Synopsis The idea of civil society re-emerged in the public sphere in Europe during the 1980s. The intellectual threads of the political developments there were picked up elsewhere in the world, including India, where a vigorous debate ensued on the meaning and relevance of civil society. This volume provides the first sociological articulation of an Indian perspective on the discourse by locating it in the context of the historical experience of India, and the peculiarities of her economic, political and social realities. In this book, fourteen well-known sociologists discuss a wide range of issues and negotiate with developments in political philosophy and theory on the one hand, while elucidating the reality of civil society in India on the other. Together, they: Contextualize the discourse on civil society, state and democracy; Explore the relationship between civil society, and specific institutions and processes (including NGOs; farmers' movements; identity politics; and religion); Outline the 'cultural' and 'power' perspectives on civil society; and Analyse the relationship between 'civil society' and 'good society'. A self-contained guide--with a useful bibliography on civil society, state and democracy--the book will be welcomed by students, teachers and researchers not only of sociology and social anthropology, but also in other social sciences that engage with civil society. More significantly, it will help every thinking Indian understand better one of the most exciting ideas of our times.