This slim but rich account of modern India deals with basic sociological issues is one of the Comparative Societies series, which aims to enable students and general readers to understand societies other than their own. The overview chapters on the country's history, religions, social stratification, economy, gender relations, family functioning, political institutions and process, and on social change together enable an outsider to gain some understanding of the diversity and vastness of today's India. Glossary, reading and website lists, and index.