Dipankar Gupta brings together social theory with policy practice to enlarge our understanding of the difference that democracy makes to the life of a nation. Unlike nationalism, democracy takes our attention away from the past to the future by focusing on the specific concerns of 'citizenship'. Historical victories or defeats, blood and soil are now nowhere as relevant as the creation of a foundational base where individuals have equal, and quality, access to health, education, and even urban services. The primary consideration, therefore, is on empowering 'citizens' as a common category and not 'people' of any specific community or class. When citizens precede all other considerations, the notion of the 'public' too gets its fullest expression. Differences between citizens are not denied, in fact encouraged, but only after achieving a basic unity first. This book argues that the call of citizenship not only advances democracy, but social science as well.

Dipankar Gupta is one of India’s leading sociologists and public intellectuals. During his distinguished career, he has held several  professorial positions,  both in India and  abroad. To name a few, he is former Professor of Sociology, the Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi, andtheCentre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University. He was also the Leverhulme Professor, London School of Economics, and Fulbright Professor, University of Massachusetts.

Dipankar Gupta has authored 20 books, three of which are: QED: India Tests Social Theory, Justice before Reconciliation: Towards a New Normal in Post-Riot Mumbai and Ahmedabad,and The Caged Phoenix: Can India Fly?

He was awarded Chevalier De L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Artes and Letters) by the French Government  in 2010, and  The Doctorate, Honoris Causa by Burdwan University in 2013.

Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Being a Citizen: From Passions to Fraternity
2. From Nationalism to Citizenship: Majority Concessions and Democratic Consensus
3. Planning for the Poor: Limits of the Targeted Approach
4. Threshold Markers: Citizens or Beneficiaries
5. Skilling Citizens: Raising the Human Resource Base
6. Beyond Interest Enclave Politics: Civic Consumerism  and Citizenship Aspirations
7. Space and Non Space in City Master Plans: Urban Utilities and Citizen Membership
8. Civil Society and Democracy: Bringing back the Citizen
9. Social Science and Democracy: An Elective Affinity
10. Citizenship as a Social Relation: A Critique of
Multiple Modernity
Annexures. The ‘Telos’ of Modernity
References
Index