Institutions And Development In South Asia

Institutions are a central facet of development in South Asia. They can promote competition, spur democracy, and engender citizen well-being. They can equally be the harbingers of monopolies, authoritarianism, and social inequities. Institutions embody norms that influence the behaviour and lives of citizens in South Asia. How do democratic institutions succeed and fail in South Asia? This question is central to the exploration of the mechanisms of South Asian development.

Citizen well-being and economic growth within a sustainable framework are equally constitutive of the process of South Asian development. Economic growth often requires regulated market systems that promote internal and global competition. How can regulated competitive capitalism be promoted in South Asia? Can regulations structure markets to create a sustainable future? Can the State in South Asia ensure a dignified life for the average South Asian citizen?

In seeking answers to these questions, this series will interrogate the interplay of global and local forces within and outside the State that create and perpetuate norms that spur and deter South Asian development.

Rahul Mukherji, Professor and Head, Department of Political Science, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University, Germany`