Sugata Bose (from left), Sandipto Dasgupta, Sushant Singh, and Raheel Dhattiwala shared expert insights on the upcoming general election in India, kicking off the “India Votes” series. By Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer.
Social scientists discuss controversial Indian prime minister Modi, rise of right-wing populism, erosion of political journalism
A group of Harvard social scientists launched a four-part series last week previewing the high-stakes 2024 general election in India, expected to draw a record turnout in the world’s most populous nation, where more than 986 million are registered to vote.
The balloting will decide the political makeup of Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of Parliament. It will also determine whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a hard-line Hindu nationalist, will remain in power for a third term. The “India Votes” series kicked off with a conversation interrogating the very nature of democracy in the vast, multi-ethnic society, with Modi’s leadership proving a central theme.
Read the full article on the Harvard Gazette website.
“India Votes 2024” continues March 25, with a conversation exploring how India’s neighbors perceive recent developments in India.