This book is a compelling examination of the theoretical discourse on rights and its relationship with ideas, institutions and practices in the Indian context. By engaging with the crucial categories of class, caste, gender, region and religion, it draws attention to the contradictions and contestations in the arena of rights and entitlements. The chapters by eminent experts provide deep and nuanced insights on the intersecting issues and concerns of individual and group identities as well as their connection with the state along with its multifarious institutions and practices. The volume not only engages with the dilemmas emerging out of the rights discourse but also sets out to recognize the significance of a shared commitment to a rights-based framework towards the promotion of justice and democracy in society. The book will be useful to academics, social scientists, researchers and policymakers. It will be of special interest to teachers and students in the fields of politics, development studies, philosophy, ethics, sociology, gender/women’s studies and social movements.
The book argues that even though rights exist within legal/constitutional provisions, there is little agreement on how to reconcile contradictions owing to their conflicting and competing nature. It focuses on a distinctive vantage point to navigate intersectionality and diversity within this heterogeneous terrain.
