BACHELORS WITH POLITICAL SCIENCE AS MINOR
Semester 4th
PLS422N: Political Science: Indian Political Thought
Credits: Theory=3, Tutorial=1
Course Objectives: the objectives of the course are:
To acquaint learners with the dynamics of Indian political thinkers and their
philosophy.
To widen the horizons of students by understanding the political
perspectives of Left Right and Centre.
To provide an alternative discourse to western political thinkers.
To inculcate the nationalistic values among the students by introducing them
to the world of Indianness.
Course Outcomes: After completing the course, students should be able to:
Understand the historicity of Indian Political Thought
Nuance the differences between western and Eastern contributions to the
theory.
Have a deeper understanding of various Indian philosophies associated with
politics.
Have clarity about richness in Indian Political thought.
Have the knowledge about the philosophies that have shaped the Indian
political landscape.
Have deeper understanding about the post Indian independence political
bigwigs which have impacted political scene.
UNIT I: Ancient Indian Political Thought
1.1. Ancient Political Thought: Meaning, Nature and Features
1.2. Sources of Ancient Indian Political Thought
1.3. Features of Arthasastra and Dharamshastra thought: Kautilya and Manu
UNIT II: Modern Indian Political Thought: The Idealist Stream
2.1. Salient features of Modern Indian Political Thought
2.2. Indian Renaissance: Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
2.3. Moderates and Extremists: Dadabhai Naoroji, MG Ranade, and BG Tilak
2.4. Emancipatory Thought: B. R Ambedkar
PART III: Indian political thought in perspectives
3.1. Cultural Nationalism: V.D. Savarkar
3.2. Composite Nationalism: Maulana Azad
3. 3. Alternative Discourses: Tagore and Iqbal
3.4. Gandhi: Critique to modernity, Swaraj and Non-Violence
TUTORIALS [Assignments, Presentations and Viva Voce]
UNIT I (Discussion)
1.1.M. N. Roy: The Idea of Radical Humanism
1.2 Ram Manohar Lohia and J. P Narayan: The Idea of Democratic Socialism
1.3 Feminist Thought: Pandita Ramabhai and Savitri Bai Phule
Suggested Readings
Indian Political Thought, O.P. Gauba, Mayur Paperbacks
Indian Political Thought, K. S. Padhy, PHI Learning, Private Limited, New
Delhi
Foundations of Indian Political Thought: An Interpretation(From Manu to the
present Day), V.R.Mehta.
Modern Indian Political Thought, Text and Context, Bidyut Chakrabarty,
Rajendra Kumar Pandey, Sage Publications
Indian Political Thought, Themes and Thinkers, Himanshu Roy, M.P. Singh,
Pearson
Jayapalan, N. (2000). Indian political thinkers: Modern Indian political thought.
Atlantic Publishers & Dist.
Padhy, K. S. (2011). Indian political thought. PHI Learning Pvt.Ltd..
Political Thought in Modern India, Thomas Pantham, Kenneth L Deutsch, Sage
Publications.
Kapila, S. (2021). Violent fraternity: Indian political thought in the global age.
Princeton University Press.
