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Synopsis Bringing together the essence of Beteille's ideas and writing, this collection of 19 essays has been specially selected and introduced by Dipankar Gupta. The book is divided into five sections, each of which is devoted to Professor Beteille's varied intellectual interests. The essays range from the significance of the comparative method, to ideas of equality and inequality, and finally to issues regarding civil society and institutional well-being. In each instance, Beteille's characteristic signature of blending theory to Indian reality is clearly evident. It is because of his erudition that he is, unarguably, one of the most quoted scholars on India. This collection is also evidence that Beteille's political positions are the result of deep intellectual scrutiny--which is why Utopian visions are unappealing to him. His ability to utilize his academic prowess to comment on popular contemporary issues makes Beteille a happy anti-Utopian, for he envisions progress and is ever hopeful.