2d Taye presents a major new theory of the state developed by the renowned anthropologist Khil Gupta, Seeking to understand the chronic and widespe id poverty in India, the world’s fourth largest economy, Gupta conceives of the relation berween the state in India and the poor as one of structural violence. Every year this violence kills between two and three mile pecially women and girls, and lower-c cand indigenous peoples, Yet India's poor are not disenfanchised; they atively participate in the democratic peoject. Not is the ferent to the plight ofthe poor; it sponsors many poverty amelioration programs. Gupta conducted ethnographic research among officals charged with coordinating de h. Drawing on that research, he offers insightfl analyses of corruption; the significance of writing and written records; and governmental, or the expansion of bureaucracies. Those analyses underlie his argument thae eae is abi ear Prades velopment program trary nis consequences, and that arbitrariness is systematically produced by the very mech anisms that are meant to ameliorate social suffering. What mast be explained is notonly why _government programs aired at providing nutrition, employment, housing, healtheate, and ‘education to poor people de not succeed in thei abjectives, but also why, when they do ste ceed, they do so unevenly and erratically “This long-awaited books 2 masterful achievement tat offers a clase lock atthe cull of bueaueracy in India and, tvough this les, casts new light on structural violence, liberalietion, and the paradox of misery inthe midst of expose economic growth. Ail Gupt’s sensitive analysis of the yeiyay prac= ties of witing, recording fling, and reporting at evry level ofthe state in nda joins a ih iterate ‘onthe politics of inscription end marks @ brillant new benchmark for pltialantvopeagy i Ind and beyond."—ARJUN APPADURAL, author af Fear of Small Numbers ‘hy has the postcolonial stalin nda seemed so incapable ot improving the ile chances othe county or? In his brilliant bok Ra Tape, Aki Gupta argues thatthe structural violence inherent the sate ‘operates asa form of bapome in which normal bureaucratic procedures depoticie the iling of the paoc Whether exploring caption literacy, or population policy, Gupta provides an ute oignal account of the deadly operations of slate power associated with he aseandancy of new indus classes and of neo- liberal practice in contemporary nda. A tor de force.” —MICHAEL WATTS, author of Sint Valence This a landmark study of bureaucratic practices thravgh which the slates actualied i the ives ofthe oor in Inca. Ail Gupte theaeticl sophistication and the thnagraphie depth in his ook demonstrate hw South Asian studies continues to challenge and shape the direction vf soeal theo This book is a stunning echievemen."—VEENA DAS, author of Life and Words = ii ease couse Ba a ie Pad Duke University Press ‘er a, 62 A : sa ian eh boxcesSo Duthan,NCz7rt-os6o Sea na TAP srorsceleeiesret ‘ett coytt Pun ion salary S00 ome 80, 00) i Asia rsity of California, Los Angeles A JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN CENTER BOOK ddV1 G44 Bureaucracy, Structural Violence, and Poverty in India AKHIL GUPTAButeauerdey, Structural Violence, Duke Univ Pres Durham and London 202012 Dake Unies Press Alig eseed Printed inthe United States etc on acide paper Typeet in Qaadrat by Keystone pete. a. bry of Congas Cataloging in Pabicion Date ppouronhelast pied page of i ook Te Purima always