📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Suraj Digrase
Education
Swati Rai Reviews Suruchi Mazumdar’s 2025 Sociology Book on Media Politics
✍️ Doing Sociology
🗓 07 Aug 2026, 11:19 AM
👁 4
Swati Rai has published a critical review of Suruchi Mazumdar’s 2025 book 'Divided Media: Politics and Mediated Movements in India', highlighting its analysis of media influence on political movements.
Swati Rai’s review, published in the academic journal Doing Sociology, examines Suruchi Mazumdar’s 2025 monograph that explores how Indian media shapes and is shaped by political movements. The review notes that Mazumdar argues media outlets are increasingly fragmented, aligning with specific political agendas and thereby influencing public perception and mobilization.
Rai praises the book’s extensive use of case studies from recent elections and protest movements, pointing out how the author demonstrates the reciprocal relationship between media narratives and grassroots activism. She also critiques the limited discussion of digital platforms, suggesting this omission weakens the book’s contemporary relevance.
The review highlights Mazumdar’s methodological rigor, citing her blend of quantitative media analysis with qualitative interviews of journalists and activists. Rai concludes that the book offers a valuable framework for scholars studying media politics, though it could benefit from a deeper exploration of social media’s role.
Overall, Rai’s assessment positions the book as a significant contribution to Indian sociology, providing insights that are useful for academics, policymakers, and media practitioners alike.
Rai praises the book’s extensive use of case studies from recent elections and protest movements, pointing out how the author demonstrates the reciprocal relationship between media narratives and grassroots activism. She also critiques the limited discussion of digital platforms, suggesting this omission weakens the book’s contemporary relevance.
The review highlights Mazumdar’s methodological rigor, citing her blend of quantitative media analysis with qualitative interviews of journalists and activists. Rai concludes that the book offers a valuable framework for scholars studying media politics, though it could benefit from a deeper exploration of social media’s role.
Overall, Rai’s assessment positions the book as a significant contribution to Indian sociology, providing insights that are useful for academics, policymakers, and media practitioners alike.