Building on their insightful work on India's 1998 and 1999 parliamentary elections, distinguished scholars Ramashray Roy and Paul Wallace are back with an edited volume on the 2004 elections. This volume is divided into two sections: - Section I presents national, theoretical and comparative perspectives on women's electoral participation, caste dynamics, religion and nationalism, as well as federalism and factionalism. - Section II contains seven state-specific studies related to Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Orissa and West Bengal. A highlight of this volume is the focus on tribal politics, at a time when the politicisation of ethnic identities is being increasingly felt in various parts of India. The book captures different expressions of this trend such as tribal solidarity in Orissa, the politics of separatism in Assam and the perceptions regarding non-regional parties in the tribal state of Meghalaya. Bringing together contributors from India and abroad, this volume adds to our understanding of electoral politics and social change at the national and state levels.