Field Notes on Democracy: Listening to Grasshoppers

In "Field Notes on Democracy: Listening to Grasshoppers," Arundhati Roy, a world-renowned Indian author and social justice activist, delves into the unsettling realities of India's democratic facade. Published on May 19, 2015, this compelling series of essays exposes the undercurrents of religious majoritarianism, cultural nationalism, and emerging neo-fascism in a nation celebrated as the world's largest democracy. Roy's incisive analysis reveals how these forces contribute to the systematic marginalization of religious and ethnic minorities, the rise of terrorism, and the extensive displacement of the poor by exploitative corporate interests. With a new introduction by Roy that discusses the implications of Narendra Modi's election as Prime Minister, this book is a critical resource for anyone in adult education looking to explore the themes of racial justice, religious freedom, and economic justice. "Field Notes on Democracy" not only tracks the fault lines that threaten to destabilize India but also offers a broader reflection on the global implications of these democratic failures.