Paper short abstract:

This paper tries to explore approaches and frameworks which are relevant to the study of governance and elections in relation to the state and society.

Paper long abstract:

The object of knowledge, in the way it is constructed and approached is dependent on one's training in the particular discipline. As we understand sociology and anthropology have some peculiarities. To classify what is anthropology and sociology, one has to find how certain phenomenon works. Whereas sociology in India especially tries to understand why and how social processes occurs with the help of fieldwork.

This paper is a product of an ethnographic study of three elections in Sonitpur District of Assam, India. Apart from analysing voting pattern and voting behaviour, it explains electoral participation as a form of enacting citizenship. It examines the political significance of electoral voting for immigrant communities. This paper analyses the whole process of elections and tries to bring out certain events which are similar to magic and performance. This paper tries to explore approaches and frameworks which are relevant to the study of governance and elections in relation to the state and society. It explores the possibility of studying governance through the lens of Sociology.