assets to protect you from the coming financial storm. Robert Kiyosaki warns almost from the outset about a panic in the stock market that will be caused sometime no later than 2016, due specifically to a tax law called ERISA that was signed in the year 1994. This tax law, according to Kiyosaki's “rich dad,” will force millions into the stock market and, by their lack of knowledge of this market, to retreat from it as soon as they are legally able to do so. This mass migration from the markets will cause a plummet in demand, and precipitate a crash. Thus, as he describes it, the market crash of 2008 is not the same Perspectives 37 crash, particularly as the genesis of the 2008 crash was not due to Wall Street.

Kiyosaki's Rich Dad predicts that the crash will be due to the fact that the baby boomer generation holds their retirement savings almost exclusively in the stock market, and that as they reach retirement age they are forced by law to withdraw that money from the market. Due to simple supply and demand, the markets will turn down, and individual retirement savings will become worth less and less. The aging baby boomers will see this trend, and will likely then cash out their stock holdings, which will only accelerate the crash. Millions of retirees will probably be left with insufficient savings to last for the rest of their lives. At this point they are likely to turn to the government to keep them alive. If this happens, the authors estimate that every working person (working at a job, that is) will end up supporting approximately 4 non-working people.

As bleak as this future sounds, Kiyosaki refers to it not as “Doom and Gloom”, but “Doom and Boom”. In fact, the subtitle of the book is “Why the biggest stock market crash in history is still coming... and how you can prepare yourself and profit from it!” For those who are prepared for future events, the opportunities will be incredible. Troubled times are when vast fortunes are amassed. Financial turbulence represents a transfer of wealth. Kiyosaki asks the question, “Are you ready to face the real world?” In the real world, getting a good job and saving for retirement will not provide enough money for at least 80 percent of baby-boomers to retire on. In the real world, the government cannot afford to provide financial and medical support for over 150 million people.

Kiyosaki believes that the nightmare is already beginning. Since March of 2000, the stock market has deflated. He believes the market will rebound, then go bust, then rebound, then go bust. Eventually, the stock market will not be able to rebound. It will crash. The reason this cycle will occur is financial assumptions.

Perspectives 38 Kiyosaki summarizes the three reasons the crash of 2016 will take place. First, “There will be a market sell-off caused by baby- boomers converting to cash.” and this sell-off will occur because people do not understand or trust their financial assets. The second reason is “The cost of living and medical costs will go up.” People need money to live on, so they will sell their mutual funds. The third reason is “The number of fools will increase.” People will make bad decisions in how they handle their money. Put simply, the problem behind the problem is “We now have too many people who have come to expect the government to solve their problems.” According to Kiyosaki, all these factors are coming together to form “The perfect storm.” The warning signs of the coming storm can be seen in the rising costs of medical care, increased terrorism, Japan's precarious financial condition, the rise of China as the world's largest economy, the obsolescence of Wall Street, and the failure of Big Corporations.

Having stated his prophecy of doom, Kiyosaki proceeds to his second major theme – how to build an ark. And he immediately warns “If you plan on building a big rich ark for retirement, you may have to let go of many of the traditional middle-class values.” The first step in building an ark is to develop “Your own financial statement.” This will allow you to determine whether your present investments provide cash flow or should be labeled as “Fool's gold.” The second step involves examining your “Level of thought when it comes to money.” In effect, this is your fear factor.

The next step toward building an ark is to get rid of your excuses, so that you can commit time to building your ark. This involves investing in business, real estate and stocks. Kiyosaki's final word of advice for building your ark is to “invest in yourself.” This includes education, health, recreation, etc.

Whether or not Kiyosaki's prophecy of a gigantic crash in 2016 is true or not, most of the advice he gives in Rich Dad's Prophecy appears to be sound. And although he doesn't provide specific investment advice, he does provide a plan of action, which is Perspectives 39 probably what most people need. Essentially, then, Rich Dad's Prophecy is a motivational book. It's designed to get people thinking about their financial future. And after they think about it, Kiyosaki gives them a push in the right direction. Furthermore, he presents an almost spiritual quality to part of his narrative when he discusses losing his business and his apartment.

It is a practical book and unlike most economic books, highly interesting. The narrative is addressed to us and is not merely a text book. It provides invaluable information, not only to the people investing in stock but to us students as well. It is possible to learn a lot about the stock market and the risks it entails. However, if you gain some financial intelligence, there will be a way to not only ride out of this storm, but profit from it too. It just takes some education, will power, and the right mind set to do it.

7.Title and Author: Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely Reviewer: Prutha Deshpande, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author : Dan Ariely is the James B. Duke professor of behavioural economics at Duke University, with appointments at the Fuqua School of Business, the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and the Department of Economics. He is also the founder of the Centre for Advanced Hindsight and a visiting professor at MIT's media lab. Dan wrote this book while he was a student at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. His work has been featured in leading scholarly journals and in a variety of popular media outlets, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Boston Globe and Scientific American.

About the Book : Behavioural Economics is a relatively new field, one that draws on aspects of both psychology and economics. 'What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In Perspectives 40 apprehension how like a god!' – Act II, Hamlet. Starting out with a bit of Shakespeare, Dan Ariely explains how behavioural economics is different from standard economics. The predominant view of human nature, largely shared by economists, is the one reflected in this quotation. This view is largely correct. Our minds and bodies are capable of amazing acts. A feeling of awe at the capability of humans is clearly justified. There is a large difference however between a deep sense of admiration and the assumption that our reasoning abilities are perfect. This book is in fact about our irrationality. Recognizing where we depart from the ideal is important for us to truly understand ourselves. Not only are we irrational, but predictably so. Our irrationality happens the same way, again and again.

In conventional economics, the assumption that we are all rational implies that, in everyday life, we compute the value of all the options we face and then follow the best path of action. Even if we make a mistake and do something irrational, traditional economics has an answer – “market forces” will set us back on the path of rationality.

Through a series of illuminating experiments, Ariely shows that we are really far less rational than standard economics theory assumes. It would therefore make sense to modify standard economics. This is exactly what behavioural economics, and this book in a small part, is trying to accomplish.

Most of the examples seem merely amusing on a simple read but the implications go much deeper. With each experiment you realize just how illogical our own everyday choices are. More often than not, we don't understand what really influences our decisions. Expectations, emotions, social norms and other invisible forces regularly skew our reasoning ability. Our perception of having control over the direction our life takes has more to do with belief than with reality. However, our irrationality does not render us helpless. Rethinking what makes us and the people around us act in the way that they do can be of great use in our personal lives. It Perspectives 41 enables us to change the way in which we interact with the world – one small decision at a time.

Experts consider the information in this book to be an invaluable tool that no person should live without in the current economic crisis.

Yes, I paused at the end of every chapter as according to Ariely's advice and considered the principles presented by him, but, in a way, more important was the fact that it was simply a very fascinating read. A book strongly recommended for people who blindly go by the ideal economic laws and theories and hold them up without making an effort to question the logic behind these findings.

8.Title: Human Rights, Gender and the Environment, Manisha Priyam, Krishna Menon and Madhulika Banerjee Name of the reviewer: Sharmila Kumari Jain, II CAME 'L’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

We have seen laborers and farmers exploited by owners and landlords; we read about untouchables and the sati system; these are all because of the differences among human beings. The reason for these differences is social inequality, which directly or indirectly has a bad impact on us.

The Authors are: 1)Manisha Priyam, a Research Scholar at the London School of Economics, who is interested in research on policy and political development of the rural poor and vulnerable; 2)Krishna Menon, a political science teacher in the University of Delhi who writes about Indian politics and feminist theory and politics; 3)Madhulika Banerjee, a teacher of Political Science in the University of Delhi who is interested in fostering an inter disciplinary orientation in political science, medicine and

Perspectives 42 technology. They have chosen to write this book on the basis of caste, class, gender, ethnicity and race. The relationship between humans and the environment is clearly shown in the complex theme of Human rights, Gender and Environment. This text has been divided into three sections.

Human rights: Human right means rectitude and entitlement of rights toward human beings. It is classified into:

1. Civil and political rights 2. Economic and social rights

It includes arguments on the rights of citizen, laborers, marginalized groups and personal choices. It also states some national and international movements, laws, institutional and policy measures. It includes six convents. The International Convent on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convent on Economic and Social Rights are together known as The International Bill of Rights. The National Institution for Human Rights Protection and the United Nations are the two institutions that have achieved a lot of success in this field. Some movements that upheld human rights are the Peoples Union of Democratic Rights, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, Selwa Judum Movement, Rowlatt Act of 1919, Independence and The Civil Liberties Movement.

Gender: The part on gender discusses the gender bias in contemporary India. It analyses the concept of patriarchy in history and culture. Patriarchy is a system of social structure and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women. This still continues in India, in different forms. The epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and the biological factor of women being less powerful than men have given rise to the concept of patriarchy. It includes the institutional and legal context of women's issue and Perspectives 43 women's hand in the development of the country and their contribution to political improvement. For example - the Chipko Movement, the Salt March and the Independence Movement. Gender analysis in development and many more committees involved in women's development have received great success in their fields through social reforms and women's movements. Their success resulted in the increased participation of women in politics, education, jobs etc. It has been proved that the government has an important part to play in the development of women, by changing laws in favor of the feminist, i.e. by methods like increasing the matrimonial age, banning sati and child marriage, etc. This part also includes women's movements like campaigns against sati, dowry, child marriage, pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic, amniocentesis, EP Drugs, physical and sexual harassment, abortion etc.

The Environment: The part on environment discusses the socio-economic impact on the environment. It speaks in brief about specific environment issues in the world like the concept of sustainable development, general agreement on tariffs and trade, world conservation strategy, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Rio Conference and the United Nations Environment Program. Due to problems like industrial pollution, global warming and threat to biodiversity as in the case of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, land degradation, ozone depletion, pollution and climate change, globalization and development are becoming a big threat to the environment. It also states the present environmental policies and movements in India like the Silent Valley Movement, the Chipko Movement, the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Mithini Village Movement, the Jhakhandi Organization against Radiation, the National Fish Workers Forum and the Beej Bachao Andolan.

According to me these differences and the threats against human beings, gender equality and the environment can be solved when we work on the solutions as a whole by removing the sense of Perspectives 44 differences, promoting the thought of equality and by increase interaction between humans and the environment.

It is a great read to understand the way in which the above three factors contribute to economic prosperity.

9.Title and Author: Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen Reviewer: Nandini G., II CAME ‘L’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

What is a developed country? According to Sen, development should be measured by how much freedom a country has since without freedom people cannot make the choices that allow them to help themselves and others.

Amartya Sen's ideal speech in this book is that economic development isn't just about the money, rather it is about freedom and capabilities and such things that have a big effect on the quality of life. He says that what is important in life, rather than money is “people's capability to choose the lives they have reason to value”. Various aspects that reflect how development is being curtailed, are mentioned in this beautiful piece of work by this famous economist.

Forms of freedom He starts off with bringing out the relation between income and mortality. He draws a comparison between a rich country and a so called 'third world' country (comparatively poor countries).

Example: In U.S, the African Americans have very low chances of reaching advanced mortality ages as compared to the people born in the lower economic classes of China or the Indian state of Kerala. Here, he clearly makes a comparison between African Americans who get a higher income and the people of Kerala and China. This indicates that the income is lesser over there but the survival rate of the Perspectives 45 people of China is greater than that of African Americans.

Poverty as capability deprivation This phase contains problems like poverty, unemployment, health care and mortality related issues. Again making a comparison between South Asia (mostly India) and Sub–Saharan Africa, where the population is extreme, he arrives at several problems like the lack of self sufficiency in food, health problems etc. which are different from the problems faced in deprived countries, where the population is less.

