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Matching keywords : Tamil Nadu, Politics, Congress, DMK, Elections, AIADMK

On Issues With Covid19 Data And Why Kerala Stands Out In India

Quality of data released by Government having high COVID 19 numbers was analyzed. Parameters considered are timeliness of the publication of daily reports, accessibility of reports, sufficiency of t...

by Viraj Mahesh Vibhute | On 13 May 2020

Bangladesh Goes to the Polls: A Street-side View

An informal but informed Indian professional on assignment in Dhaka sends this engaging commentary on the general elections in Bangladesh.

by Srikanth S | On 05 Jan 2019

Book Review: The Indian Ocean as a Historical Region

Review of 'The Indian Ocean in World History' by Edward A. Alpers, Oxford World History Series. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. 172 pp. Illustrations, maps. $19.95 (paper), ISBN 978-0-19-5337...

by | On 06 Jun 2018

People’s Inquest into Thoothukudi Firings

A coalition of civil society organisations in Tamil Nadu titled, ‘Coordinating Committee for People’s Inquest into Thoothukudi Police Firing’ organised a People’s Inquest (PI) on June 2-3, 2018 at Tho...

by Environment Justice Matters (EJM) | On 05 Jun 2018

Mythili Sivaraman: An Interview

First published in 1999, this video interview of Mythili Sivraman, who was vice president All India Democratic Women's Association, with Gnani, Tamil journalist with English subtitles.Mythily speaks a...

by Gnani Gnani | On 04 Jun 2018

Changing Paradigms in the Solar Industry

At the moment, there are few industries in the world as fast changing as the solar energy industry. The interest and use of solar energy is as old as mankind. However, the modern solar...

by | On 19 Apr 2018

Changing Paradigms in the Solar Industry: A Case Study

At the moment, there are few industries in the world as fast changing as the solar energy industry. The interest and use of solar energy is as old as mankind. However, the modern solar industry truly...

by Françoise Pardos | On 26 Mar 2018

Naga media, the elections and ‘solutions’

Naga newspapers’ unwillingness to engage with the real issues plaguing the state was on display in the recent elections.

by Vikas Kumar | On 24 Mar 2018

Long-term Implications of Humanitarian Responses: The Case of Chennai

Following the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Tamil Nadu lost about 8,000 people and the lives and livelihoods of over 897,000 families were affected. In 2015, Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nad...

by | On 09 Mar 2018

Labour Migration to Kerala: A Study of Tamil Migrant Labourers in Kochi

The study concludes that the migrant labourers get much higher monetary wages than in their native places.

by Surabhi K.S. | On 27 Feb 2018

Education, Patriarchy, Gendering and Resistance: A Case Study of Adolescent Girls at KGBV, Ranipur

The research was important to see how the scheme is seen by the girls at KGBV, how the teachings shape them, and how does power play come to control them.

by Maitreya Jha | On 23 Feb 2018

Divisive Politics in Tamizh Nadu

While the Dravidian movement is surely a necessary counter to historical and even contemporary oppressive politics played by Brahmins and other upper castes, their militant politics and intellectual...

by Shyam Sundar | On 08 Feb 2018

So That a Nuclear Weapon Free World can Come to Be: Putting Nuclear Weapons to Politico-Diplomatic Use

Existing initiatives and proposals for nuclear disarmament, both inter-Governmental and unofficial ones, are appraised vis-a-vis the Indian approach, with a view to identifying possibilities of synerg...

by | On 09 Nov 2017

Women in Politics and the Subject of Reservations

This paper, however, demonstrates that the effective history of thinking about political representation in the form of reservations for women is as old as the women’s movement itself. Feminist enga...

by Mary E. John | On 28 Sep 2017

The Political Historiography of Modern Gujarat

The focus of this paper is on the political history of modern Gujarat, which has been an intriguing one. The paper identifies and discusses in the broad landscape of Gujarat’s politics three notable d...

by Tannen Neil Lincoln | On 14 Sep 2017

Tamil Nadu Migration Survey 2015

Tamil Nadu is the eleventh largest state by area and the sixth most populous state in India with 75 million as per the 2011 census. The state was ranked sixth among the states in India according to th...

by S.Irudaya Rajan | On 06 Sep 2017

“Lasting environmental change requires bottom up and top down approaches”

In an interview with eSocialSciences, Abhishek Narayan, the founder of citizens group Clean Adyar Initiative, opens up on the importance of community involvement in bringing about environmental change...

