This is a series on issues of contemporaryconcerns. It attempts to provide meaningful information, critical perspective,and theoretical reflections on various themes. Written by eminent socialscientists, journalists, lawyers, scholars and social activists, these 80-100page booklets are specially intended for a general audience. They will seek todeepen our knowledge of crucial issues, query our common sense, rethink oldconcepts, and analyse the social and economic problems we confront.

SeriesEditors: S.Gopal, Romila Thapar and Neeladri Bhattacharya