Famines He points out that drought is the main cause for famines but there are other reasons like the decline in food production or availability of food. Famine can also occur despite peak food availability. The reasons for this are regional unemployment, etc.

Example: The Bangladeshi famine of 1974.

Prevention: Famine affected people may be 10% of the total population of the country and thus 10% of the poor can buy enough food with subsisting of 3% of GNP. Again mortality associated with famine results from diseases, population explosion, etc. This can be overcome by epidemic control and communal health arrangement. In many rich countries, protection is provided by the anti poverty programs and unemployment insurances. Famine prevention is very much dependant on the political achievements of the country.

Famine and Alienation The fury of famines are much more devastating than they are thought to be. This is illustrated by the following example.

Example: The Irish faced a dreadful famine which almost devastated them. When the famine occurred, people did not die due to the lack of food but from not being able to purchase it. The Perspectives 46 British even though that it was their country as it was ruled by them.

Women: Poor to Power Several incidents and a lot of evidence indicates that women's literacy is the reason for lower child mortality and lower gender bias but the adverse effects of high birth rates include the denial of substantial freedom through persistence in child bearing and child rearing is routinely imposed on many Asian and African women.

Sen eschews two common ways of thinking about development: 1) that aid goes to passive recipients and 2) that increasing wealth is the primary means by which development occurs. His motivation seems to come from a deep respect for subjective valuation: the individual's autonomy and responsibility in decision making.

To conclude with this book clearly speaks about the term “unfreedom”. The author clearly states that development should not only be in terms of money but should also be in other issues like freedom for development.

It is a very well written book, a little complex but surely enlightening.

10.Title and Author: Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom , Rajni Bakshi Reviewer: Ashwini Shridhar, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author - Rajni Bakshi is a freelance journalist and an author based in Mumbai. She writes about social and political movements. Bakshi attended school in Kingston, Jamaica, Delhi, Washington and Jaipur. Some of her famous works are 'The Long Haul', 'Bapu Kuti', 'An Economics for Well-being', and 'Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom'.

Perspectives 47 'Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom' has won many awards and got rave reviews by many critics.

Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom seems like a pretty abstract title for a book on Economics. What relevance could things like conversations and freedom have with markets and money? The fact that we've forgotten this basic relevance is highlighted by the author in the form of this book. She has compared the traditional markets of the world and the capitalist economies of today.

Bazaars or traditional markets were extremely personalized and intimate places of exchange, where, along with exchange of goods and money, exchange of knowledge happened. It was a physical area where people socialized along with trade and business. It was still a simple and easy affair and retained a basic moral sense. Whereas, the author calls the market an 'abstract' concept. She says, 'Bazaar refers to a location, the market is an idea'. It is an intangible and impersonal entity. It is only a mechanical interface for trade.

The author takes this distinction and links it to the global recession that happened two years ago. She attributes the financial meltdown to the 'free market' ideology. She tells us that economists have discovered the shortcomings of this sort of malicious market culture long before. Then she supports these theories with extremely well chosen examples.

In the book, the author has followed the trails of these critics of the 'market idea', as well as the thinkers who insisted on this idea. Using their stories and theories, she questions the need of a market that is driven by 'greed and fear'.

The book is divided into chapters, each concentrating on different ideas and theories. The book has a simple approach and can be read by anyone.

In the very first chapter, she talks about the 'need to gather'. She explores the gregarious need of man that compelled him to Perspectives 48 exchange goods and ideas. She talks of the days when markets were mainly places of gathering. She supports this theory with interesting anecdotes and examples. She mainly talks of how markets were not just places where goods were traded, but also ideas. There was a need for knowledge and socializing and Bazaars were an excellent tool for that.

In the next chapter, we see the transition of markets from traditional gatherings to ruthless dealings. The advent of new thinking from economists like Adam Smith and Mandeville brought about a new perspective to Economics. Their kind of capitalist thinking was criticized even as recently as 2000, when the students of a Parisian university declared Economics to be an 'Autistic Science', lacking in human touch and values. She basically talks about the genesis of today's abstract market, which doesn't account for things like morals and values, and acts like a profit- driven and profit-hungry creature.

In the next chapter, the author explores how the identity of and the importance given to money has changed people's perspectives towards life and economics. She talks of 'Community Currencies', where communities which are tired of the moral-deprived transactional capacity of money, have formed their own currencies, for e.g. LETS. She talks about the umpteen values attached to money. And how the face value of currency notes doesn't diminish like other physical goods. She insists on Economic Democracy, where society dominates economy and not vice versa. She implies how money, which was created as a 'tool' for trade, has turned humans into its 'tool'.

In the next chapter, she talks of the cut throat competitiveness that has crept in everyone. She bases this on Darwin's theory of 'Survival of the Fittest', and how it has been misapplied in today's world. People believe that it means ruthless competition to survive. As she has quoted Amartya Sen, “too much competition is like a wild elephant, it will destroy the very earth it lives on”. Too much competition, ruthless competition, uncompassionate strategies are Perspectives 49 resulting in destruction of the whole economy. This thought has been put forth beautifully by the author.

In the next few chapters she talks of dwindling local markets, power hungry markets and how markets have drifted away from nature. She addresses the right issues when she tells us how there is a slow degeneration of local markets and industries. She talks of the adverse effects of globalization. When there is no connection between the market and the local businesses on which markets depend, how can we expect equal distribution of resources as well as profits?Basically when markets started moving away from the locals and traditional systems, loss and chaos set in.

After this she talks about how the market started being more about how much 'percentage' is owned by a firm. Every firm wanted to rule. This kind of power driven market is exactly what caused the crisis, says the author.

Finally the author talks of how people have forgotten their roots, i.e. nature. When market acted as an entity away from nature, that's when all the problems started. In the name of profit and progress, nature got harmed. And that is the most serious issue in today's world. The author puts more stress on this as it is an issue that everyone talks and thinks about.

I really liked the book because of the way it is presented. It forces you to look up and take notice. It chooses the right issues, and strikes them right in the heart. The author has done a great job in the linking of examples and topics. I suggest that every conscious and aware person read this book, as it is universally applicable and explores these concepts in simple terms, unlike what is expected of a book on Economics.

It speaks of humanity in competition, compassion in trade and goodwill in market. And these are the things that will help us get over the crises caused by the current market scenario.Written in simple, comprehensive language, it is aptly timed and is a great read Perspectives 50

HISTORY INDEX

1. A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar Volume 1, Francis Buchanan - Diksha Dewan

2. A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar Volume2, Francis Buchanan - B.M.Mandara

3. A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar Volume 3, Francis Buchanan - Varsha Gopalakrishna

4. The End of History and the Last Man - Francis Fukuyama - Ryan Anthony

5. Bengaluru, Bangalore, Bengaluru: Imaginations And Their Times - Narendar Pani - Hema K.

6. CHURCHILL'S SECRET WAR- the British Empire and the Ravaging of India during World War II - Madhusree Mukerje - Tulika Aggarwal

7. Makers of Modern India - Ramachandra Guha - Bhagirath Ashiya

8. Gujarat: The making of a tragedy- Sidharth Varadarajan - Priyama Chakravarty

9. Women Pioneers in Indian Renaissance - Kamla Mankekar and Shushila Nayar - Shruthi Nambiar Perspectives 51 1.Title and Author: A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar Volume 1, Francis Buchanan Reviewer: Diksha Dewan, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

The book deals with the journey of the author from Madras to Sira in Karnataka through Mysore, Canara and Malabar. The book is a great source of information regarding the vegetables, cattle, farms, culture, habits, climates and inhabitants of these places. It is an account of his experience and travel for the first time in India. He gives a detail account of each and every sphere of the life of Indians at that time.

He talks about the esculent vegetables grown during that time. The different kinds cultivated by farmers and natives in general, the method of cultivation, the seasons when they are sown and gathered essential objects the farmers use etc.

Regarding cattle he talks about the different breeds, the manner in which they are bred and kept. He emphasizes on the fact that as there is improvement of the breed of horses in this country, they had become an object of particular attention to the Mysore government.

The author also talks about the farms owned by the rulers of those times. He speaks about their great extent, the usual price of labor, the manner of payment and the natural productions of the country which are made use of in arts, medicines, manufacturers and objects of external commerce.

Cotton, pepper, sandalwood and cardamoms' are also has given special mention as they were the valuable articles during those times. Mines, quarries and mineral springs were analyzed as extreme medicinal by the people. The state of the manufacturers is farther objects of consequence; especially of those which are exported procure an exact account of the different kinds and their advantages and disadvantages. Perspectives 52 A special mention is given to the climate and seasons of Mysore. He talks about the pleasant and soothing weather of Mysore and its prevailing winds and the effects of the air on the human body. One of the main aspects of this book is about the inhabitants or the people of these places. The book gives an account of the condition of the inhabitants in general, their food, clothing and habitations. The different sects and tribes, their laws, customs etc, the nature of the common usages in matters of personal traffic at their markets, weights and measures, exchange of money etc.

The book has got beautiful drawings done by Marquis Wellesley which give an enigmatic effect to the book.

The author's journey is from Madras to Seringapatnam to Bangalore to Doda Bala-Pura to Sira. He ends the volume 1 of this book by giving an account of the life and culture of Sira.

2.Title and Author: A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar Volume 2, Francis Buchanan Reviewer: B.M. Mandara, II HESP 'M' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

In 1800, Lord Wellesley, the British Governor General of India, appointed the surgeon and botanist Francis Buchanan (1762–1829) to conduct a survey of the kingdom of Mysore in the south of the country, which had recently been annexed by the East India Company. Volume 2 covers Buchanan's travels west from Sira to southern Malabar and then northwards through that coastal region. Buchanan notes the breeds of cattle and sheep he observes there, and includes a detailed account of an iron mine and the smelting techniques it used. Here, he speaks about the cattle breeding in various places, and also of the Candacas. Madras ox, Madhugiri ox and Seringapatam bull are few among them. The different kinds of rocks which were found are also stated here. He has also mentioned in the book about the priests, king, Cauvery River and tanks.

Perspectives 53 Francis began his journey from Cauvery to Karnataka south on September 5th. Tippu took over Coorg from the ruler, leading to his rule over the entire region. Rice was cultivated in abundance, so were palm tree plantations. Hegodu Devana Cotay was most considerable for sandalwood production. Practice of Polygamy and people wearing Linga were prominent in Mysore district. Dry grains were the main cultivation in Kaveri-pura Ghat, his next destination. The hills are infested with harmless animals, especially bulls, bears, fox, hyena, cheetah, leopard. This, furthermore, helped him through his way long travel all over the forest regions. Gold and silver coins were used in abundance during those times. The principle cultivation in Kanya-uru was the art of sheep breeding. They were experts in it. Here, they had a list of 56 Desas or Countries. As described by Francis Buchanan, Pali-ghat was the most beautiful fort built by Hyder Ali, during those times. Not a single part of the region of Kerala was included in the 56 Desas list. People in these areas did not have to pay land tax. The account of weather was given so accurately by the intelligent farmers. Nambudiris and Nairs did not have authority over Karnata region. Land tax was paid in kind. Vines were one of the main sources of revenue. 4765 -That was the huge number of slave existence in those areas!

In all, he concludes by saying that Malabar is indeed considered as a healthy country, and one upon which nature has bestowed uncommon advantages.

Perspectives 54 3.Title and Author: A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar. Volume 3, Francis Buchanan Reviewer: Varsha Gopalakrishnan, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

A travelogue is one of the most interesting books that a person can read. Francis Buchanan, the author of this travelogue, was a foreign visitor and he wrote a detailed account of his visit to India, and specifically his journey from Madras (Tamil Nadu) through Mysore, Canara (Karnataka) and Malabar (Kerala). He claims that he wrote this travelogue expressively for the purpose of investigation and has given detailed information about various fields.

