Contents
Abbreviations vii;
List of Tables viii;
List of Illustrations ix;
Acknowledgments x;
1. Introduction 1;
2. Background 3;
2.1 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 3;
2.2 Samaj Parivartan Shakti Sangathan 5;
2.2.1 Methodology 5 2.2.2 Trade Union 7;
3. Literature Review 8;
3.1 Conceptualising Accountability 9;
3.1.1 Answerability 9;
3.1.2 Enforceability 10;
3.1.3 The Trajectory of Accountability 10;
3.1.3.1 Around the World 10;
3.1.3.2 Accountability in India 11;
3.1.4 Summary 12;
3.2 Conceptualising Power 12;
3.2.1 Stephen Luke’s ‘Conceptual Map of Power’ 13;
3.2.2 Ideological Power 14;
3.3 Locating Power in Accountability 14;
3.3.1 MGNREGA and Power 15;
3.3.2 Social Accountability and Power 16;
3.4 Operationalising Accountability 17;
3.4.1 Information 18;
3.4.1.1 How can Information Translate into Action? 18;
3.4.2 Transparency 19;
3.4.2.1 Linking Transparency and Accountability 20;
3.4.3 Jonathan Fox’s Typology of Power 21;
3.5 Limitations of Accountability Mechanisms within MGNREGA 22;
4. Study Rationale 24;
4.1 Research Gap 24;
4.2 Research Problem 24;
4.3 Research Questions 24;
4.4 Research Objectives 25;
4.5 Policy Relevance 25;
5. Research Methodology 27;
5.1 Overview 27;
5.2 Data Collection 27;
5.2.1 Primary Research 27;
5.2.2 Secondary Research 28;
5.3 Data Analysis 29;
5.3.1 Deconstructing the Data 29;
5.3.2 Conceptual Framework 30;
5.3.2.1 Research Question one 30;
5.3.2.2 Research Question two 31;
5.3.3 Analysing the Data 31;
5.4 Ethical Considerations 32;
5.4.1 Reflexivity and Ethics 32;
5.5 Limitations 33;
6. Findings and Analysis 34;
6.1 Foregrounding SPSS 34;
6.2 Impact of Differing Operationalisations of Accountability 36;
6.2.1 Overview 36;
6.2.2 How do you define accountability? 36;
6.2.2.1 SPSS Members and MGNREGA Workers 36;
6.2.2.2 Implementing Agencies 41;
6.2.2.3 Elected Representatives 43;
6.3 How does the organisation you’re affiliated with practice accountability? 44;
6.3.1 SPSS 45;
6.3.2 Implementing Agencies 46;
6.3.3 Elected Representatives 48;
6.4 Impact of Differing Operationalisations of Accountability on MGNREGA 49;
6.5 Impact of Differing Operationalisations of Accountability on Power-Relations 50;
6.5.1 SPSS and the Gram Panchayat 51;
6.5.2 SPSS and the Government (block and district) 52;
6.5.3 Within SPSS 53;
6.5.3.1 Sociological differences within SPSS 53;
6.5.3.2 Form versus Individual 54;
6.6 Why is it important to examine SPSS? 54;
6.6.1 Policy Relevance 55;
6.6.1.1 Registering as a Trade Union 56;
6.6.1.2 Apprehensions about Formality 57;
6.6.1.3 Scaling up 57;
6.6.1.4 Politics 58;
7 Conclusion 59;
Appendix;
i. Repository of Accountability Definitions 60;
ii. When might information generate citizen action 61;
iii. Reflexivity in Fieldwork: A Personal Account 62;
References 67;
End-Notes 73.