The “knowledge society” is an evolving concept and discourse that is increasingly associated with India’s development.  While this concept often has celebratory connotations in mainstream circles, the reality of India’s knowledge society is rife with socio-economic inequities.  One could argue that a crisis of democracy exists within the neo-liberal framework of the knowledge society.  The democratic public sphere and the concept of the public good both need to be re-interpreted and given new life in the Indian context.  This revitalization will require new governance structures and public institutions, along with creative solutions from grassroots social forces.

Another one of my research projects, The India Library Research Program, has a number of intersections with this research area.  In part, I am using the issue of public and community libraries as a lens to analyze public sphere and public good concerns.  Critical Perspectives on India’s “Knowledge Society” represents my modest and ongoing contribution to a growing area of critical scholarship that explores the contradictions and power dynamics of India’s knowledge society.