He has done immense research of that time period into the fields of agriculture, art, commerce, religions, mannerisms, customs, natural history, civil history and antiquities. To substantiate his findings, this travelogue also contains cached copies of what appears to be the 'Account of Sea Customs' in the Mangalore Taluk, the balance sheets show that over 200 items were being imported and exported, and the officer in charge then was John G. Ravenshaw.

Throught the book, we can see that Francis Buchanan has visited many royal courts, like the royal dominions of the Rajah of Mysore, The Vijayanagara Empire, The Colonies occupied by the East India Company and the lands of Tippu Sultan, during the reign of the Tuluva Dynasty.

While reading his travelogue one can draw the conclusion that Francis Buchanan clearly supported the British Raj and claimed that “It is evident that the country has received immense benefit by a change of government”

This book also gives us clear insights into the lives of the people during those times. He describes the religions and customs of the Perspectives 55 people. He also gave a detailed sketch of the accepted social practices of that time. He says that most of the land was occupied by Brahmanas who claim to be the descendents of Parasurama.

He gives us detailed findings of the religious customs of that time period. He describes the various rituals conducted for umpteen numbers of reasons including seeking redemption for their sins. He notes that there are specific ceremonies and customs for specific causes and reasons. For example, if a woman of that region happens to be barren or childless she is to perform a special ceremony and spend the night in the deity's temple.

Another noteworthy practice of that time is that the son never inherits his father's belongings. It is the nephews and nieces of the paternal uncle that inherit them. That is – a man's heir is his sister's children and his children are the heirs if his brother-in-law. And if the sister becomes a widow, she goes to her brother's house and stays with him as her children are her brother's heir.

This book also shows us how precise, organized and impeccable the Britishers are when it comes to ruling. This book has specific statistics of various categories. Like the number of slaves then were 7924. There was more number of Hindus than Muslims or Christians. They also had precise statistics of the number of cattle in that particular taluk.

Francis Buchanan's travelogue shows that the southern provinces of India then were economically and commercially advanced and busy as there was regular trade and commerce in that district.

The entire book is in simple English and easy to comprehend. It is a must read for all social science students as it shows us what opinions the foreigners had of us then and how India has reached this stage of progress today because of the foundations laid down by the Britishers then.

Perspectives 56 4.Title and Author: The End of History and the Last Man, Francis Fukuyama Reviewer: Ryan Anthony, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Francis Fukuyama first shot to fame after he gave a lecture on the “End of History” during the 1988-89 academic years in the University of Chicago. These have contributed to the need to write the book, “The End of History and the Last Man”. His concepts and understanding of the past, present and future political systems are quite unique and this has contributed to the growth in his popularity (and equal dislike) from members of the scholarly community.

The book, with its first chapter titled 'Our Pessimism', very amusingly (or not to some of us) opens with the statement, “The twentieth century, it is safe to say that it has made all of us into deep historical pessimists.”

His statement is based on the fact that the general public, particularly in the west, feel that liberal democracy (being the most prevalent form of government in the world today) is not the way forward; that we are not progressing towards some happy and ideal state of the world, but are instead headed somewhere regressive (if not completely apocalyptic).

Fukuyama, being a strong advocate of the democratic cause, believes that open markets and liberal democracies even with their present flaws (which would eventually be done away with) have opened the gates to a bright and beautiful future, thus bringing about an end to the need of the recording of history as no developments can be made in the world after democracy has reached its peak. This single ridiculous statement forms the crux of the entire book.

Perspectives 57 The problem with his thought process is that he ignores the fact that the flaws exist not due to the system, but due to human nature. For it is not a liberal and tolerant society breeds anti-social elements and social evils but at an individual level, in a society with no moral values, a person can give in to basic instincts inherent in each one of us and end up wreaking and causing havoc within the system. So even if democracy and a free, open global market is the way forward, the problem remains that human error can and will continue to cause problems to the establishment of a perfect system.

Likewise there are many of his concepts that can be countered by even a high-school student (let alone completely brought down by a full blown scholar) but the book can be praised for the following.

Fukuyama is extremely practical in his approach, so although one may not agree with the idea at the heart of his book, the examples given are more than enough to make one think about the pros and cons of the society we live in. Fukuyama has actually defended his theory against many of the counters that have crept up since the book's publication. He claims that he does "does not imply a world free from conflict, nor the disappearance of culture as a distinguishing characteristic of societies."His theories are still receiving a lot of flak considering it appears as though he believes everything in the world is happy and jolly.

If we were to judge the book based on the authors misguided and overly enthusiastic views about liberal democracy, this book is not worth the read. If we were to look at it as a point of view quite different from the mainstream pessimism or excessive optimism, it is worth going through. Further if you would like a practical and philosophical view of political history coupled with a deviant interpretation of it all, this is the book for you.

Perspectives 58 5.Title and Author: Bengaluru, Bangalore, Bengaluru: Imaginations And Their Times, Narendar Pani Reviewer: Hema.K, II HESP 'M' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

This book is associated with the dialogues between the imagination of the past and the present. This book hopes to create the bases for such a dialogue by doing no more than identifying some of the dominant and prominent imaginations of Bangalore over the last two centuries and more. This boor furnishes extraordinary information about Bangalore and the book is highly resourceful.

He stated from the history of Bengalooru and touched the present technology and scientific development. The imaginations in this book are concerned with only those of the Bengalooru of the 18th century that the British colonized; the Bangalore of 20th century years after independence and the Bengalooru of the 21th century. He began by first presenting a brief account of the history of Bengalooru.

He starts providing us the information about history of Bangalore as the early maps of Bangalore, such as the one that details the capture of the city by Cornwallis on 22nd march 1791, shows a fortified military centre. The fort as well as the entire Pete (market, as the city was then referred to) was surrounded by a dry moat. His book spreads awareness of our city.

Then he explains us about the economic hierarchy then in Bengalooru. He specified that at the top of the economic hierarchy were the Banajigas who produce silk textiles, followed by the Devangas who manufactured supreme cotton textiles and at the lowest end of the hierarchy were the Togataru who produced the coarser varieties of cotton cloth. He adds that in addition, there were castes associated with other manufacturers such as oil and gunny cloth.

Perspectives 59 He explained the rivalry of the Tippu and the British in an unusual and in a remarkable way. He also enlightens us by stating that the British came to know about the history of Mysore only after going through the diary of Francis Buchanan who was sent to Mysore by Marquis Wellesley, Governor General of India in order to collect information, for a time period of fourteen and half months. That diary dealt with the details about economic life, spiritual life, their customs and traditions, their occupations, their dressing pattern etc. By this diary the Britishers gained a complete knowledge about Mysore.

The editor also emphasized that Krishnaraja Wodeyar who ascended the throne at just 10 but the administration was looked after by his mother Vani Vilas together with Diwan Sheshadri Iyer. Our editor also makes clear about the contribution of the king in the field of science and technology by providing us an example of Krishnaraja Sagar dam. Hence the editor rightly describes Krishnaraja Wodeyar as the “Maker of Mysore state”. And he also points Dewan M. Vishveshwariah as the son of Mysore for his loyalty and contribution in the making of Mysore a developed state.

The editor not only wrote about the scientific development during Wodeyars but also stressed the present development in Bengalooru by saying that Bangalore, the state capital of Karnataka, is referred to by many sobriquets including Garden city, Silicon city etc.,

This book provides the entire outlook of the city Mysore flourishing over years and also throws light about the upcoming and the most happening city Bangalore. This book provides an insight into what the city was in the past and what it will be.

Perspectives 60 6.Title and Author: CHURCHILL'S SECRET WAR- the British Empire and the Ravaging of India during World War II, Madhusree Mukerjee Reviewer: Tulika Agarwal, II HESP 'M' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Madhusree Mukerjee, a scholar, Guggenheim Fellow, who resides in Germany, had written an uncomfortable book critical of allied policy towards India that led to the death of millions. She opens by introducing a 1943 famine in Bengal that killed 1.5 million people, and which was a result of the British decision to use the resources of India to fight Germany and Japan. The economic stressors placed on India during World War II, led to deprivation and anarchy which tore the fabric of society leading to independence in 1947.

This is the hidden side of World War II, and decisions that did not make Winston Churchill's memoirs.

The book discusses England's divide and conquer strategy to govern the subcontinent, which only perpetuated the partition of India. In 1943, nationalist Subhash Chandra Bose headed a liberation army known as the Indian National Army comprised of Indian labourers and 60,000 captured Indian Prisoners of War (POWs) captured by the Japanese.

World War II brought called India's intellectual elites and political activists on whether India should be granted dominion status like South Africa or Canada or should India be placed on a trajectory towards independence. These questions were constantly ignored by the British.

The various chapters discuss how Hitler's racism could not allow the Nazi's to fully exploit liberation movements, such as the treatment of Ukrainians, Slavs, and Russia's ethnic minorities who despised Joseph Stalin. Japanese leaflets were showered over the Indian metropolis of Calcutta urging Indians to revolt against British colonization, which was condemned by Churchill when he Perspectives 61 found out about such a grave act by the Japanese.

Ms. Mukerjee has written a fresh study of the underside of World War II, and allows the readers to empathize with India's, Pakistan's and Bangladesh's sensitivity to its national independence. She has for the first time, projected with definite evidence of how a great man's prejudice contributed to one of the most deadly famines in the modern history.

In her book, Madhusree Mukerjee writes evocatively of how hunger and rebellion in rural Bengal was a product of cynicism and callousness in imperial London. Deeply researched and skillfully constructed, this piece of writing is a great contribution to the India history and to the history of the Second World War (1939 – 1945).

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it gave me a chance to find out about the series of events which triggered this grave incident to occur, which was the planning of an infamous mastermind and Britain's Ex Prime Ministers. I really appreciate the author for the simple language and authenticity with which she has written on the references as well as her experiences which makes this book even more special to read.

7.Title and Author: Makers of Modern India, Ramachandra Guha Reviewer: Bhagirath Ashiya, II HEPP 'N’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

The book “Makers of Modern India'' by Ramchandra Guha, is a historical work, which portrays what we Indians have forgotten over time, our past. The only past that forms our present and shapes our future. The author talks about those Indians who, according to me dreamed to change the world around them. We may quote them in everyday life, disagree with them, glorify and make villains out of them, but the only thing we can't do is ignore them, because they dreamed to change the world .The world that we live in today, our India from British India. Perspectives 62 The author talks of nineteen influential people who have contributed greatly, to what Modern India is today. According to me the author is biased about the selection of his nineteen “Makers of Modern India'' , as he doesn't include personalities such as Subash Chandra Bose , Dayanand Saraswati , Dadabhai Naoroji , Vallabhai Patel and many more .The author tries to justify his exclusion of such personalities, but in one of his interviews he admits that the book reflects his biases. The specialty about these nineteen national thinkers is that they wrote extensively about their ideologies and their perception of the world. But one of the most positive aspects of this book is that it includes, unsung heroes long forgotten, whose ideas decay in the pages of history .The views of such unknown thinkers and their ideas are communicated through this book. To me Ramachandra Guha is the discoverer of unsung heroes such as Tarabai Shinde and Hamid Dalwa

These nineteen men and women were unique in the sense that they wrote authoritatively, on what they practiced and preached. The views on various political, economic, foreign, domestic and religious issues, of such men and women, are still relevant today in Modern India .Contrary to the title of the book, to me a nation is always in the making. Also the idea of a Modern India is not yet achieved, we are still suffering from problems such as poverty, unemployment and various social issues.

