Talk by Professor Pradeep K. Chhibber Shallow Democracy: Political Parties and the Crisis of Representation in India

About the Talk: 

Despite over 70 years of regular elections, a large segment of India’s electorate—primarily the poor—remains uncommitted to any political party. In this talk, Professor Chhibber argues that the unpredictability of Indian elections stems from the systematic neglect of the poor by political parties. While many among the poor do vote, they remain largely disengaged beyond election day: they hold fewer informed opinions, lack party connections, and receive little state support. Crucially, this marginalization is not merely due to individual disadvantages like illiteracy, but also reflects party strategy. Across elections, parties consistently fail to mobilize the poor, contributing to electoral volatility, party fragmentation, and reduced turnout.

About the Speaker:

Professor Pradeep K. Chhibber is Professor of Political Science and the Indo-American Community Chair in India Studies at the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He has also taught at University of Michigan and the Ohio State University, USA. He researches the political parties, party systems, political representation and electoral politics in South Asia, and has numerous well-regarded publications to his credit. Among his recent publications are: Righteous Demagogues: Populist Politics in South Asia and Beyond, 2024 (with Adnan Naseemullah, OUP); India Tomorrow: Conversations with Next Generation Leaders, 2020 (with Harsh Shah, OUP); and Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India, 2018 (with Rahul Verma, OUP).