by Amrit B L S | On 08 Aug 2017

Making Women Count for Peace: Gender, Empowerment and Conflict in South Asia

With a focus on Northeast Indian experiences and a comparative look at Nepal, this project addresses the role of women in local governance and politics, particularly within the context of peace and se...

by Calcutta Group | On 04 Aug 2017

A Situational Theory of Pork Barrel Politics: The Shifting Logic of Discretionary Allocations in India

A rich panel dataset on Indian states is used to propose a situational theory of distributive politics which states that incentives for exclusive targeting of affiliated states in dominant party syst...

by | On 02 Aug 2017

Can Bihar Break the Clientelist Trap? The Political Effects of Programmatic Development Policy

It is widely recognized that politics affects policy-making, but there is little knowledge about how politics can be made more conducive to effective governance. This study reverses the relationship...

by Jonathan Phillips | On 02 Aug 2017

The Emergence of Pacific Urban Villages: Urbanization Trends in the Pacific Islands

The paper narrates that the specific needs of the Pacific in the process of urbanization must be recognized and adequately addressed in the post-2015 development agenda. Key priorities include upgradi...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 May 2017

Banning Slaughter Houses: Not a Hasty Move

The change in guard of Uttar Pradesh has set the stage for a new chapter in UP politics. But will the fulfilling of election promises result in serious negative economic repercussions? The case of t...

by Aritra Chakrabarty | On 04 Apr 2017

Dealing with GST in the Union Budget 2017

Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a harmonized tax regime and it can curb black money through practicing clean "invoices" to redeem input credit. In the Union Budget 2017, central government may announc...

by Lekha Chakraborty | On 23 Jan 2017

Vital Stats: Participation of Members of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (2012-2017)

The Election Commission recently announced the poll schedule for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. In this context, data on the composition of the 16th Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (2012-...

by Jhalak Kakkar | On 10 Jan 2017

Inequalities in Secondary Education: Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan

Secondary education is an important stage in the school education ladder as it equips students with skills important for higher education and the labour market. Besides helping students to choose diff...

by | On 10 Jan 2017

The Plough, Gender Roles, and Corruption

Cross-national empirical studies of corruption commonly find that nations in which women play a greater role in economic and public life suffer less corruption. This finding has been controversial in...

by | On 10 Jan 2017

Amma Deivamanar (Amma became Goddess)

A benevolent dictator but one who sincerely loved the masses. She is unforgivably not a leader who believed in the collectivity of a Party to afford democracy. But she did what was needed. She display...

by Shyam Sundar | On 14 Dec 2016

Strength of Partisan and Candidate Ties in India

This study estimates the impact of incumbency on re-election prospects of parties and candidates in India, between 1977 and 2014, for Lok Sabha elections. Regression discontinuity design is used to es...

by Aditi Singhal | On 05 Dec 2016

Seen but Unheard – A Case-Study of Low-Waged Tamil Migrant Workers in Singapore

Low-waged Tamil migrant workers have long been contributing to Singapore. Despite labouring for three decades and being connected to the existing Tamil diasporic community there, they have been left o...

by | On 24 Nov 2016

Mapping the South-Asian Political Landscape in the Context of Migration

Review on , Partha S. Ghosh’s book, ‘Migrants, Refugees and the Stateless in South-Asia’ ; Sage Publications India, 384 pages

by Aashish Khakha | On 03 Nov 2016

Analysis of the Kerala Assembly Elections, May 2016

This study attempts to understand people’s perceptions and their understanding approaching the 2016 assembly elections and how it influenced the voting pattern and behaviour while exercising their r...

by D Dhanuraj | On 21 Oct 2016

MGNREGS: Political Economy, Local Governance and Asset Creation in South India

MGNREGS, the premier centrally-sponsored national rural livelihood scheme, is one of the most elaborately designed and implemented public workfare programmes in India. While a large number of studi...

by Vinoj Abraham | On 10 Oct 2016

Growth and Distribution: Understanding Developmental Regimes in Indian States

Economic and political processes differ widely across states in India. Some states have seen rapid economic growth and development while others are facing economic stagnation. The differences in outco...

by | On 07 Oct 2016

Why Musahars Vote ?

