Politics of Inclusion: Review Essay

Abstract

Politics of Inclusion (2009) is an unusual book as its major arguments are not merely valid but are increasingly relevant. Published over a decade ago, it remains a must read for policymakers, political scientists and developmental experts. This review essay has tried to lay down eight key arguments that the book made. These are expanding the ambit of the definition of discrimination from only historical to both past and present forms; accepting that Muslims are not only a poor community but also suffer a peculiar form of discrimination which is increasing; discrimination and backwardness both criterion must be fulfilled for any kind of affirmative action to be institutionalized; state should be welfare in nature and protect all vulnerable social groups; acknowledging that Hindutva is not only against religious minorities but also against women; political representation must be on the four axes of caste, ethnicity, religion and gender; for proper representation of Dalits, tribes, Muslims and women we need electoral reforms and lastly, Scheduled Caste (SC) status must be conferred to Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians. Rather than simply summing up the book, this review essay uses arguments from various contemporary political theorists and social scientists.