Contributor(s): Chris Gilson, Professor Mukulika Banerjee | Description:

In February 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to spoke to Mukulika Banerjee, Professor in LSE’s Department of Anthropology. They spoke about using anthropology to better study politics, how the US might be turning into what she terms a “checklist democracy” and how seeing the US from an outside point of view might help Americans to understand their own politics better.

Professor Mukulika Banerjee was inaugural director of the LSE South Asia Centre. Her books include Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India, Why India Votes?, The Pathan Unarmed and The Sari (with Daniel Miller); and the series Exploring the Political in South Asia.

This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Luke Digweed.

 

Further reading and resources

Donald Trump’s election victory shows how the US is becoming a ‘checklist’ democracy – LSE USAPP blog – 6 November 2024 - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2024/11/06/donald-trumps-election-victory-shows-how-the-us-is-becoming-a-checklist-democracy/

Listen to and watch recordings of Professor Banerjee’s 5 March 2025 inaugural lecture, Citizens as cultivars: democratic values in paddy fields and universities - https://www.lse.ac.uk/Events/2025/03/202503051830/Citizens-as-cultivars

Professor Banerjee spoke at the Phelan US Centre event, ‘The 2024 US election: turning point for America?’ on 6 November 2024. Watch the event video and listen to the event podcast - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/about-usapp/email-subscription/

Listen to The India Briefing podcast with Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari [Spotify] - https://open.spotify.com/show/4C3i0GTt101v9DnIqQf6Od