The four volumes of research surveys and explorations in political science conducted by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) not only provide a summary evaluation of the state of the research and valuable bibliographic guide but also highlight research trends and possible lines of future enquiry. Volume 1, while referring to studies before and after the period 2003-9, focuses more specifically on the literature of this period by
analysing four key themes-the social character of the Indian state, political economy, social policy, and law and rights. Volume 2 examines key issues confronting Indian democracy and provides an analytical overview of the changing perceptions of it over the past two decades. It explores literature on the Constitution of
India and its institutions, the party system, elections, civil society initiatives, and federalism in India. Volume 3 critically reviews research done on ancient, medieval, and modern Indian political thought. It uses a multidisciplinary approach to explore research on themes such as politics of time and knowledge, ethics and politics, nationalism, and cosmopolitanism. Volume 4 focuses on the transformations occurring in the research, practice, and theories of
international relations in India. Acknowledging the broadening scope of the discipline, it looks at traditional as well as new issues such as global governance, international law and norms, development and civil society. It also examines a wide range of theoretical approaches such as realism, critical theory, neo-Marxism,
postcolonialism, development theory, and liberalism.