The most popular imagery that the 16th Lok Sabha election campaign projected was of good governance and development. What does this mean for communities that lie on the margins of body politics? Are...

by Shilp Shikha Singh | On 05 Oct 2016

Water Distress: Cauvery's Muddied Waters

Cauvery has been a source of dispute from two centuries back itself. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was constituted by the government of India in 1990 to adjudicate the inter-state river w...

by Aakriti Singh | On 15 Sep 2016

Encouraging Women to be Entrepreneurs

There are many states in India which have high number of women entrepreneurs. There are states which have many policies to encourage women entrepreneurs.

by Lakshmi Priya | On 30 Aug 2016

Emigration from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

Migration as an engine of development has been accepted by economists across the world and a clear understanding of its details are very essential in order to reap the best benefits of it. The paper e...

by | On 29 Aug 2016

Measuring Polarization in High-Dimensional Data: Method and Application to Congressional Speech

This paper studies trends in the partisanship of Congressional speech from 1873 to 2009. It defines partisanship to be the ease with which an observer could infer a congressperson’s party from a fixed...

by Matthew Gentzkow | On 21 Jul 2016

Child Trafficking in India

Reports of raids in factories and workshops and rescue of children from different cities of the country appear with unfailing regularity. Children from disparate geographical regions: West Bengal, Bih...

by Enakshi Ganguly Thukral | On 20 Jul 2016

Beautiful Minds: The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics

This is that time of the year when the economics fraternity is abuzz with the news of potential winners of the prestigious prize in economics, the Nobel Memorial Prize. This will be the 45th year of a...

by Saibal Ghosh | On 30 Jun 2016

Malnutrition: Unanswered Questions from Attapadi

India claims to have achieved financial growth of 7% but despite this high growth rate, poverty and inequality has also grown exponentially and social security, standard of life, security of labor ha...

by Child Rights and You CRY | On 27 Jun 2016

Campaigns, Digital Media and Mobilization in India

Early research in western contexts finds evidence of online participation leading to political engagement. The paper tests this hypothesis in a non-western campaign context, and discusses India’s comp...

by | On 07 Jun 2016

Surveillance of Chronic Diseases: Challenges and Strategies for India

This paper describes the status, challenges and scope for strengthening surveillance of chronic disease risk factors, morbidities and mortality in India. Surveillance experience of four selected Stat...

by Udaya S. Mishra | On 30 May 2016

Aid and Conflict in Afghanistan

This report examines the international community’s assistance to Afghanistan, with particular focus on U.S. efforts. It assesses the impact of the U.S.-devised counter-insurgency strategy on Afghans’...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

Women and Conflict in Afghanistan

This report assesses the status of women in present-day Afghanistan, including the gains achieved with international support after the U.S.-led intervention in 2001. It examines gaps and challenges to...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

Afghanistan’s Political Transition

This report reviews Afghanistan’s 2014 presidential election and the related political contests. Drawing on interviews in Kabul and the work of researchers in several provinces, this study does not se...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

Political Conflict, Extremism and Criminal Justice in Bangladesh

Political repression is reaching new highs in Bangladesh. The government’s abuse of rule of law institutions for political ends has created an atmosphere of injustice that is increasingly exploited by...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

The Other Side of Indian Demographics: Accelerating Growth in Ageing and its Challenges

A primary survey of older adults was conducted in seven rapidly ageing states including Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala (Alam et al. 2012). This...

by Moneer Alam | On 25 May 2016

Re-inventing the Congress

Congress should have long goals, energy, media strategy, good governance to come back to power.

by T.N. Ninan | On 21 May 2016

Understanding the Elections in Assam (part 2)

Muslim population, and this population may play a large role in the outcome of Assam’s election. In this piece, CPR researchers Bhanu Joshi, Ashish Ranjan, and Neelanjan Sircar examine the complex con...

by Bhanu Joshi | On 20 May 2016

Performing Poriborton

Congress, stormed to power in West Bengal under the simple slogan poriborton (change). In this piece, Bhanu Joshi, Ashish Ranjan, and Neelanjan explore how Mamata went about demonstrating this change...

by Neelanjan Sircar | On 20 May 2016

Puducherry: Analysis of Asset Comparison of Re-contesting MLAs in Puducherry Assembly Elections, 2016

This report provides an analysis of Asset Comparison of Re-contesting MLAs in Puducherry Assembly Elections, 2016

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 19 May 2016

Puducherry: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates

This report provides an analysis of the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the Puducherry Assembly Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 19 May 2016

Kerala: Analysis of Asset Comparison of Re-contesting MLAs in Kerala Assembly Elections, 2016

