Minorities and Democracy
My research on democracy further explored the implications for minority–majority relations and Muslim women of applying minority autonomy and group rights in the sphere of religion in India. In parallel, the research delved into India's policy of religious autonomy for minorities, as viewed by both the political and legal authorities and through the eyes of different sectors of the minority community. By analyzing the complex construction of rights within a communalized polity, the above articles sought to transcend the ongoing debate on the implications of Muslim Personal Law in India and to suggest additional policy directives aimed at empowering minority women. The Indian case provides a constructive microcosm for studying these tensions comprehensively and embodies important lessons for other multicultural societies around the globe. Recently I have published an edited book with Arthur Stein in this Topic - Affect, Interest, and Political Entrepreneurs in Ethnic and Religious Conflicts. New-York & London: Routledge, 2018.