The reason behind this is the lack of original political thinkers and ideas. We Indians never realize the kind of legacy that our various political thinkers left behind in our rich Indian history. Their works are masterpieces, which we fail to understand. In today's scenario , there is no original political thought , politicians just practice their idea of vote – bank politics .They never think beyond their selfish gains , this is rightly shown in the various scams , which have become habitual in our so called “ modern country “ . We might claim to be modern in various spheres , but to me , we still lack modern political thought . This modern thought is presented to us , in the works of such “ Makers of Modern India “as described by Ramachandra Guha . Perspectives 63 After reading some pages of the book, I realized it would take me at least a month, to let the ideas of the author and his chosen nineteen to sink into my mind. The beauty of the book is that it explores the original political thought of these great minds separately, though their ideas being contradictory.

According to Ramachandra Guha, what makes India interesting is not just the size of the country or its population or even its diversity... it is actually the fact that India is simultaneously undergoing five dramatic transformations – the urban revolution, the industrial revolution, the national revolution, the democratic revolution, and the social revolution.

After reading the book, I realized that the ideas of such men and women were truly inspiring and completely contradicting, and without reading the book once more, I wouldn't understand it completely.

In my view the book deserves to be read because the kind of knowledge that the leaders have imparted is vast and one can learn a lot from it.

We only remember them, during the holidays we get such as the birthday of Gandhiji. Even on this day, liquor is sold and some people buy it. From this example, we can realize how far we are from achieving the dream, these men and women dreamed selflessly for us Indians. Though our living standards and growth rate might be increasing, but we are losing out on moral values and virtues, what India is truly famous for? This is the reason behind corruption, our degraded and disintegrating moral values. If we truly think of Mahatma Gandhiji as the Father of the Nation, then his moral values should be followed, let alone his political ideas.

We as Indians should be proud that we were bestowed with such a legacy of great thinkers, unmatched in the world.

Perspectives 64 8.Title and Author: Gujarat: The making of a tragedy, Sidharth Varadarajan Reviewer: Priyama Chakravarty, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

The events at Godhra and the communal riots that followed it constitute an ugly chapter of our history. For the sheer brutality, persistence and widespread nature of the violence, especially against women and children, the complicity of the state, the targeted killing of communities and the indifference of civil society, Gujarat has surpassed anything we have experienced in recent times.

Sidharth V is the deputy chief of the national bureau of the Times of India. He has written and reported extensively on communal and political issues. His vocation of a journalist is reflected in his scientific approach towards the riots of February-march 2002.

The layman's memory of the massacre in Gujarat is limited to the primary facts and the horrifying visuals aired across news networks during the time. This book is intended to be a public archive of the tragedy that is Gujarat.

The book begins with a paper by the author about the incidents that led to the provoked violence and the fire in the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati express carrying the supporters of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP). It analyses the cause and the immediate response of the death of the 58 kar sevaks on board the S-6 by the VHP, RSS, the Modi government, the Muslim sellers at the platform and the minority and majority community members.

It progresses onto the 'retaliation' methods taken up by the VHP for the next three days which led to the targeted killings of the Muslims and burning of their economic establishments. The book exposes how the riots had the sanction of the state, how easy it was for the rights of the minority community to be violated and how the members of the minority communities were left at their own Perspectives 65 mercy. The findings of historians, journalists and sociologists indicate that the Gujarat riots were pre-planned due to the simultaneous precision and co-ordination with which they were carried out both in rural and urban areas. The narrative of the victims and eye-witnesses provides a spine chilling experience to the reader due to the demonic brutality through which the violence took place, especially the sexual violence against women and children.

Separate sections of the book deal with the role of police in the inaction and sabotage of evidences, the role of sangh parivar in conveniently using the train burning incident to achieve their hindutva motives, the role of media in initiating social action, the economic and social implication of the violence, the problem of rehabilitation of the victims, and, above all, their quest for justice. The book also speaks about the psychological, social, economic and cultural vacuum left by the riots.

The book contains write ups by leading journalists like Rajdeep Sardesai and Barka Dutt, eminent historians like Ramachandra Guha, research findings by social institutions, first hand account of the eye witnesses and also the provocative speeches made by various political leaders. These provide authenticity to the book and paint a realistic picture to the reader.

The lessons of the violence ought to be heeded and acted upon by the public. For, in the absence of which, can another Gujarat be prevented from burning and destruction?

Perspectives 66 9.Title and Author: Women Pioneers in Indian Renaissance, Kamla Mankekar and Shushila Nayar Reviewer: Shruthi Nambiar, II HEPP 'N’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Many a times women are not recognized or appreciated for the good work they did for the growth of the society. But this book is a tribute to women who actively participated in the development of a new and improved society despite of all the hardship they had to face to bring them to where they stand today. The author has mentioned about Indian women whose contributions are greatly respected even today. The book speaks about women like Pandita Ramabai, Mahadevi Verma and Rama Devi Chaudri who played a great role in the attainment of independence as a brave freedom fighter and also leader like Sarojini Naidu who was a child prodigy, Indian independence activist and poet who was the first Indian woman to become the president of the Indian National Congress. The book portrays great respect the author has towards these extraordinary women. She has associated herself with these characters which make the book more interesting and emotional.

This book invokes a feeling of respect in the minds of the readers towards women as whole and shows what women are capable of doing. The book is worth reading and as Indians we are bound to know what these women did for the freedom and development of our country.

Perspectives 67 SOCIOLOGY

INDEX 1. Gang leader for a day - Sudhir Venkatesh - Poorvi Iyengar

2. Women of Pride - Lakshmi Vishwanathan - Namitha Nisarga

3. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee - Dipali Sheth

4. Not Without My Daughter, Betty Mahmoody (with William Hoffer) - Krupa Maria Verghese

5. Patterns of Culture - Ruth Benedict - Ashwini Shridhar

6. Dynamics of Dalits - BK Dutta - Tulika Aggarwal

7. Becoming Indian - Pavan K Sharma - Soma Hegdekatte

8. Broken Mirrors: The Dowry Problems in India - Ryan Wyatt and Nazia Masood - Raksha Balakrishna

9. The Beauty Myth - Naomi Wolf - Prutha Deshpande

10. The East and the West - Swami Vivekananda - Pritha Banerjee

Perspectives 68 1.Title and Author: Gang leader for a day, Sudhir Venkatesh Reviewer: Poorvi Iyengar, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author: Sudhir Venkatesh is a William B. Ransford Professor of Sociology at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is a researcher and writer on urban neighborhoods in the United States. Sudhir Venkatesh received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago. He was a Junior Fellow at the Society of Fellows, Harvard University from 1996-1999, and an NSF CAREER award recipient in 2000. He holds a visiting appointment in Columbia University's Law School and he is a voting member of the Institute for Research in African-American Studies.

Sudhir Venkatesh's Gang Leader for a Day vividly recounts his seven years of following and befriending of a Chicago crack-dealing gang. It is a fascinating story of how the author managed to gain entrance into the gang, what he learned, and how his method revolutionized the academic establishment.

The Black Kings, through which the author operated a hugely profitable drug ring, often selling crack in building lobbies, and extorted protection money from every project resident engaged in economic activity, no matter how trivial.

As a first-year graduation student hoping to impress his professors, he never imagined that as a result of the assignment he would befriend a gang leader named JT and spend the better part of a decade inside the projects under JT's protection, documenting what he saw there.

Over the seven years he spent with the gang, the author got to know the neighborhood dealers, squatters, sex workers, activists, cops, the organizers, and officials. From his privileged position, he Perspectives 69 observed JT and the rest of the gang as they operated their crack- selling business and conducted PR within their community.

It is indeed interesting to note that although he develops a certain amount of closeness with the gang he is brightly aware as to how he must maintain distance as it was his duty to appraise information and make a detailed observation.

The author in his book fails to gauge the feelings of the project residents about the Black Kings, probably because he is perceived as part of them. As an inquisitive reader, I was often left wondering as to how the economic status of these dealers were, but through observations made in this book, it is seen that incomes of all these dealers was mere minimal.

Sudhir Venkatesh, through sheer persistence, does unravel a complex interlinked system of political and economic relationships that make the housing project run in the near-total absence of city services.

This book has been criticized to great extents. Often people write that this book is a faux and Sudhir Venkatesh is a fraud. People see it as an impossible task for an individual to get so intimate with a crack dealing gang and make such correct observations.

Sociologists are often advised to maintain skepticism and be non- cynical and I personally believe that the author has managed the two qualities in a phenomenal way.

To my opinion, I believe that Gang Leader for a Day is an honest view about the author's experiences and notes of a young sociologist. I did enjoy reading this book but however believe it is a heavy read. If one chooses to read this book he must have the mindset to notice and respect the authors view.

Perspectives 70 2.Title and Author: Women of Pride, Lakshmi Vishwanathan Reviewer: Namitha Nisarga, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author Lakshmi Vishwanathan is a renowned Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer. She has received many honours including the Tamil Nadu State Kalaimamani and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. Prestigious research fellowships have enabled her to research the history and ethos of dance. Her scholarly lectures and demonstrations have been showcased in both Indian and international academic forums. A gold medallist from Madras University in English Literature, Vishwanathan has written extensively on dance and culture for various publications.

About the book This book portrays the life and the social status of women in the Devadasi period. The meaning of the term devadasi is “a proverbial dancing girl of india. “ The dancer served god (deva) and men who assumed godly status as a slave (dasi) and they consider it an honour by doing so.'' It elaborates on the devadasi tradition which was mainly responsible for Bharatanatyam transformed into a creative dance form. The writer throws light on the social, religious and political reasons for both existance and downfall of devadasi tradition. It also throws light on their contribution to arts and religion.

The status Devadasis were at the very centre of this vast and rich cultural transformation caused by the re-discovery of a lost heritage. The role of the Devadasi, a symbol of good luck because of her auspicious presence as the wife of the god, was important. Waving the lighted lamp, the 'Aarathi', in the presence of the king and God, warded off the effects of the evil eye. It also ensured prosperity to

Perspectives 71 the nation. The harbinger of this good fortune had to be the perennially auspicious woman, the Nityasumangali or Devadasi.

Contributions The Devadasis made a very significant contributin to art and religion. They built temples and renovated the crumbling ones. They donated gold and silver jewels to the temples. They were funding for temple festivals and prossessions. The inscriptions from chola period tell that they even donated lands and villages to the temples. Their devotion and dedication to bharatanatyam transformed it into most creative art form.

The downfall The downfall of the Devadasi tradition is a sad story. The downfall began with the decline of royal patronage. Devadasis were driven to prostitution for their survival. Only few of them survived this downfall purely because of their courage, their extraordinary talent and the support of patrons who were committed both to the 'art' and the person of the devadasi.

Conclusion This book takes us into the journey of the life of Devadasis. It enlightens us about the Devadasi heritage by giving us a lot of information about them.

I personally picked up this book as I was curious to know about the devadasi heritage. I liked it for its narrative technique. I could not keep the book down untill I had finished it. This book has helped me concieve a devadasi image that brings out the purity of their cause. I feel pained to think of the misunderstandings they have had to cope with. Hence, I strongly recommend this book for all.

Perspectives 72 3.Title and Author: To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee Reviewer: Dipali Sheth Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Author: Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926. She is an American author best known for her 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill A Mocking Bird, which deals with the issues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown of Monroeville in Alabama. Despite being Lee's only published book, it led to Lee being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States for her contribution to literature in 2007.As time passed she was accepted in the university law school. But soon as the first semester ended she dropped out as she had no interest in law but writing. Soon after meeting an agent she completed To Kill A Mocking Bird and was a best-seller.