This report provides an analysis of the assets of the re contesting candidates in the Kerala Assembly Elections

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 19 May 2016

Kerala: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates

This report provides an analysis of the the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the Kerala Assembly Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 19 May 2016

Tamil Nadu: Analysis of Asset Comparison of Re-contesting MLAs in Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections

This report analyses the assets of the candidates re contesting in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 19 May 2016

Tamil Nadu: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates

This report provides an analysis about the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 19 May 2016

Politics, While Young

Attempts to reconstruct a young voters' bloc have been crucial to campaigns around the globe. But caste and class fissures run wide and deep among that demographic, and India's youth might converge mo...

by Anish Nair | On 13 May 2016

Bill for Compulsory Voting

An analysis of electoral data in local elections shows that rural local bodies have had higher turnouts than their urban counterparts in almost all states of India. Data from 2009-13 of city corporati...

by Bhanu Joshi | On 09 May 2016

Faltering UDF, Rising LDF and the Unknown Factor of the Third Front in Kerala Elections 2016

The ruling United Democratic Front's chances of coming back to power in the forthcoming elections in Kerala seem bleak, while a resurgent Left Democratic Front is gearing up to form the government. Ho...

by N Rajendran | On 09 May 2016

Quality Control in Non-Staple Food Markets: Evidence from India

Using original data collected about growers, traders, processors, markets, and village communities, the situation in four states – Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Orissa is compared. The w...

by Marcel Fafchamps | On 06 May 2016

Understanding the Election in Assam (Part 1)

The mainstream narrative on Assam is defined by an excessive focus on linguistic, ethnic, and religious strife, but many of the voters speak of development and economic growth, not social conflict, as...

by | On 05 May 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Asset Comparison of Re-contesting MLAs in West Bengal Assembly Elections, 2016

This report provides analysis of asset comparison of re-contesting MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly Elections

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 04 May 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates in Phase 6

This report provides information about the criminal, financial and other background of the candidates contesting in phase 6 of the West Bengal Assembly Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 04 May 2016

Bofors Redux

Whether it was the Bofors gun in 1986 or Italian helicopters in 2012, a leak or disclosure at the source overseas is like dynamite, and usually impossible to refute.

by T.N. Ninan | On 30 Apr 2016

Political Intolerance in Bengal

Political intolerance is a bigger problem than religious intolerance in West Bengal. How will this affect the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal?

by | On 29 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: State Income Report

This government report provides information about the state income of Tamil Nadu

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 29 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: Health Indicators at a Glance

This report provides data about the health statistics in Tamil Nadu

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 29 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: Fragmented Politics in Tamil Nadu

2014 elections in Tamil Nadu is a point of no return for the Congress much like the 1967 general elections. But consolidation of the OBCs that led to the DMK’s emergence is now over and the fragmentat...

by | On 29 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: Employment Report

This report provides employment statistics in the state of Tamil Nadu.

by Government of Tamil Nadu | On 29 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: Annual Area Employment Market Report for the Year Ended 31st MARCH 2014

Employment market information program play a vital role in assessing manpower surpluses and shortages in the organized public and private sectors. This report is prepared on the basis of quarterly ret...

by | On 29 Apr 2016

Employment Structure and Rural-Urban Migration in a Tamil Nadu Village: Focusing on Differences by Economic Class

Since the mid-1990s, migration of workforces from rural to urban areas has accelerated in south India accompanied by remarkable urban-based economic development. To investigate the nature of such rura...

by Keiko Sato | On 29 Apr 2016

A Survey on Impact of Social Media on Election System

Social media is the primary resource for the information retrieval. Using the text mining field; huge amount of unstructured textual data collected by social media can be converted and displayled as u...

by Nilesh Alone | On 28 Apr 2016

Assam: Analysis of Asset Comparison of Re-contesting MLAs

This report provides an analysis of the assets owned by re contesting MLAs in the Assam Assembly Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

Assam: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates in Phase 2

This report provides information about the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in phase 2 of Assam Assembly Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

Assam: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and Other Details of Candidates

This report provides information about the financial, criminal and other backgrounds about the candidates contesting in phase 1 of the Assam Assembly Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates in Phase 5

This report provides information about the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the phase 5 of the West Bengal Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates in Phase 4

This report provides information about the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the phase 4 of the West Bengal Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates in Phase 3

This report provides information about the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the phase 3 of the West Bengal Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: What Voters Want and How They Rate Government Performance

This report consists the findings of a survey carried out in February 2016 in Tamil Nadu. The purpose of the survey was to find out what voters really want from the Government and how they rate the pe...

