A collection of essays by distinguished scholars, this book delineates a substantial conception of democracy, the great promise as well as the pitfalls of a democratic mentality and culture. These essays go beyond the institutional and formal descriptions of democracy to its underlying cultural context — expressed both historically and analytically, descriptively and normatively.

Introduction 1. Liberal Democracy and its Critics: Some Voices from East and West Fred Dallmyr 2. Value, Enchantment and the Mentality of Democracy Akeel Bilgrami 3. Politics, Experience and Cognitive Enslavement: Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj Vivek Dhareshwar 4. Moral Perfection and Political Participation: The Indian ‘Millions’ in Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj Mohamed Mehdi 5. Politics and Violence: Gandhi’s Ambivalence to Democracy Uday Mehta 6. Pragmatism and Deepened Democracy: Ambedkar between Unger and Dewey Lenart Škof 7. Constitutional Democracy and Hindu Nationalism Rajeev Bhargava 8. Why Did Burke Impeach Hastings? David Bromwich 9. Whither European Enlightenment? Pankaj Mishra 9. Popular Festivals, Populist Visual Culture and the Modi Masks Parul Dave Mukherji 10. Globalization, Culture, and Education Nachiket Patwardhan. About the Editor. Notes on Contributors. Index.