--- layout: default title: "Platform Capitalism in India" categories: ["Vibodh Parthasarathi", "Books"] description: A 2020 edited volume examining platform capitalism in India through digital businesses, media industries, labour, politics and culture. permalink: /vibodh/platform-capitalism-in-india/ publication_year: 2020 created: 2026-11-04 --- ***Platform Capitalism in India*** is a 2020 edited volume by Adrian Athique and [Vibodh Parthasarathi](/vibodh/), published by Springer International Publishing under the Palgrave Macmillan imprint. Part of the *Global Transformations in Media and Communication Research* series, the book examines the development of digital platforms in India and their implications for media industries, business, labour, politics and culture. It contains an introductory chapter and 14 further chapters arranged into five parts. ## Overview The book examines the growth of digital platforms in India in relation to the country's changing media and communications industries. It considers platforms not only as technological services but also as economic and institutional arrangements that shape the production, distribution and consumption of media, the organisation of work, and interactions between businesses, public institutions and citizens. The chapters cover online video, music streaming, over-the-top (OTT) services, journalism, ride-hailing, Aadhaar, political communication, religion and cultural production. Together, they explore how platform-based systems interact with established industries and social structures. The collection approaches platformisation through different sectors and practices. Its contributors examine the business models and industrial structures associated with digital platforms alongside questions concerning algorithmic governance, inequality, public communication and cultural participation. ## Chapters The book opens with an introduction and is then organised into five parts. ### Introduction **1. "Platform Economy and Platformization"** — Adrian Athique and Vibodh Parthasarathi. The introductory chapter establishes the book's focus on the platform economy and platformisation in India. ### Part I: Platform Capitalism **2. "Digital Emporiums: Evolutionary Pathways to Platform Capitalism"** — Adrian Athique. **3. "The Networked Media Economy and the Indian Gilded Age"** — Scott Fitzgerald. **4. "The Derivative Values of Platform Capitalism"** — Akshaya Kumar. These chapters examine the development of digital marketplaces, India's networked media economy and the economic and political dimensions of platform capitalism. ### Part II: Platform Businesses **5. "Amazon Prime Video: A Platform Ecosphere"** — Ishita Tiwary. **6. "Telecom and Technology Actors Repositioning Music Streaming"** — Christine Ithurbide. **7. "Industrial and Financial Structures of Over-the-Tops (OTTs) in India"** — Philippe Bouquillion. This part considers platform-based business models through online video, music streaming and the industrial and financial organisation of OTT services in India. ### Part III: Platform Workers **8. "Journalistic Practices and Algorithmic Governance"** — M. Shuaib Mohamed Haneef and Aquil Ahmad Khan. **9. "Inequalities in Ride-Hailing Platforms"** — Ravinder Kumar Verma, P. Vigneswara Ilavarasan and Arpan Kumar Kar. These chapters examine platformisation in journalism and inequalities affecting workers and participants in ride-hailing services. ### Part IV: Platform Politics **10. "Aadhaar: Platform over Troubled Waters"** — Pawan Singh. **11. "Political Communication on Social Media Platforms"** — Usha Rodrigues. **12. "Portfolios of Fear and Risk in Platform News"** — Hrishikesh Arvikar. This part explores digital identity infrastructure, political communication on social media and the relationship between platform news, fear and risk. ### Part V: Platform Cultures **13. "Informality in the Time of Platformization"** — Akshaya Kumar. **14. "Notes on the Platformization of Mainstream Hinduism"** — Pradip Thomas. **15. "Capitalist Platforms and Subaltern Creativity"** — Amit Rai. The final part considers platformisation in relation to informal cultural activity, religion and subaltern creativity. ## Significance The volume brings together research on subjects that are often considered separately. Its discussion of digital businesses and media industries sits alongside studies of labour, identity infrastructure, political communication and cultural production. This range makes the book a multidisciplinary contribution to the study of India's changing media and digital economy. Rather than treating platforms solely as consumer technologies, the collection considers their relationship with economic structures, working practices, governance and existing cultural forms. It is relevant to readers interested in media and communication studies, political economy, digital governance, platform labour and cultural studies. ## Publication details - **Title:** *Platform Capitalism in India* - **Editors:** Adrian Athique and Vibodh Parthasarathi - **Publisher:** Springer International Publishing - **Imprint:** Palgrave Macmillan - **Publication year:** 2020 - **Series:** *Global Transformations in Media and Communication Research* - **eBook ISBN:** 978-3-030-44563-8 - **DOI:** [10.1007/978-3-030-44563-8](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44563-8) ## References 1. Springer Nature. [*Platform Capitalism in India*](https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-44563-8). Publisher's book record, including bibliographic details and chapter listings. Accessed 5 November 2026. 2. International Association for Media and Communication Research. [*Platform Capitalism in India*](https://iamcr.org/publications/iamcr-book-series/athique-parthasarathi-2020). Book listing. Accessed 5 November 2026. ## External links - [Publisher's book page](https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-44563-8) at Springer - [Book DOI](https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44563-8)