Democracy and Women

The journey of Indian democracy, vibrant and complex, finds one of its most significant contours in the landscape of women's political participation. Despite constitutional guarantees and decades of feminist activism, the terrain remains fraught with structural barriers, socio-cultural constraints, and institutional biases. Yet, women have continued to challenge, redefine, and reshape the boundaries of political power—sometimes subtly from within, sometimes audaciously from the margins. The edited volume “Democracy and Women: Landscape of Indian Politics” seeks to explore this multifaceted interplay between gender and democracy in the Indian context. This book is a collective endeavour to examine, interpret, and understand the evolving dynamics of women’s participation, representation, and resistance in Indian politics. About the Editors Narattam Biswas is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at S.R. Fatepuria College, Murshidabad, W.B. He holds an M.Phil. on Nature and Trends of Communalism in India, from the Department of Political Science, University of Burdwan, West Bengal. His area of specialisation is Public Administration and Local Self-Government. His area of interest- Contemporary issues in Indian Politics, Comparative Government and Politics. Biswajit Mandal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at S.R. Fatepuria College, Murshidabad, W.B. He submitted his doctoral thesis (PhD) on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Concept of Indian Nationhood at the Department of Political Science, University of Burdwan, West Bengal. His area of specialisation is State, Society and Politics in India since Independence. His area of interest- Indian Political Thoughts, Public Policy, Global Health, Aid Diplomacy etc.