Rahul Verma
Biographic Data
| ID | 4169169 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Rahul Verma |
| GIVEN NAMES | Rahul |
| FAMILY NAME | Verma |
| SIGNATURE | VERMA R |
| AFFILIATIONS | Centre for Policy Research |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5356-813X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 15 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 135 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 15 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Explaining Variation in Attitudes Towards Insurgents and the State: Theory and Evidence from India’s Naxalite Rebellion
Do perceptions of territorial control shape individual attitudes towards insurgents and the state during wartime? We argue that civilians are more likely to express support for the political actor that they perceive as being locally dominant. To test this proposition, we leverage public opinion data collected at the peak of violence during India’s Maoist (Naxal) insurgency. As perceptions of local territorial control shift from states to insurgen…
How do political families reproduce power: Evidence from Maharashtra, India
The Exaggerated Death of Indian Democracy
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s democracy has been downgraded to a “flawed democracy” and an “electoral autocracy” by democracy watchdogs. Some argue that--despite claims of deteriorating civil liberties and institutional autonomy--these measures provide and exaggerated portrayal of backsliding. Under the BJP, India's political system has evolved from a coalition-based to a BJP-dominant system. This system has resulted in increased vo…
Economic Ideology in Indian Politics: Why Do Elite and Mass Politics Differ
A long line of scholarship has argued that ideological division structures party politics in many parts of the world. In India, however, there is a long-held consensus that the parties do not sort themselves ideologically, especially regarding economic policymaking. The paper analyses National Election Studies data between 1996 and 2019 by Lokniti-CSDS, and shows that voters cluster around the centre-left position on economic issues. Nevertheless…
Rethinking the Study of Electoral Politics in the Developing World: Reflections on the Indian Case
In the study of electoral politics and political behavior in the developing world, India is often considered to be an exemplar of the centrality of contingency in distributive politics, the role of ethnicity in shaping political behavior, and the organizational weakness of political parties. Whereas these axioms have some empirical basis, the massive changes in political practices, the vast variation in political patterns, and the burgeoning lite…
Content Analysis of Digital Text and Its Applications
The Rise of the Second Dominant Party System in India: BJP’s New Social Coalition in 2019
The social coalition that supported the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019 mirrored the demographic profile of the Hindu society. The party made substantial gains among the lower castes, the poor, rural voters, and less educated. How did BJP manage to attract these new voters? We argue that the immediate context of 2019 elections along with a profound ideological shift in Indian politics lies at the heart of the BJP’s success. Underpinning the short-…
State Formation and Ideological Conflict in Multiethnic Countries
The standard narrative of what defines an ideological conflict for electoral politics is not applicable to multiethnic countries like India. We develop two alternative ideological scales, the politics of statism and the politics of recognition, which we argue frame the Indian party system. Debates around class conflict, and about divisions between church and state, cities and rural areas, and the center and the periphery, were less central to the…
Intellectual Lineages of the Politics of Statism and Recognition
Conservative political thinking has a long intellectual lineage in India. We explore the intellectual roots of this tradition by examining older texts as well as more contemporary writing on the role of the state. In one strand of conservative political thinking, the state is subservient to social norms, and it can only have a limited, if any, role in social and economic transformation. We contrast these conservative ideas with the views of more …
Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India
This book challenges the view that party politics and elections in India are far removed from ideas. It claims that a dominant intellectual paradigm of what constitutes an ideology is not entirely applicable to many multiethnic countries in the twentieth century. In these more diverse states, the most important ideological debates center on statism —the extent to which the state should dominate society, regulate social norms, and redistribute pri…
The State as Guardian of the Social Order: Conservatism in Indian Political Thought and Its Modern Manifestations
Conservative Indian political thought, in addition to being alive and well in contemporary discourse, has a long lineage. We explore the intellectual roots of this tradition by examining older and more contemporary writings ranging from the Manusmriti and the Ramayana to those of Gandhi and Maududi and place them in contrast to those of more liberal thinkers like Ambedkar and Nehru. We find that, in particular, the conservative idea of the ‘limit…
Design-based Approach in Social Science Research
Return of the ‘National’ in Indian Elections: When do National-level Factors Play a Role in Influencing the Outcomes of State Assembly Elections
The outcome of the assembly elections held in November 2013 in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi could possibly be summarized in one sentence: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the incumbent Indian National Congress (INC) lost power in Rajasthan and Delhi. It was a 4–0 defeat for the Congress. What explains the Congress’ rout in these four states? Moreover, why did the BJP do well? And how …