The Book: The story takes place during years of the Great Depression in the tired old town of Maycomb, Alabama. The narrator, six-year-old Scout Finch, lives with her older brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus, a middle-aged lawyer. Jem and Scout befriend a boy named Dill who visits Maycomb to stay with his aunt for the summer. The three children are terrified and fascinated by, their neighbour, Boo Radley. The adults of Maycomb are hesitant to talk about Boo and for many years,only few have seen him. The children feed each other's imagination with rumors about his appearance and reasons for remaining hidden, and they fantasize about how to get him out of his house. Following two summers, Scout and Jem find that someone is leaving them small gifts. Several times, the mysterious Boo makes gestures of affection to the children, but, to their disappointment,he never appears in person.

Atticus is appointed by the court to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who has been accused of raping a young white woman, Mayella Ewell. Many of Maycomb's citizens disapprove,but still Atticus agrees to defend Tom to the best of his ability. As other Perspectives 73 children got to know that they started to taunt Jem and Scout for Atticus' actions,and calling him a "nigger-lover".But Scout is tempted to stand up for her father's honor, even though he has told her not to. For his part, Atticus faces a group of men intent on killing and punishing Tom which is averted by Jem, Scout and Dill. Because Atticus does not want them to be present at Tom Robinson's trial, Scout, Jem, and Dill watch in secret from the colored balcony. Atticus establishes that the accusers—Mayella and her father, Bob Ewell, the town drunk are lying. It also becomes clear that the friendless Mayella was making sexual advances towards Tom and her father caught her in the act. Despite significant evidence of Tom's innocence, the jury convicts him. Jem's faith in justice is badly shaken, as is Atticus', when a hopeless Tom is shot and killed while trying to escape from prison. He is killed for no reason which shows the indifference of attitude shown by the people to the people discriminated by skin colour.

Humiliated by the trial, Bob Ewell vows revenge. He spits in Atticus' face on the street, tries to break into the presiding judge's house, and menaces Tom Robinson's widow. Finally, he attacks the defenseless Jem and Scout as they walk home on a dark night from the school on Halloween. Jem's arm is broken in the struggle, but amid the confusion, someone comes to the children's rescue. The mysterious man carries Jem home, where Scout realizes that he is Boo Radley.

Maycomb's sheriff arrives and discovers that Bob Ewell has been killed in the struggle. The sheriff argues with Atticus about the prudence and ethics of holding Jem or Boo responsible. Atticus eventually accepts the sheriff's story that Ewell simply fell on his own knife. Boo and scout walk home back and just while they bid good bye, he disappears. While standing on the Radley porch, Scout imagines life from Boo's perspective and regrets that they never repaid him for the gifts he had given them.

This story of Harper Lee explores the irrationality of adult attitudes and society's attitude to race and class in the deep south. This is Perspectives 74 shown by the intolerant attitude of the jury to Tom's trial. It is shown that as he is a black he is not given justice and is convicted for a crime that he has not committed. Mayella Ewell who is a white and is actually responsible for Tom getting into trouble easily gets away. This shows the racial indifference. A society based on racial difference dosent lead its people anywhere. It will only cause disturbance and trouble in the society due to conflicts and clashes. In the story, the society had got inficted by the races and people were exposed to such cruel differences between people which is based on skin colour. The result was an attack on Tom and clashes between Bob and Atticus.

This book has also highlighted racism on an international forum. Racism was a worldwide known act specially South Africa. It is a cruel way of marking a line between people. This story shows a lot of legal injustice done to the “Blacks”. Most forms of racism are down to ignorance or fear of change and a pack mentality.It cuts across religious and cultural divides. A society cannot be based upon such differences. Its not blacks and whites, its only people who live together for developing its own society.

4.Title and Author: Not Without My Daughter, Betty Mahmoody (with William Hoffer) Reviewer: Krupa Maria Varghese II PPES ‘O’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Author: The book 'Not Without My Daughter' is written by Betty Mahmoody along with William Hoffer. Betty Mahmoody (born June 9, 1945) is an American author and public speaker best known for her book, Not Without My Daughter, which was subsequently made into a film of the same name. She is the President and co- founder of One World: For Children, an organization that promotes understanding between cultures and strives to offer security and protection to children of bi-cultural marriages.

Perspectives 75 She has also compiled stories of other parents whose foreign spouses estranged them from their children in the book For the Love of a Child.William and his wife Marilyn worked with Betty Mahmoody to write Not Without My Daughter. The book became a stunningly successful international phenomenon, and was produced into a motion picture starring Sally Field and Alfred Molina.

About the book: The book, Not Without My Daughter, is an account of Betty Mahmoody's experiences in 1984-86, when she left The United States of America for Iran and then was held there against her will. According to the book, she and her husband, Sayed Bozorg Mahmoody, and daughter, Mahtob, traveled to Iran in August 1984 for what her husband said would to be a two-week visit with his family in Tehran. Once the two weeks were over, however, he refused to allow his wife and child to leave. She became trapped in a culture hostile to Americans, a family hostile to her, and an abusive husband. According to the book, her husband separated her from her daughter for weeks on end. He also beat her and threatened to kill her if she tried to leave. She eventually fled with her daughter. The book details her 500-mile escape to Turkey and the help she received from many Iranians.

On reading the book, one gets a general idea of life in Iran. Betty brings to light the political and social life of Iranians, particularly women. From the beginning till the end of the book is the story of a country in which women are considered as nothing but child- bearing machines. They are denied their basic rights to freedom of thought and expression and are expected to be submissive slaves of their husbands.

Betty cites various instances in which Iranian women are forced to be simply bystanders to the injustice happening before them. She also introduces us to law enforcement authorities like the 'pasdar'. These are basically women enforcers who go on rounds to ensure that all the women on the streets are dressed in accordance with the Perspectives 76 Iranian customs and traditions. They have the right to pull up any woman on the road for even the slightest offence such as a strand of hair escaping from their head cover (roosarie). She calls the 'pasdar' as 'roadside thugs suddenly bestowed with official powers'. These narratives give us an idea of how restricted the lives of women in Iran are.

Betty also refers to how women are forced to wear uncomfortable attire like chadors, roosaries, etc. She relates her experience of wearing it in a terribly hot and dry country like Iran.

Betty also introduces us to marital violence or what happens between a husband and wife behind closed doors. She talks about how husbands beat their wives for the slightest misgivings or simply to reinforce their authority over them. She narrates various instances in which she too was subject to such wife-beating. The picture she paints is a very dreary one. It is one filled with atrocities against women. A place in which women have no control over themselves, let alone those around them.

Although one would definitely sympathise with Betty and other women like her, it is quite difficult to blindly accept everything written in the book. The reader can detect traces of exaggeration in the narration. According to me this could have been avoided so as to contribute to the validation of the other things mentioned. The most unbelievable part of the book is her journey from Tehran to Tabriz. The geographic terrain is a highly mountainous and dangerous one, one would definitely question the possibility of a woman taking that trek with her young child.

The book, Not Without My Daughter is enlightening but biased. This could possibly be because it is a personal or autobiographical work. Betty Mahmoody gives a glimpse into the problems faced by women in a fanatically patriarchal society. However, while reading the book, one should use their discretion to separate facts from fiction.

Perspectives 77 5.Title and Author: Patterns of Culture, Ruth Benedict Reviewer: Ashwini Shridhar, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the Author: Ruth Benedict, (June 5, 1887 – September 17, 1948) was an American Anthropologist and a Folklorist. Benedict's Patterns of Culture (1934) was translated into fourteen languages and was published in many editions as standard reading for anthropology courses in American universities for years.

About the Book: The book is an effort to understand the diversity as well as the similarities of cultures. It starts with an introduction to Anthropology, which acts as a good base for the reader to approach the book. The author then talks of the diversity of culture and how different societies differ from each other at various levels, and this book is an attempt to identify all these patterns of culture found in three contrasting cultures of the world, i.e.

· Pueblos of Mexico · Dobus of Melanesia · Indian tribes in North-West America

The Pueblos: This tribe, also called the Zuni, is a culturally rich and meticulous tribe. The author tells us that we don't know much about their geographical history and roots, but their way of living is very much known. They are extreme believers of rituals and ceremonies. They would never dare to deviate from the rituals prescribed to them. She talks of the various aspects of their culture and the kind of methodical and meticulous approach they take towards everything they do.

The Dobus: This tribe is found in the island of New Guinea. They are basically cultivators of yam and other products. The author tells us that this Perspectives 78 tribe is a perfect example for matrilineal and matriarchal societies, as all their inheritance is done through the maternal line. They form groups according to maternal lines, and are totally committed to this ideal, and any other group is an adversary to them.

Indian tribes in North-West America: In this part, the author talks about the various tribes found in North-West America, whose main occupation was fishing. She describes them as a proud and haughty tribe, who traded very well and had very elaborate rituals. She mainly focuses on the tribe called Kwakiutls, who had a completely diverse culture from the other two tribes that she observed.

The book is written extremely in simple language and a complex topic like Anthropology is dealt with simplistic and basic way. The examples that she gives for all the tribes that she has chosen, and the way it has been compared is truly very interesting and intriguing. The comparisons she draws, and the examples she gives make this book all the more enjoyable. And the one thing that I really appreciated is that a woman anthropologist has been able to write such a great book despite the conditions in her time.

This book should be read by anyone who is interested in how humans differ and how they are similar in varied ways. It's a great book, written in simple language, and gives you a very enriching experience intellectually. It is worth all the accolades it has received.

6.Title and Author: Dynamics of Dalits, BK Dutta Reviewer: Tulika Aggarwal, II HESP 'M’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Dalits are those ill-treated, humiliated, even discarded common civil rights. They mainly belong to the lowest rung of Hindu caste system. They have been discriminated in all walks of life for centuries and were compelled to lead an animal-like life. Variously known as Untouchables, Harijans and Scheduled Castes, they remain

Perspectives 79 victims of all sorts. They were assigned menial works like shoe- making, scavenging etc which were impure jobs etc.

The term Dalit' in Sanskrit means “oppressed “or “broken “. The word 'Dalit' has gained wide circulation after upheaval of caste- based politics and political parties in India. The Constitution prescribes protection and safeguards for SC's, ST's, OBC's and other weaker sections of the society by way of insisting on their general rights as citizens with the object of promoting their educational and economic interests and removing social disabilities they are subjected to.

A number of voluntary organisations promote welfare of Dalits and scheduled tribes. Among them, the important organisations are: Harijan Sevak Sang, Indian Red Cross Society, Ramakrishna Mission, Servants of Society.

REVIEW: This book, authored by K.B.Dutta, a seasoned journalist and a keen observer of contemporary happenings on socio- economic issues has dedicated this book to the great personality who worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the Dalits- Dr. B.R.Ambedkar. The present book contains well researched material on Dynamics of Dalits, and vital issues pertaining to them and has dealt with the various issues faced by Dalits like their movements, economic, religious, social, cultural problems, the lack of basic necessities, Gandhian view on untouchables, case study of rural Dalit masses and the various organisations that are presently working to increase the standard of living of these people. The book has also thrown light on the common and prevalent process which is referred to as “DALITISATION “. Strangely, as a reviewer I feel that India with several social and cultural diversities is going in for globalisation of education for the elite without extending the same facilities to the historically disadvantaged groups. In countries like UK, USA the government has realised the folly of following a policy of liberalisation and privatisation on higher education.

Perspectives 80 To conclude, the Government has to cope with the changing social scenario and ensure the welfare measures for Dalits. On the other hand, Dalits should also realise the grim position and should equip themselves with all courage to face the situation. After all, on the mercy of the state the solidarity of Dalit society cannot perpetuate for long. Supported by facts and findings derived from various authoritative sources, books, journals, official documents and individual researches of different scholars; this book is informative and useful for scholars and laymen like. It is a different experience reading this book and the reader feels the problems of these people and gets acquainted to their world and way of living.

