Having contributions by acknowledged experts from within and outside India, this book explores how the law structures identities and access to resources, and how people use it to stake claims about citizenship. Using the particular case of the state of Jharkhand in India, the book raises larger question about colonialism, globalisation, and the rule of law in a post colonial society divided by class ethnicity and gender. The included essays examines rights, laws and policies on land, forests, water, mining, and self-governance, engaging with a wide range of issues—how are notions of customary law used to make political claims; what are the different ways in which personal laws are read by the courts and village councils; and why do people choose not to engage with some sites of law.