Making Sense of the House: Explaining the Decline of the Indian Parliament amidst Democratization
Although the Indian Parliament has witnessed progressive democratization in terms of representation of various sections of society, it has declined as an effective institution of accountability. Unlike in Western democracies, the decline of Indian parliament is not due to strengthening of the executive. Ironically both the executive and the parliament in India have remained weak during the ‘democratic upsurge’ era, while some non-parliamentary in…
What Determines Electoral Outcomes in India
In 2004 and 2009, the incumbent central governments in India enjoyed a high level of voter satisfaction. Why then did incumbents lose elections in 2004, while winning them in 2009? The different electoral outcomes can be explained by a combination of satisfaction with a constituent's member of Parliament and the performance of the government at the state level, as well as satisfaction with the government at the national level. This analysis rejec…
Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India
This book challenges the view that party politics and elections in India are far removed from ideas. It claims that a dominant intellectual paradigm of what constitutes an ideology is not entirely applicable to many multiethnic countries in the twentieth century. In these more diverse states, the most important ideological debates center on statism —the extent to which the state should dominate society, regulate social norms, and redistribute pri…
The Rise of the Second Dominant Party System in India: BJP’s New Social Coalition in 2019
The social coalition that supported the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019 mirrored the demographic profile of the Hindu society. The party made substantial gains among the lower castes, the poor, rural voters, and less educated. How did BJP manage to attract these new voters? We argue that the immediate context of 2019 elections along with a profound ideological shift in Indian politics lies at the heart of the BJP’s success. Underpinning the short-…
Rethinking the Study of Electoral Politics in the Developing World: Reflections on the Indian Case
In the study of electoral politics and political behavior in the developing world, India is often considered to be an exemplar of the centrality of contingency in distributive politics, the role of ethnicity in shaping political behavior, and the organizational weakness of political parties. Whereas these axioms have some empirical basis, the massive changes in political practices, the vast variation in political patterns, and the burgeoning lite…
What Determines Electoral Outcomes in India
In 2004 and 2009, the incumbent central governments in India enjoyed a high level of voter satisfaction. Why then did incumbents lose elections in 2004, while winning them in 2009? The different electoral outcomes can be explained by a combination of satisfaction with a constituent's member of Parliament and the performance of the government at the state level, as well as satisfaction with the government at the national level. This analysis rejec…
The Exaggerated Death of Indian Democracy
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s democracy has been downgraded to a “flawed democracy” and an “electoral autocracy” by democracy watchdogs. Some argue that--despite claims of deteriorating civil liberties and institutional autonomy--these measures provide and exaggerated portrayal of backsliding. Under the BJP, India's political system has evolved from a coalition-based to a BJP-dominant system. This system has resulted in increased vo…
Return of the ‘National’ in Indian Elections: When do National-level Factors Play a Role in Influencing the Outcomes of State Assembly Elections
The outcome of the assembly elections held in November 2013 in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi could possibly be summarized in one sentence: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the incumbent Indian National Congress (INC) lost power in Rajasthan and Delhi. It was a 4–0 defeat for the Congress. What explains the Congress’ rout in these four states? Moreover, why did the BJP do well? And how …
Making Sense of the House: Explaining the Decline of the Indian Parliament amidst Democratization
Although the Indian Parliament has witnessed progressive democratization in terms of representation of various sections of society, it has declined as an effective institution of accountability. Unlike in Western democracies, the decline of Indian parliament is not due to strengthening of the executive. Ironically both the executive and the parliament in India have remained weak during the ‘democratic upsurge’ era, while some non-parliamentary in…
The State as Guardian of the Social Order: Conservatism in Indian Political Thought and Its Modern Manifestations
Conservative Indian political thought, in addition to being alive and well in contemporary discourse, has a long lineage. We explore the intellectual roots of this tradition by examining older and more contemporary writings ranging from the Manusmriti and the Ramayana to those of Gandhi and Maududi and place them in contrast to those of more liberal thinkers like Ambedkar and Nehru. We find that, in particular, the conservative idea of the ‘limit…
What Determines Electoral Outcomes in India
In 2004 and 2009, the incumbent central governments in India enjoyed a high level of voter satisfaction. Why then did incumbents lose elections in 2004, while winning them in 2009? The different electoral outcomes can be explained by a combination of satisfaction with a constituent's member of Parliament and the performance of the government at the state level, as well as satisfaction with the government at the national level. This analysis rejec…
Making Sense of the House: Explaining the Decline of the Indian Parliament amidst Democratization