The book gives an insight about the various Dalit movements and specially focuses on the transition that took place in the lives of the untouchables in the region of Maharashtra, which led to their development and collective mobilisation. This had also initiated the common process of Sanskritisation, which is visible today.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it gave me an opportunity to get a lot of information about these oppressed people. This book is a wonderful analytical guide to anybody who wants to have an idea about the Dalits. They are nowadays in news also for their fight to gain their rights and be an equal part of this society and share a similar status as in the case of others. The book is very informative and simple and should be read by all the sociology students for their knowledge increment.

7.Title and Author: Becoming Indian, Pavan K Sharma Reviewer: Soma Hegdekatte, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author: Pavan K Sharma has studied in Delhi's prestigious St Stephen's college and is currently a member of The Indian Foreign Service. He has served in Moscow, New York, London and Cyprus. He is currently India's ambassador to Bhutan. He has written many Perspectives 81 books pertaining to Indian history, culture and society.

Becoming Indian is a poignant narrative about the Indian society during pre colonial rule, colonial rule and post colonial rule. The book deals with how the 200 years of colonial rule has established our mindset and affected us psychologically. He talks about the tendency shown amongst us to embrace the western culture while abandoning ours. From language to architecture to traditions, the English condemned everything Indian and somewhere left the educated Indian elites thinking the same. He questions how our society has formed, how English and Western culture has become more common to us, how we are still confused about our identity; while we haven't completely embraced Western culture, we cannot yet stop aspiring to be a part of it.

The best part of this book is the question it evokes. For example: The author questions why do we as Indians, call sitting on the ground and eating with our hands inappropriate behavior, in spite of having full knowledge that this is our culture ? Why is being fair- skinned so important to us? Why do we still have Shakespeare's plays in our schools but have no knowledge about our own folk plays? Why is it that our vernacular literatures so rare that we can't find them in our own bookstores? The book pushes you towards introspection. It pushes you to question your identity as an Indian, and what our present identity is based on.

As a student of Sociology, this book has immensely contributed to my process of understanding the society and my history. The author beautifully shows our confusion of identity. The book also gives us anecdotes of some of the writings and criticism made by the British about our traditions, cultures, literature, architecture and behavior. It invokes patriotism, pride and also anger within one. Nevertheless, in Sociology, we are taught to be value-neutral. I personally found the author being unable to be value-neutral. At times no doubt, as an Indian I felt the same emotions, but this seriously flawed the process of open mindedly analyzing the situation. Also, I found the author only showing us one perspective Perspectives 82 of the situation. For example; English has done wonders for our nation. Today we have other Asiatic students coming to India to learn English. The author fails to show us this side of the situation. He fails to highlight how today, though we live in a world where we speak English outside we still come home to our vernacular language and our traditions.

Nevertheless, the book is deeply engrossing and well written. It tells us about our rich heritage and provokes one to reclaim one's cultural identity.

8.Title and Author: Broken Mirrors: The Dowry Problems in India, Ryan Wyatt and Nazia Masood Reviewer: Raksha Balakrishna, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

In fairytales, good triumphs over evil and mirrors don't lie. Reality, however, presents a different picture as fairytale marriages fall apart and end in a ghastly nightmare: battered brides, unnatural deaths and the ubiquitous 'dowry'. Why do the spectra of 'dowry death' continue to haunt Indian society even a decade into the 21st century?

This book written by Ryan Wyatt with the assistance of Nazia Masood critically analyses the causes for the evils of dowry that still prevail in the Indian Society. It also tries to explain how causes for marriages falling apart, brides being humiliated etc. are not always related to dowry but are included under this as this reason is considered to be less humiliating than the actual reasons which maybe sexual abuse, emotional incompatibility and the like. The societal shame of approaching a marriage counselor inhibits a large section of the population, thereby ruining healthy marital relations.

The authors have done extensive field work and research in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The book is based on the true Perspectives 83 narratives of eight men and women, both complainants and defendants. Each story is different from the other though their base is similar. These case studies include the account of a friend, Blogs, interviews with the couple, meetings and discussions with a marriage counselor, sessions with the representative of an NGO. Each case accompanied by a First Information Report (FIR), an account of the researcher's work has been studied in depth. The lives of the people in each of the cases gradually unfold in such a manner that the reader gets familiar with each case. The perspectives that follow these cases are given a new dimension that makes us think beyond the obvious. They have made a very successful attempt to break the conventional image of dowry deaths and expose the gap between the legal mandates and the social dictates.

This book shows how today's marriages and multi-dimensional relationships are to be negotiated. These relationships, if handled with care both by the families and the couples, will definitely help in reducing the number of breakdowns, sometimes taking violent and even deadly forms, which ultimately enter the public sphere as a 'Dowry Problem'. The book is concluded by attempting to address these problems, considering means to reform laws pertaining to such problems and most importantly, suggesting workable remedies beyond the law.

9.Title and author: The Beauty Myth , Naomi Wolf Reviewer: Prutha Deshpande, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Naomi Wolf (born 12 November 1962) is an American author and a political consultant. With the publication of The Beauty Myth, she became a leading spokesperson of what was later described as the third wave of the feminist movement. Wolf was born in San Francisco, in 1962 of Jewish descent. Her mother is Deborah Goleman, an anthropologist and the author of The Lesbian Community. Her father is the Romanian-born horror scholar Perspectives 84 Leonard Wolf. She attended Lowell High School and debated in regional speech tournaments as a member of the Lowell Forensic Society. She attended Yale University, where she received in 1984 her Bachelor of Arts in English literature; she was a Rhodes Scholar at New College, Oxford from 1985 to 1987.

Women both young and old have the fear of aging. Slim women and heavy ones alike suffer from trying to meet the demands of the thin ideal. Black, brown and white women at one point or the other have felt that the ideal was someone tall, thin, fair and flawless. Someone whom they felt they were not.

“It is far more difficult to murder a phantom than a reality.” The 'beauty myth', the phantom in this case can obviously not be gotten rid of easily. Today, even while a modern woman has more power and professional success than ever before, she is still hard pressed to meet the impossible definition of a flawless beauty. The question then arises – Do women really feel free??

The author has divided this book into six sections – work, culture, religion, sex, hunger and violence – each with a thorough analysis of how the beauty myth creeps into the above mentioned areas.

Beginning with work, the basic idea is that women have learned to understand their beauty as a part of this economy. If a woman looks like a million dollars, her face is a fortune. The job market sometimes goes as far as to use the beauty myth as a way to legitimize discrimination against women.

Culture in this context would mean popular culture and the basic development of an 'ideal' as such. It explains how the ideal image even came to be so important to women. Besides that, the author comments on the stereotype of beauty-without-intelligence or intelligence-without-beauty. We don't realize it, but this lesson is strengthened by the constant appearance of such contrasting pairs of women – be it Leah and Rachel in the Old Testament or Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz. Perspectives 85 When the author speaks of the beauty myth and religion, it is with relation to Western society alone and is therefore connected to the teachings of the Church and a man's right to judge a women's beauty. However, in my opinion, it would not be untrue to say that women all over don't believe they are beautiful unless they win the approval of a man.

In today's modern society, the 'ideal' female body is on display all over and this representation has changed the nature of female sexuality. The beauty myth has also lead to the development of the idea that a woman must be 'beautiful' to be sexual. This of course is not true.

Hunger makes women hurt their bodies. The section on hunger clearly is associated with the weight loss and eating disorder drive that women have taken to. It is disturbing to see how this has become an issue on the minds of even little girls. The compulsion to stay thin and the dangerous effects it can have on the physiological and psychological health of a woman are well known to all and yet the beauty ideal is so strong that when it comes to it, the consequences are quite simply ignored.

The section on violence in this book quite surprisingly refers to the violence that women inflict upon themselves. It talks about the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery and how the beauty myth has pushed women far enough to want to be 'man-made'. Today, what hurts is beauty.

Considering all this, I agree with the author in her view that women today are actually quite trapped in their feelings of confusion and self-consciousness.

In my opinion, it will no longer be of any help for us to simply complain about how images of beauty are used against women. Instead, it would do us good to support a woman's right to choose what she wants to look like and what she wants to be.

Perspectives 86 10.Title and Author: The East and the West, Swami Vivekananda Reviewer: Pritha Banerjee, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

“Every nation is the expression of an idea. Every nation has a national purpose of its own. Each nation has many things to learn from other nations…. We shall add to our stock what others have to teach, but we must be careful to keep intact what is essentially our own.” This statement made by Swami Vivekananda in the book gives a synopsis of the book. “The East and the West” is a book which not only compares the Indians with the westerners, but also showcases its mutual impact and effect on each other. While reading, one realizes that it is a medium to ignite the national sentiment within the people of the country. Before reading the book and making judgements about the book we must remember that this book was written before independence. This was a period when people of the country had succumbed to low self-esteem due to the western influence and started undermining themselves and believing themselves to be inferior to the westerners. This book should be viewed on the above context. It endeavors to liven up the people, re-build the lost pride and help strengthen the inter-religion and cultural differences instead of keeping it vulnerable for the westerners to take advantage of it.

Each nation has some qualities or ideas of life. With the Indian majority, the prominent idea is 'Mukti'; with the westerners, it is 'Dharma'. “Dharma is that which makes man seek for happiness in this world or next. It is impelling man, day and night to run after and work for happiness.” While “Mukti teaches that even the happiness of this life is slavery, and the same is the happiness of the life to come, because neither this world nor the next is beyond the laws of nature.” Indian majority believe that life is a trap and the sole aim is to get out of the trap and gain Mukti because happiness, wherever it may be is subject to death. One line which really touched my thinking cords was “The cow never tells a lie, and the Perspectives 87 stone never steals. But, nevertheless the cow remains a cow and the stone a stone. Man steals and man tells lies, and again it is man that becomes god”

Lets examine an irony pointed out in the book. Jesus Christ, the God of the Europeans, has taught, “Have no enemy, bless them that curse you, stop all your work and be ready for the next.” And our Gita says, “Always work with enthusiasm, destroy your enemies and enjoy the world.” But ironically it turned out to be the opposite. The Europeans possess tremendous 'Rajasika' (kingly attributes) nature, with a primary goal of accumulating the 'comforts and luxuries' enjoying them to their heart's content. Whereas, we are sitting in a corner with our bag and baggage, pondering on death day and night! Who are following the teachings of the Gita? – The Europeans! And who are acting according the will of Jesus Christ? – The descendants of Shri Krishna!

An important thing that Vivekananda talks about is that, every nation has a national purpose of its own. We heard the story of a certain ogress, who had her soul living in a small bird. Unless the bird was killed, the ogress would never die. The life of a nation is also like that. For example, the backbone of French character is political independence. To the English it is the 'give and take' economic policy, just and equitable distribution of wealth is of essential interest. For the Indian it is not political or economical but the spiritual independence. The Mughal Empire had a strong hold on our country because they never meddled with the Indian spirituality, even the throne of the English was so strong due to similar reasons, but when they did try to touch it, the result was the mutiny of 1857. Thus, he emphasized on the relevance and reverence of Indian spirituality which can be used as a weapon against coercion.

This book moves on to compare and contrast Indians and the westerners through sub-topics like customs, food and cooking, civilization in dress, etiquette and mannerisms. There are funny and relevant anecdotes included by Vivekananda from his own life Perspectives 88 to work as examples under these topics. One talks about how he was invited to Paris by a millionaire friend and had been accommodated in a five star hotel which did not have the facility of bathing. He talks about how the Indians give importance to the inner vision and the westerners to the outer vision. The Indians keep diamonds wrapped in a rag, as it were, the westerners preserve a lump of earth in a golden casket! He talks about the difference in the food habits, its origin and its consequences. Dressing even though it has huge differences, also has a lot of borrowed styles.

