The puzzle of "democratization from above" -- The strategic logic of local democratization -- Local intermediaries, local democratization, and political party organizations in India -- "Constitutionalizing" local democracy: explaining the 1993 national constitutional amendments -- Intra-party competition and local democracy in the Indian states: a statistical analysis -- Intra-party competition and local governance reform in Kerala and Tamil Nadu -- Local politicians as intermediaries: the effect of village-level politicians on state-level elections -- The logic of local democratization across the developing world -- Implications of "democratization from above."