Divorce, Democracy, and State Making. Divorce and Democracy: A History of Personal law in Post‐Independence IndiaMarriage Unbound: State Law, Power and Inequality in Contemporary China.

This article reviews two recent monographs on the topic of divorce in India and China. The first book, "Divorce and Democracy" by Saxena, provides a history of personal law in post-independence India, focusing on Hindu, Muslim, and Christian personal law. The second book, "Marriage Unbound" by Ke Li, examines the experiences of migrant women seeking divorce in rural China. Both books highlight the gender inequalities and challenges faced by women in accessing divorce and navigating the legal system. They also explore the ways in which the regulation of marriage and divorce can be used as a tool of state-making and give rise to public debate. [Extracted from the article]