However, I have noticed a lot of bias towards the Indians made by Swami Vivekananda in this text. It was a way to instill that lost pride in the Indians of that time in their own cultures, to fight away the British oppression. Like Mahatma Gandhi used the path of non- cooperation and non-violence, Bose through bloodshed, so did Swami Vivekananda do his bit through Philosophy and brought about the Indians to introspect. I would like to end with another thought provoking line from the book:

“The river has come down a thousand miles from its source in the mountains; does it, or can it go back to its source? If it ever tries to trace back its course, it will simply dry up by being dissipated in all directions.”

Perspectives 89 POLITICAL SCIENCE

INDEX

1. Politics and the State in India - Zoya Hasan - Dipali Sheth

2. Worshiping False Gods - Arun Shourie - Elizabeth Shaji

3. Development in Karnataka: Challenges of Governance, Equity and Empowerment - Gopal K Kadekodi, Ravi Kanbur, Vijayendra Rao - B.M.Mandara

4. Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction - Krupa Maria Verghese

5. Mein Kampf - Adolf Hitler - Nicole Barboza

6. President Kennedy: Profile of Power - Richard Reeves - Prutha Deshpande

7. Human Rights – A Very Short Introduction - Andrew Clapham - Raksha Balakrishna

8. Democracy-an Analytical Survey - Jean Beachler - Sakina S. L.

Perspectives 90 1.Title and Author: Politics and the State in India, Zoya Hasan Reviewer: Dipali Sheth, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author Zoya Hasan is currently working as a political science professor in Jawaharlal University, New Delhi for political studies.

Summary An understanding of the state enjoys a pre eminent status in the study of politics. It helps in knowing the perception of what is possible in development and what are historical conditions and political limits. The state is a central player in the modern drama of development. This introduction explores the social and political dynamics of state and state formation in contemporary India. It reinterprets some of the principal issues in Indian politics so as to contextualize the major developments affecting the growth and formation of state. The author's introduction explores social and political dynamics of the state and the major developments influencing the formation and transformation of the state in independent India. The major issues discussed here are-

The history of the modern state and its role as the central actor in economic development.

The relationship between class and the state power, the constraints on state intervention.

The political culture of the state, the ideological and institutional crisis of the state, the tension between the centralizing and decentralizing tendencies of government.

The ineffectiveness of government control, the privatization of public functions, and the corruption in the everyday practices of local level bureaucracies. Perspectives 91 The book focuses on significant themes in contemporary Indian government and politics. This book explores a wide range of problems and issues in specific areas of Indian politics and locates them within wider debates on politics, society, economy and culture.

It focuses on the interface of social forces, political institutions and processes in an attempt to understand the changing grammar of Indian politics. A variety of approaches have been planned by social scientists in general and political scientists in particular to understand the relationship between state and society, democracy and development, state and classes controlling its power, formation of public policy and its implementation and between issues of cultural recognition and distribution and also between different segments, regions, religion, caste, languages and cultures. The main principal of this book is the analysis of some of these themes and issues from different perspectives and approaches. The review of these issues both within institutional structure and outside them can illuminate the complex interplay of socio-political forces and political processes and the dynamics of social formation and political transformation in modern India. The aim is to strike a balance between empirical observation and theoretical analysis of political processes. This book appraises the state research in the theme, re-examines old problems and opens up new issues for inquiry.

Conclusion The book contains articles by the range of experts from the fields of political science, sociology, and economics, which provide important insights into the processes of state formation. The new interest in identity and culture shifts in the sphere of economy where there is much less emphasis on the economic development and redistribution, and much more on selective redistribution based on claims of different groups. However, this book will be of special interests to the students of political science, sociology and contemporary history and to policy makers, bureaucrats, journalists and social activists. Perspectives 92 2.Title and Author: Worshiping False Gods, Arun Shourie Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaji, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

About the author: Arun shourie (born on November 2, 1941) is an Indian journalist, author, intellectual and politician. He has been an economist with the World Bank (1968-72 and 1975-77), a consultant to the planning commission of India, editor of the Indian Express and The Times Of India and also a minister in the government of India (1998-2004). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, Magsaysay award among other great honors Arun Shourie was born in Jalandar, British India. His father was Hari Dev Shourie, an Indian civil service officer (ICS), who later became a consumer rights activist. His father was a magistrate at Lahore during partition of India and the family moved to India. Arun studied at St. Stephen's in Delhi. He obtained his doctorate in Economics from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University in the United States. This is his fourteenth book.

Worshippping false gods is an interesting and intriguing book that reveals much of our history that is unknown to us. It is a biography of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, our very revered constitution maker but this work depicts his life from a very different perspective, making this matter highly controversial and forcing the reader to think, does Dr.Ambedkar really deserve all this respect??

Through this book Arun Shourie recounts numerous accounts of Dr.Ambedkar's writings and speeches and several charges are leveled against him. One, he was against India getting freedom without a separate electorate for the “depressed classes”. Second, he was a part of the Viceroy's Executive Council and tried to wrest dalits away from the Hindu society, further dividing our country. Third, he was busy serving the British causes as a member of the cabinet instead of supporting the freedom fervor at that time. It is but obvious that the British held him in great regard. An excerpt: Perspectives 93 Secretary of State for India to Governor, Madras: Secret, 24 November 1933: “during the last three years I have seen a great deal of Ambedkar, and, like most of my friends, I have been impressed by his ability and his manifest desire to support the British influence in India” We mostly read on Ambedkar as the Constitution maker and not as a freedom fighter for the same reason that he never supported the freedom of India and wished the British rule would continue and referred to the freedom of India as a “disaster”!! In the speech Ambedkar addresses the prime minister and says, "...Their position (the depressed classes), to put it plainly, is that we are not anxious for transfer of power from the British to the Indian people…”Not just this, Ambedkar was one of the few politicians who supported openly the idea of partition of India. He supported the Muslim league's demand for Pakistan, as it would mean that the British rule continue in India.

Throughout the book, Arun Shourie questions the patriotism and motives of Dr.Ambedkar. The following excerpt from Ambedkar's speech in the Rajya Sabha, 2nd September will come as a wave of shock for all those who admired him as the constitution maker:

“people always keep on saying to me 'oh you are the maker of the Constitution' my answer is I was a hack! What I was asked to do I did much against my will…sir, my friends tell me that I have made the Constitution but I am quite prepared to say that I shall be the first person to burn it out…”!!

The new and shocking insights and its controversies make this an interesting book. It is a must read for every Indian, I feel as it spells out a lot of true but hidden facts of our history and asks us if we are worshipping false gods?

Perspectives 94 3.Title and Author: Development in Karnataka: Challenges of Governance, Equity and Empowerment, Gopal K Kadekodi, Ravi Kanbur, Vijayendra Rao Reviewer: B.M.Mandara, II HESP 'M' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Background: Political leadership is a complex process by which people in power influence their followers, civil society and wider public to accomplish societal goals. Political leaders are necessary for initiating as well as for accelerating the process of change in any society. It may be social and/or economic change, constitutional change or political change. In all these processes of change, political leadership plays an important role. Political leaders carry out the process of change by applying their leadership attributes like politically relevant beliefs, socially adored values, generally approved character, wide knowledge and wisdom acquired through learning and experience. Political leaders are supposed to understand the hopes and aspirations of the people and identify the goals of the society. They formulate a vision of the country's future. They acquire or develop the capacity to mobilize the people to achieve a common societal goal. Further, the political leaders are expected to have certain attributes in order to be effective as leaders. They should have unimpeachable commitment to the cause or societal goal which they decide to fight for or achieve.

The Karnataka Model: Karnataka embodies the challenges and contradictions that are faced by the rest of India – spectacular technology-led growth in Bangalore tempered with an abiding sense of the city's non- governability, enduring gender inequity and regional disparities, and a visibly increasing gap between urban and rural areas. Yet, Karnataka is also increasingly being seen a model of development. Bangalore's metamorphosis from a noun to a verb is the archetypical symbol of an India “unbound” and Karnataka's pioneering experiment with Panchayati Raj reform under the Hegde government in the 1980's sparked the 73rd amendment and the consequent and continuing wave of devolutions in finance and Perspectives 95 power to panchayats. This emphasis on technology-led growth coupled with local government reform is, at least in theory, a singularly innovative strategy to address the challenge of generating growth with equity and can be described as the “Karnataka Model” of development. The Karnataka model should more accurately be called the “Mysore model” because the strategy was not arrived serendipitously. It has century-old roots in policy decisions taken by the princely state of Mysore. Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadiyar, advised by his Diwan cum Chief Engineer M. Visweswaraya, instituted several initiatives to improve the quality of higher education in the state, with a particular emphasis on technology and the sciences. Additionally, in 1905, the Government of Mysore persuaded JN Tata to locate the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore subsidized by a land grant, and an annual government subsidy of Rs.50, 000. These initiatives did two things – they produced generations of highly trained engineers and scientists in the state, and they encouraged an atmosphere conducive to scientific and technological innovation. Both were, arguably, crucial elements in Bangalore's “take-off''.

Karnataka, of course, is not entirely influenced by Mysore. It was constructed by merging the Mysore State with the Kannada- speaking parts of Hyderabad, Bombay and Madras in 1956. In particular, the districts that came from old Hyderabad tended to have lower living standards and infrastructure than the rest of Karnataka at the time, and this lag persists to this day causing a high degree of regional imbalance in the state. This regional imbalance perhaps has as much to do with geography and climate as it does with policy, but the fact that it has prevailed for two centuries indicates important path-dependencies in government and social action.

Gender and Governance: Poor governance can have a particularly adverse on impact on women by enhancing conditions of patriarchy. Government facilities, despite increasing funding, lack specialists and supplies, while private providers are dominated by informal medical practitioners. In an emergency, women are Perspectives 96 forced to constantly shuffle between inadequate government facilities and poor quality private providers which are, respectively, plagued by poor accountability and lack of regulation. The adverse effects of this “forced pluralism” are compounded by disjunctions in diagnoses due to discriminatory attitudes. A combination of discrimination within the home, poor access to health services and discriminatory attitudes results in a systematic disenfranchising of women in the health system.

This book majorly concentrates on the political climate in Karnataka and says it should be used as a model by other states striving to achieve such development. A must read for all interested in the local political affairs.

4.Title and Author: Anarchism: A very short introduction Reviewer: Krupa Maria Verghese, II PPES 'O’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Author: Colin Ward (Wanstead, 14 August 1924-Ipswich, 11 February 2010) was a British anarchist writer. He has been called "one of the greatest anarchist thinkers of the past half century, and a pioneering social historian." He became an anarchist while in the British army during World war II. He was an editor of the British anarchist newspaper Freedom from 1947 to 1960, and the founder and editor of the monthly anarchist journal Anarchy from 1961 to 1970. Colin Ward is the author of over thirty books on childhood, schooling and housing, town and country, and transport and water. They include his much-translated 'Anarchy in Action', and from Five Leaves Books of Nottingham, 'Cotters and Squatters', 'The Allotment: Its Landscape and Culture' and 'Arcadia for All: The Legacy of a Makeshift Landscape'.

The book 'ANARCHISM- A Very Short Introduction' elaborately explains anarchism and the various facets of it. The book is crisp in its text and the language is easy to understand. Colin Ward also makes a number of references to various other reliable texts which make this book all the more authentic. Perspectives 97 The structure of the book is such that it allows the topic to gradually develop. It does not delve directly into heavier ideas but begins by introducing the topic, hence the reader is able to digest the ideas as they are introduced and progress along with the book. Colin Ward begins by introducing the concept of Anarchy. The first two chapters deal specifically with meaning and origin of Anarchy. He talks about the anarchist luminaries, anarchism in different regions like China, India, Africa, etc. He also gives details about the various revolutionary moments in anarchism- revolutions in France, Spain, etc. These two introductory chapters are especially useful for a reader with no previous knowledge of the principle of anarchy.

