This volume investigates the causal relationship between the evolving nature of the Indian state and the increasing frequency of community-based conflicts. Edited by Amrita Basu and Atul Kohli, the book compiles original essays from leading scholars to analyze how shifts in political identity—specifically religious, caste, and regional affiliations—interact with state institutions. The contributors argue that these conflicts are not merely historical remnants but are actively shaped by the changing character and administrative capacity of the Indian state.

Experts recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the study of Indian political sociology and state-society relations. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous analytical approach taken by the contributors to explain complex social phenomena.