Indian Social and Political Environment

PGP‑1

Recent upsurge in economic indicators seems to have made everybody quite hopeful about future. Indian democracy is maturing to live with coalition politics, as a process of explicit compromises substituting to some extent similar compulsions of factional politics. There is a new mood taking over among at least some sections of Indian society just as other sections continue to feel bypassed by the gains of economic reforms. The communal divide is taking a heavy toll of the traditions of secular polity of Indian society. But then there are always redeeming signs about those who do not succumb to the extremism of any kind. Is the time of economic recession ripe for such extremist sensitivities to emerge?

The participative approaches for social development got a new impetus when limitations of public bureaucracies became obvious all over the world including India. In the field of science and technology people realized that the interests of socially disadvantaged groups and environmental conservation need not be addressed necessarily through conventional channels alone. In the courts of law, one realizes that existing channels of appeal and counter appeal are too costly for common people to avail of. The parliamentary debates on some of the most vital problems of nation such as drought were attended by less than 10% of the members. There were several other legislations in assemblies and parliament, which were passed with very thin attendance, or no discussion at all. Electoral reforms triggered by the initiative of a few academics have generated a new hope among the cynical masses.

The legitimacy of the state and the mechanisms of governance are now being questioned, given vulnerability to international pressures and centrifugal tendencies within.

The issues before us are:

Can individuals particularly those in whom state and society invest considerable resources (financial and intellectual) make a difference?

Whether the future managers of strategic sectors of Indian economy should merely respond to the conditions as they evolve or even shape the directions and determine the pace of change?

Given slow economic growth, moderate inflation and reduced employment (and increasing redundancies), how will `law and order' be maintained in the society? What are the lessons of the recent elections? How do we explain moderation of the `right' and decline of the 'left'? Will bureaucracy and beneficiary politicians allow a regime of controls and rent seeking to dissolve? What has been the experience of other countries, which have tried similar `reforms'? Is there no hope of developing an indigenous model of reform, which builds upon the strengths of our society?

Thirteen sessions of this course look at the role of individuals in reforming the state and its institutions so that the confidence of under privileged does not go down. The continued decline in this confidence would sooner or later rupture the very basic fabric of the society and state structures. Do we want a democratic, fair, and just social order to be built upon privileges of us few and apprehensions and insecurity of a large, meek, mute but impatient majority?

Can we compromise the future of coming generations by using resources at a pace and through methods which are non sustainable? And finally, how do we make institutions - political, social, scientific and commercial - responsive to the concerns of common man and woman and appreciative of creativity and innovation at grassroots?

Pedagogy:

1. In each session students will be required to bring a one or two page note presenting their statement or concern on the subject. Better still, I will appreciate if you could send it by email to ispe@sristi.org except in the cases where contribution is based on graphics. Faculty would review these statements and present the synthesis in the last class. This would give an opportunity for the learning to take place at both the ends 'the faculty and the students'. Selected presentation can be displayed on the students' notice board.

2. It is proposed that different groups of students would spend some time in different institutions of public importance or with other social actors in the city and nearby places. Idea is to get a close exposure to the reality of society and politics from the perspective of disadvantaged. We will have presentations by the students in the last two classes on December 18 and 19 based on these exposures as well as other material that students would collect through interviews and library work.

3. Special lectures by distinguished political leaders/civil servants or business leaders are being organized as requested by the students in past. I will like to have fresh suggestions in this regard.

4. Students will be encouraged to organize debate or discussions on the related subject during the term in addition to the participation in the classroom sessions.

Evaluation:

The names of the group members and the tentative titles of the posters as well as group assignments should be submitted in the class on October

24. It will be appreciated if the students submit their course feedback through a metaphor, story or cartoon in addition to narrative comments for improvement of the course in the last class.

Reserve Sequence: In the light of the suggestions of the course participants last year, certain reflective books and papers are being kept at the reserve sequence.