The book then goes on to talk about the various ideas or concepts associated with Anarchism. It talks in great depth about states, societies and the collapse of socialism, imprisonment, freedom in education, and more. Colin gives an anarchist's point of view of how state has failed in its social responsibility and how only community service has proved beneficial to the society in many cases. He also touches upon how socialism in 20th century has failed and also on the issue of religion and social revolution. He seems to share the anarchist's opinion of the fact that religion is just an escape for people who are weighed down by labor and deprived of intellectual intercourse.

The author discusses in depth the impact of imprisonment on deviant behavior. He emphasizes on the fact that many a times a delinquent who is imprisoned for a trivial issue comes out as a more dangerous criminal. According to him, as in anarchical thought, reformation of a deviant individual can be achieved only through brotherly care and not through punishment.

Colin also talks about 'Quiet Revolutions' which is a very interesting topic to discuss. He talks about the revolutions in education such as removal of corporal punishment, removal of the fear of criminal prosecution for homosexuality in Britain, etc. Colin calls them 'quiet' revolutions since they are not overtly Perspectives 98 anarchist but did contain some element of anarchism in them. He also mentions federalist agenda and emphasizes on how coordination requires neither uniformity nor bureaucracy.

The author concludes by talking about the future of anarchism with the green revolution and the emphasis of modern society on eco-friendly living. The author concludes his book with a highly debatable statement that 'Anarchism becomes more and more relevant for the new century'.

Anarchism- A very short Introduction is a highly informative book and a must read for someone interested in the different political thoughts. Although I did not agree with the author's anarchist ideology, his book would definitely appeal to the taste of someone inclined towards anarchism. To me, the very idea of the separation of state and society, which is the basis of anarchy, seems impossible. However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Colin Ward's book as it presented a string of ideas to think about. This book is definitely a must read for anyone interested in politics or political science.

5.Title and Author: Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler Reviewer: Nicole Barboza, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Mein Kampf or My Struggle or My Battle in English is a book written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Volume 1 of this book was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926.

The book is Hitler's autobiographical work with emphasis on his philosophy regarding the state and politics. The book opens up how one of the most barbarian dictators in the history of mankind thought and justified his actions. It is known to everyone that Hitler molded the way history books as we see them today and committed one of the gravest crimes on the mankind, but what this book reveals is the underlying fuel that propelled this man- his beliefs and perspective towards the German nation that made him choose the specific political path. Hitler writes about how the basic Perspectives 99 fundamentals of politics and society took shape in his mind starting from his very childhood, and through his youth. His distaste towards parliamentary democracy is openly shown and he proves how such a system has brought upon the degradation of the political body of the nation and is incapable of doing any good. He states that the basic issue with parliamentary democracy is accountability since it cannot be ascertained to a single person.

Hitler is a steadfast nationalist and in this book of, he charts the way forward for the great German State. In the competition to gain more land and resources he clearly states that a nation needs to go out and acquire external land. He also professes that man should not come in the way of natural selection of the strongest and maintains that artificial means to stop population growth lowers the strength of the nation since in a natural selection process only the strongest would have survived in the competition. He also debates how only the Aryan race is capable of fueling the progress of mankind and that the Jews have been working endlessly in order to dominate the human race and in doing so they use corrupt means of manipulating the societal structure in various nations. He clearly states that if Germany wants to reach its destiny, Jews need to be eradicated from the nation.

In the latter part of the book, he shows how he joins The German Labor Party and spearheads the youth movement to awaken the German nation.' The party becomes increasingly popular under dynamic leadership of Hitler and his flair for public speaking came to force in this struggle to gain political stature.

Social/Historical context: The book is a window into the life in Germany at the time of World War I and after that. It gives a perspective from the other side. The book is a piece of document that shows how a dictator can think, and pushes you to believe that it is not entirely wrong what Hitler thought. The social structure in Germany and the segments of the society are clearly shown through the eyes of Hitler.

Perspectives 100 The book also presents political structure of Germany at that time and the lacunae that existed in the system along with the strategies of propaganda employed by the French during WWI. The manipulation of public sentiments by Hitler helps reveal the emotions of the mass and how the social conditions in Germany helped him take advantage.

Writing Style: The book is written in a very straight forward manner without any diplomacy. As expected from someone like Hitler, the writing style is compelling and thought provoking. It almost convinces the reader towards Hitler's way of thinking. The writing is easy to understand and very direct.

Conclusion: When I started reading this book, I didn't know what the contents were exactly, I knew just that Hitler had written it and expected it to reveal the inner world of the Dictator. The book was up to my expectations and has provided great insight. The only part that may trouble some of the readers is that the book demands a certain historical knowledge in order to fully appreciate the contents. But it is definitely a must read.

6.Title and Author: President Kennedy: Profile of Power, Richard Reeves Reviewer: Prutha Deshpande, II PPES 'O’ Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

What must it be like to be the president of the United States? What is it like to be at the center, having the power to make decisions that could essentially alter the lives of millions of people across the globe? President Kennedy – Profile of Power is much more than just a portrait of the thirty fifth president of the United States. It is also a brilliantly composed narrative that gives us an understanding of everything that comes along with holding the presidential post.

Perspectives 101 The book starts with a look into what it takes to firstly reach the esteemed position. In Kennedy's experience, there was no reward for patience in politics. He had to quickly transform into a “total politician”, working hard for not just the votes of people but also for the approval of party leaders. Around the time of his appointment, the arrival of television into the lives of millions of people greatly changed the political game and served as a great advantage to Kennedy. He was a young leader; he spoke with conviction, was quite unconventional in his ways and certainly looked presidential.

Kennedy took up office at a particularly difficult time. Preceded by President Eisenhower, the economy had not yet recovered from the recession fuelled from World War II. “No easy matters will come to you as president”, Eisenhower once told him. To start with, Kennedy had to get the country moving again. Controlling inflation and holding back the yearly deficit required a fine balance which was hard to come by as the defense budget was under the constant requirement of being increased. Western ideas of democracy and capitalism, led by the Americans and Eastern ideas of communism, socialism and totalitarianism, led by the Soviets were in constant conflict. Many countries, just having emerged from colonies of European powers began preferring socialist systems as they thought it would keep them in power for longer. The rivalry between the two powers reached an all time high during his leadership, even the exploration of space was turned into a political contest! The Soviet leader, Khrushchev, wanted the Americans to acknowledge their power and rising influence around the world. The issue of communism dying in East Berlin and the problem of East Berliners crossing over to American supported West Berlin almost resulted in a nuclear war. Even with largely superior nuclear arsenal compared to the Soviet Union, the results of a nuclear war would have been utterly disastrous. The thought put into the successful negotiation of the issue and the delicacy with which it required handling is truly unimaginable. The situation, which ultimately resulted in the construction of the infamous Berlin Wall, was one of the most trying times of Kennedy's Perspectives 102 Presidency.

Closer to home, Cuba and Fidel Castro's regime was a constant pricking problem. The 'Bay of Pigs' fiasco resulted in deep criticism of Kennedy's leadership and was constantly brought up whenever his credibility was brought into question. The Cuba disaster and the equally criticized decision to pull troops from Laos turned into an important learning experience for the President. The lesson was well applied when it came to the Vietnam situation. Careful Consideration and months of deliberation and planning were put into what stance should be taken with regard to the communist rule in North Vietnam and Americas promised support of President Ngo Dinh Diem, down in the south. Relations with allies like the French and the British had to be maintained whilst discouraging their development of nuclear powers. Assistance was also required to be provided in smaller nations like the Dominican Republic and Korea.

Global relations took up so much of his time that the president could not consider with much seriousness the issues within the country itself. Civil rights and equality of the colored people came to the notice of the President only when incidents like that of 'Birmingham Sunday' and the Freedom Riders Movement took place. Kennedy was also unable to do much to improve the status of unemployment, education aid and health care in America.

7.Title and Author: Human Rights – A Very Short Introduction, Andrew Clapham Reviewer: Raksha Balakrishna, II PPES 'O' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Introduction The book that I chose to read was 'Human Rights – A Very Short Introduction' written by Andrew Clapham. The reason I chose to read this book was because of the fact that human rights in particular has gained immense importance in the contemporary world and as a student of Political Science it is but natural that a Perspectives 103 subject like Human Rights grabs our attention and builds up curiosity.

Main Content The bulk of the book gives a brief introduction on the concept of Human Rights, elucidated in a simple and appealing manner. It gives us a background about the history of the development of Human Rights, the concepts and legalities of Human Rights following the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, the foreign policies concerning Human Rights, the basic necessity and importance of these rights in one's life and the world as a whole, discrimination of equality and also the various obstacles faced by agencies like the United Nations in implementing the Human Rights across the globe. It also explains the role of the United Nations while dealing with the issues pertaining to Human Rights . However, Clapham dodges none of the hard issues and is also very critical wherever required. He also tries to persuade the readers to think critically about issues pertaining to the rights. He has tries his best to provide intellectual nourishment to the readers and enlighten them about the basics of Human Rights, including various approaches to the topic, for example philosophy. He also includes various reasons for rise in conflicts between the strands of Human Rights accompanied with the various approaches of solving these conflicts.

The book however fails to establish any foundation for the concept of human rights. There are also a few issues raised by Clapham that he later on ignores completely.

Those seeking a brief history of the development of human rights over the last sixty years will definitely find this book informative. It's a rich source of information for those who are looking at gathering some knowledge on the topic of Human Rights. It is a brilliant book – lucid and compelling. It is a 'must-read' for all the students of Political Science and Human Rights and for the Perspectives 104 interested public.

Author: A brief note about the author - Andrew Clapham is Director of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and Professor of Public International Law at the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva. He was the first Executive Director of the Academy of European Law at the European University Institute in Florence. He then worked as the Representative of Amnesty International at the United Nations in New York from 1991 to 1997, and has since taught human rights at the Graduate Institute of International Studies.

8.Title and Author: Democracy - an Analytical Survey , Jean Beachler Reviewer: Sakina. S. L, II HEPP 'N' Christ Junior College, Christ University Campus, Bangalore

Democracy, characterized by Benjamin Franklin in the late eighteenth century as a 'rising sun', remains very much in the influence over 200 years later.

Democracy is a form of government in which all citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives.

Although some people consider themselves to be absolute democrats in word and deed, many questions concerning democracy are asked by specialists as well as by ordinary people. Like -What is democracy? Are elections sufficient to guarantee the existence of democratic government? Is the principle of majority rule sufficient to ensure democracy? What happens when a properly assembled majority makes regular decisions which harm a minority? Is a unique model of democracy suitable for all countries? Are there rules which are indispensable for all models of democracy? These are some of the questions which the author tries to analyze in his book.

Perspectives 105 The author has taken up analytical approach in his book which further encourages reflection on all democracy-related problems and provides a theoretical background for contemporary discussion. This book is therefore, of interest to specialists as well as all those people who are striving for the consolidation of democracy in their own countries and throughout the world.

Democracy –An Analytic Survey deals with a phenomenon which is now being discussed in many parts of the world. After decades of totalitarian or authoritarian rule, democracy has been restored or established for the first time in a number of countries. The transition to democracy and the consolidation of democracy are not easy processes.

This book is written by Jean Baechler, a professor at the University of the Sorbonne in Paris and author of several works on this subject, analyses in depth the nature of democracy which is, without any doubt, complex and multi-dimensional.

Perspectives 106