This volume investigates the underlying drivers of community-based political conflict in India and how these tensions correlate with shifts in the nature of the state. The authors, both established scholars in international development and political research, synthesize original essays to examine the intersection of religious, caste, and regional identities. By analyzing the evolving expression of these identities, the text provides a framework for understanding the increasing frequency of communal friction within the Indian political landscape.

Experts recognize this collection as a significant contribution to the study of Indian political sociology and identity politics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational resource for those studying the complexities of the Indian state.