Author Description

This comprehensive but accessible text provides students with a systematic introduction to the comparative political study of the leading nations of South Asia; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The sixth edition is extensively revised and updated, benefiting from the fresh perspectives of several new members of the author team. New material includes a full section devoted exclusively to Nepal. Organized in parallel fashion to facilitate cross-national comparison, the sections on each nation address several topical areas of inquiry; political culture and heritage, government structure and institutions, political parties and leaders, conflict and resolution, and modernization and development. A thoroughly rewritten final chapter on South Asia in the world system discusses the India - Pakistan conflict, the rise of militant Islam, India's emergence as a world economic power, and democratization. A statistical appendix provides a concise overview of leading demographic and economic indicators for each country.