Synopsis This selection of the author's articles and short papers from The Hindu and other periodicals dates from May 1997 onwards and covers topics in politics, political economy, civil society, and the state. The international coverage includes the United Kingdom and the European Union in domestic and international affairs; the section on political economy includes articles on privatization and disaster management respectively, and the coverage of India reviews several recent publications on Indian politics and political life. The concluding section is on wider issues of the state, civil society, and constitutionality. The book, which includes some updated material, is intended for an educated general readership, and is likely to be of interest to journalists and trainee journalists, teachers and students of the social sciences, and serving professionals in the public and private sectors.