The Kellogg Institute hosted a conference this weekend covering topics on the political and economic situations in India, including child labor and education, ethnicity and politics, and nationalism.

Pratap Mehta of Harvard University reflected on the effect of diversity among the Indian people and their democracy in a discussion "The Civilizational Framework of Indian Democracy".

Mehta commented on the widespread accommodation of the differences in the political system.

"There are conflicts among religious groups, and India tries to accommodate all groups through the sharing of power among political groups in the country," Mehta said.

Mehta also commented on the fact that nationalism is an anomaly in India because of the differences among the country's groups.

"Politics is more about ritual than anything else," he said.

The conference, "India and the Politics of Developing Countries" was held in honor of political scientist Myron Weiner who wrote 13 books and edited countless others on Indian politics. He is credited with opening the understanding of Indian politics is the United States and with being an expert on child labor in developing lands. Participants took ideas from Weiner and expanded and critiqued his ideas.

• University opens new center
  
• Lecture features art accessibility
  
• Conference studies business ethics
  
• Lecture: Indian politics adapts to religious war