Brief CV of Professor Mahendra Prasad Singh
Born on 2 November 1943 in Bihar state, India
Studied at Patna University (B A Hons. 1962 and M A 1964) and University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (M A 1972 and Ph D 1975). Taught at Magadh University, Bodh Gaya (1964-1978) as a lecturer and at University of Delhi as a Reader (1978-1979) and as a Professor of Political Science (1980-2008).He was also the Head of the Department of Political Science(1984-87) and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences during 1986-87 at the University of Delhi. Also served as a Director (Research and Publications) in the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi (1979-1980).
Majored in comparative and South Asian Politics in the Ph D programme and wrote a dissertation on the Indian National Congress in 1969. Developed special aptitude for Philosophy of Science and Principles of Research Design and Analysis during taking these two courses that were required ones in the Ph D programme. Taught philosophy of social science and research methods at the Delhi University Political Science Department for about 20 years. Intends to write a standard text in this area.
Has authored/coauthored and edited/co-edited more than a dozen books and more than 50 research papers in professional journals in India and abroad. Recent books include Democracy, Development and Discontent in South Asia (New Delhi: Sage, 2008); Indian Politics: Constitutional Foundation and Institutional Functioning (New Delhi: Prentice-Hall, 2nd edition 2011)( 1st edition translated into Korean by Sojin Shin and published in Seoul. 2nd edition translated into Hindi to be published soon); Indian Judiciary and Politics: The Changing Landscape ( New Delhi: Manohar, 2007), Pakistan: Democracy, Development and Security Issues (New Delhi: Sage, 2005); India at the Polls: Parliamentary Elections in the Federal Phase ( New Delhi: Orient Longman, 2003); Indian Federalism in the New Millennium( New Delhi: Manohar, 2003; Coalition Politics in India: Problems and Prospects (New Delhi: Manohar, 2004) and, Indian Political System (Delhi: Manak, 2005, 3rd edition). An earlier work Split in a Predominant Party: The Indian National Congress in 1969 published by Abhinav Publications in 1980 has been put in its entirety on the website of the Google Search India. A festschrift in honour of Professor Singh edited by Rekha Saxena is forthcoming from Foundation Books/Cambridge University Press in 2011. He has participated in several national and international conferences. Presently he is contracted as country co-coordinator by the Forum of Federations, Ottawa, on a Global Dialogue Programme on the theme of Inter-Governmental Relations. Forthcoming books include Federal Denouement in India (New Delhi: Primus Books). The most recent contribution to an anthology is on party system transformation in India in Achin Vanaik and Rajeev Bhargava (Eds.), Understanding India: Critical Perspectives (New Delhi: Orient Blackswan, 2010). The most recent book is Indian Federalism: An Introduction (New Delhi: National Nook Trust India, 2011).
Professor Singh has published in leading refereed journals in India and abroad like the Economic and Political Weekly (Bombay), Asian Survey (California), Pacific Affairs (Vancouver), Publius: The Journal of Federalism (Philadelphia), India Review (Bloomington), Indian Journal of Social Science (ICSSR/Sage) /Indian Social Science Review (ICSSR/Sage), The Indian Historical Review (ICHR/Motilal Banarsidas/Sage), Contemporary India (NMM & Library/ Teenmurti), Think India Quarterly( NewDelhi), etc.
His current research interests include federalism and democracy, party system, constitutional studies and judicial behavior in Indian and comparative perspective. He intends to undertake a major research project on state and nation formation in a multicultural and federal setting in India.
Professor Singh is currently an honorary Senior Fellow and Director of Research at the Centre for Multilevel Federalism, Institute of Social Sciences, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, and the Editor of The CMF Newsletter.
A Festscrift Varities of Federal Governance: Major Contemporary Models, edited byRekha Saxena ( New Delhi: Foundation Books/Cambridge University Press, 2011) to honour Professor M P Singh has just been released to which leading experts of the world have contributed chapters on what they consider as the distinctive and most notable recent developments in their respective federal political systems.
E-mail contact: profmpsingh@yahoo.com & profmpsingh@gmail.com
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