Are political actors still relevant in shaping policy in the interest of domestic socio-economic concerns under conditions of globalization? This book draws attention to the continuing relevance of local politics in influencing public policy, through a study of labour market reforms.
Drawing on evidence from states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal in India, this book shows that despite pressures of policy convergence, labour reforms vary across states, depending on partisan governments, dynamics of interest group negotiations, and party competition.
Using both qualitative and quantitative evidence, the book argues that “who governs” matters for how globalization unfolds in any society and that public policies continue to be nuanced, if not shaped, by politics.

Zaad Mahmood’s research focuses on political economy of reforms, public policy, labour politics, elections and politics in India. He has written the book, Globalisation and Labour reforms: the politics of interest groups and partisan governments that looks at the political variables responsible for policy divergences. His more recent work has been on changing dynamics of collective bargaining and state behaviour in Industrial relations based on the case study of West Bengal, India. He has published number of journal articles in Business and Politics, Industrial Law Journal, Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, Journal of South Asian Development. He is a regular political commentator and panellist on political events in the regional and national news media in India.