How does the presence of diversity impact our understanding of society and formulation of adequate policies? This collection examines the Indian experience of diversity by delineating the policies and institutional arrangements that have been designed to accommodate different kinds of diversities, and highlighting the problems that the chosen path has yielded. The issues being examined include the Uniform Civil Code, the State's patronage of languages, affirmative action ineducational institutions, and minority participation in electoral politics. So far, the notion of multiculturalism has been addressed by theories that have emerged from Western societies. This volume marks a step in the direction of rethinking such questions in the Indian context.

1. Introduction (Gurpreet Mahajan)
2. Preserving by Reforming: Diversity at Work in Civilizational Adaptation (Peter Emberley)
3. Cultural Skepticism and 'Group Representation' (Anne Phillips)
4. Heterogeneities and Homogeneities: On Similarities and Differences (Anil Bhatti)
5. Multiculturalism and Diversity: Values to be Promoted or Problems to be Managed? (Sarah Joseph)
6. Constitution of Religious Identity-Constituent (Assembly) Debates and Beyond; (V. SriRanjani)
7. Linguistic Diversity in a Federal Polity: An Indian experience (Asha Sarangi)
8. Politics of Recognition: Rethinking Existing Institutional Measures in India (Bijen Meetei)
9. Accommodating Diversity: Political Outsourcing as a Coalition Strategy in Kerala (K.K. Kailash)
10. Group Rights, Diversity and Social Justice (Rohit Wanchoo)
11. Political Institutions for Caste and Sex-Based Hierarchies: A View from Colonial India (Rinku Lamba)
12. Prudence and Statesmanship in Managing Diversity (Vasanthi Srinivasan)
13. A Bloated Hinduism: North American Hindus and the Imagination of a Vanguard (Vinay Lal)
14. Representing Diversity: The Malaysian Experience (Vidhu Verma)
15. When Citizens are a Minority: Managing Cultural Diversities in the Arabian Gulf (Shefali Jha)
Notes on Contributors.