Monday, May 16, 2011

16 May 2011: Decentralization, Local Governance, and Social Wellbeing in India: Do Local Governments Matter?

Rani D. Mullen
College of William & Mary in Virginia, USA

Abstract:
Over the past three decades, decentralization has been seen as the
means for allowing local governments to become more accountable, and
for encouraging the deepening of democracy and the building of village
communities. By drawing on original village-level case studies of six
villages in three different Indian states, this book presents a
systematic analysis of the impact of decentralization on the delivery
of social services at the local level within India.

Supplementing national and state-level data and analyzing the
different historical legacies in each state, the book argues that
decentralization is not simply a function of the structure of the
decentralization program or of the relationship between higher-tiered
and local government. Rather, the possibility of decentralization
affecting social outcomes depends on several interacting factors,
including the distribution of power among local elites, the dynamics
of political competition, and the level of civil society mobilization.
By examining constitutionally-mandated political decentralization
across India, this book identifies the circumstances under which local
government structures can lead to improved social services and
societal wellbeing, as well as presenting a major contribution to
studies on South Asian Politics and Local Government.

Date: May 16, 2011
Time: 11:30 A.M.

Venue:
Conference Hall,
Centre for Policy Research,
Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi–110021(INDIA)

Location:

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