Although the Indian Parliament has witnessed progressive democratization in terms of representation of various sections of society, it has declined as an effective institution of accountability. Unlike in Western democracies, the decline of Indian parliament is not due to strengthening of the executive. Ironically both the executive and the parliament in India have remained weak during the ‘democratic upsurge’ era, while some non-parliamentary in…
Return of the ‘National’ in Indian Elections: When do National-level Factors Play a Role in Influencing the Outcomes of State Assembly Elections
The outcome of the assembly elections held in November 2013 in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi could possibly be summarized in one sentence: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the incumbent Indian National Congress (INC) lost power in Rajasthan and Delhi. It was a 4–0 defeat for the Congress. What explains the Congress’ rout in these four states? Moreover, why did the BJP do well? And how …
Design-based Approach in Social Science Research
State Formation and Ideological Conflict in Multiethnic Countries
The standard narrative of what defines an ideological conflict for electoral politics is not applicable to multiethnic countries like India. We develop two alternative ideological scales, the politics of statism and the politics of recognition, which we argue frame the Indian party system. Debates around class conflict, and about divisions between church and state, cities and rural areas, and the center and the periphery, were less central to the…
Intellectual Lineages of the Politics of Statism and Recognition
Conservative political thinking has a long intellectual lineage in India. We explore the intellectual roots of this tradition by examining older texts as well as more contemporary writing on the role of the state. In one strand of conservative political thinking, the state is subservient to social norms, and it can only have a limited, if any, role in social and economic transformation. We contrast these conservative ideas with the views of more …
Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India
This book challenges the view that party politics and elections in India are far removed from ideas. It claims that a dominant intellectual paradigm of what constitutes an ideology is not entirely applicable to many multiethnic countries in the twentieth century. In these more diverse states, the most important ideological debates center on statism —the extent to which the state should dominate society, regulate social norms, and redistribute pri…
The State as Guardian of the Social Order: Conservatism in Indian Political Thought and Its Modern Manifestations
Conservative Indian political thought, in addition to being alive and well in contemporary discourse, has a long lineage. We explore the intellectual roots of this tradition by examining older and more contemporary writings ranging from the Manusmriti and the Ramayana to those of Gandhi and Maududi and place them in contrast to those of more liberal thinkers like Ambedkar and Nehru. We find that, in particular, the conservative idea of the ‘limit…
Content Analysis of Digital Text and Its Applications
The Rise of the Second Dominant Party System in India: BJP’s New Social Coalition in 2019
The social coalition that supported the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019 mirrored the demographic profile of the Hindu society. The party made substantial gains among the lower castes, the poor, rural voters, and less educated. How did BJP manage to attract these new voters? We argue that the immediate context of 2019 elections along with a profound ideological shift in Indian politics lies at the heart of the BJP’s success. Underpinning the short-…
Rethinking the Study of Electoral Politics in the Developing World: Reflections on the Indian Case
In the study of electoral politics and political behavior in the developing world, India is often considered to be an exemplar of the centrality of contingency in distributive politics, the role of ethnicity in shaping political behavior, and the organizational weakness of political parties. Whereas these axioms have some empirical basis, the massive changes in political practices, the vast variation in political patterns, and the burgeoning lite…
The Exaggerated Death of Indian Democracy
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s democracy has been downgraded to a “flawed democracy” and an “electoral autocracy” by democracy watchdogs. Some argue that--despite claims of deteriorating civil liberties and institutional autonomy--these measures provide and exaggerated portrayal of backsliding. Under the BJP, India's political system has evolved from a coalition-based to a BJP-dominant system. This system has resulted in increased vo…
Economic Ideology in Indian Politics: Why Do Elite and Mass Politics Differ
A long line of scholarship has argued that ideological division structures party politics in many parts of the world. In India, however, there is a long-held consensus that the parties do not sort themselves ideologically, especially regarding economic policymaking. The paper analyses National Election Studies data between 1996 and 2019 by Lokniti-CSDS, and shows that voters cluster around the centre-left position on economic issues. Nevertheless…
How do political families reproduce power: Evidence from Maharashtra, India
Explaining Variation in Attitudes Towards Insurgents and the State: Theory and Evidence from India’s Naxalite Rebellion
Do perceptions of territorial control shape individual attitudes towards insurgents and the state during wartime? We argue that civilians are more likely to express support for the political actor that they perceive as being locally dominant. To test this proposition, we leverage public opinion data collected at the peak of violence during India’s Maoist (Naxal) insurgency. As perceptions of local territorial control shift from states to insurgen…
Politics (13 works) · Law (12 works) · Political science (12 works) · Sociology (12 works) · Political economy (10 works) · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies (10 works) · Law (8 works) · South Asian Studies and Conflicts (6 works) · Economics (5 works) · Ideology (5 works)