Assembling Indias Constitution - A New Democratic History

In this paradigm-shifting history, two leading historians of India re-examine the making of the Indian constitution from the perspective of the nation's people. They argue that the deep sense of ownership diverse publics assumed over the constitution became pivotal to the formation, legitimacy and endurance of India's democracy.

List of contents

Introduction. A new history of India's constitution making; 1. 'Our constitution'; 2. Making the constitution a public affair; 3. Competing constitutionalism: the princely states and the constitution; 4. The emerging state and the constitution; 5. The theatre of the assembly; 6. The horizons of India's constitutional imagination: tribes and constitution making; Conclusion. An open site of struggle.

About the author

Rohit De is Associate Professor of History at Yale University. He is the author of A People's Constitution: The Everyday Life of Law in the Indian Republic (2018), which won the Willard J. Hurst Prize (2019).

Product details

• Authors: Rohit De, Rohit (Yale University De, Shani Ornit
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.11.2025
• EAN: 9781009330053
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0933005-3
• No. of pages: 371
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Comparative and international political science; POLITICAL SCIENCE / Constitutions, LAW / Legal History, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Comparative Politics, LAW / Constitutional, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Asian, India, Comparative Politics, Legal History, Asian History, Constitution: government and the state, HISTORY / Asia / South / General, History of constitution and comparative constitutional law, HISTORY / Asia / South / India