The term empowerment has acquired a good deal of prominence and salience in the contemporary academic and political discourse in India. Empowerment generally refers to a process as well as a programme of action or intervention whereby a qualitative and sustained improvement in the lives of people is brought about. This short book focuses on the issue of the empowerment of Muslims in India in an integral, holistic perspective. Proceeding from the premise that the issue of empowerment of any group or community in a given society should be addressed in the context of both the larger society and the community in quest, the book brings out the bearing of the larger political, social, economic and cultural processes in contemporary Indian society on the marginalization and disempowerment of Muslims and other minority groups. The book argues that the ideal of empowerment needs to be juxtaposed with the reality of disempowerment in the context of specific groups and communities. It presents an extended discussion on the nature and extent of the disempowerment and marginalization of Indian Muslims as perceived and experienced by the community and as corroborated by researches as well as official sources. This is followed by an analysis of the dynamics of disempowerment in terms of exogenous and endogenous sources. The book emphasizes the need for creating and sustaining an enabling environment for the empowerment of marginalized groups and communities. It also addresses the key question of the prerequisites of empowerment in the context of Indian Muslims. The concluding part of the book underscores the role of community mobilization as a potent instrument of empowerment. The book will be of interest to social scientists, researchers, policy makers, NGOs and the educated public.
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