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates in Phase 2

This report contains information regarding the financial, criminal and other background of the candidates contesting in the Phase 2 of the West Bengal Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates in Phase 1B

This report provides information regarding the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the phase 1B of the West Bengal Elections.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 28 Apr 2016

West Bengal: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates

This report provides information about the financial, criminal and other backgrounds of the candidates contesting in the phase 1A of the West Bengal Elections.

by | On 27 Apr 2016

Land, Labour and Caste Politics in Rural Tamil Nadu in the 20th Century: Iruvelpattu (1916-2008)

The “Slater” villages of Tamil Nadu that were first surveyed by the University of Madras economist, Gilbert Slater, and his students in 1916, were resurveyed in the 1930s, 1960s and the 1980s. This pa...

by John Harriss | On 27 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: Education Report

Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is an annual, nationwide survey of children's ability to read simple text and do basic arithmetic that would engage ordinary citizens in finding out whether th...

by ASER Centre | On 27 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: Census Report

The Census of India is a very large administrative exercise, possibly the largest such operation in the entire world. In addition to bringing out the population figures, it is the most credible source...

by Census India | On 27 Apr 2016

Tamil Nadu: Monitorable Indicators and Performance

This study aims to provide a mid term appraisal of the Tamil Nadu of the Eleventh Five Year Plan. For this purpose, it reviews the trends in the following state specific monitorable indicators since...

by | On 27 Apr 2016

The Redistributive Effects of Political Reservation for Minorities: Evidence from India

We examine the impact of political reservation for disadvantaged minority groups on poverty. To address the concern that political reservation is endogenous in the relationship between poverty and res...

by Nishith Prakash | On 11 Apr 2016

Inclusive Migration in India: A Study on Domestic Migration and Issues in Electoral Participation

The study compiled information from academic papers, government and non-government reports on the subject of domestic migration, with a specific emphasis on their political inclusion. In order to cond...

by | On 05 Apr 2016

Elections in Four Indian States: A Test for the BJP and Modi

Elections will be held in four States and one Union Territory in April and May 2016. The polls will be a crucial test for the governing Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and a gauge of the populari...

by Ronojoy Sen | On 22 Mar 2016

Living the ‘Absence’ The Rajbanshis of North Bengal

While often it describe the modern era - framed by the Post-Enlightenment narrative - as one marked by an unprecedented concern for identity and identification, it often lose sight of the parallel pro...

by Samir Kumar Das | On 21 Mar 2016

Environmental Policy in a Federation with Special Interest Politics and Inter-governmental Grants

The paper explores the potential effect of intergovernmental grants (IGG) on sub-national (local) environmental policy in a federal structure. In the model, a politically-inclined local government rec...

by Divya Datt | On 15 Mar 2016

Winners and Losers in the Arab Awakening

On January 25, 2012, one year has passed since the protests began on Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Events in the Middle East and North Africa over the past year have altered many previously held beliefs abou...

by | On 14 Mar 2016

Japan: Tax Matters

On Monday September 10 the leader of the party likely to win Japan’s next general election, LDP’s SadakazuTanigaki, threw in the towel in a surprise move. He had repeatedly expressed his intention to...

by | On 14 Mar 2016

Politics of ‘Good Governance’ in Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary Polls

Sri Lanka’s latest parliamentary election, slated for 17 August 2015, is important not only for the political-comeback bid by former President Mahinda Rajapakse but also for the focus on issues of ‘go...

by Ayesha Wijayalath | On 14 Mar 2016

Chief Minister Sayeed’s Death could upset Jammu and Kashmir’s Stability

The death of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has thrown into doubt the stability of the government in this strategically located Indian State. Sayeed’s death has brought into sh...

by Ronojoy Sen | On 14 Mar 2016

India's Shale Gas Boom: Dream or Reality?

As India prepares for the release of its long anticipated shale gas policy, pressure continues to mount on New Delhi. An increase in coal imports over the past 12 months has demonstrated the stress on...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

Biofuel Feedstock Cultivation in India: Implications for Food Security and Rural Livelihoods

Biofuels are acquiring importance due to their potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The two most important biofuels – viz., bioethanol and bio-diesel, are largely considered supplementary t...

by K.S. Kavi Kumar | On 11 Mar 2016

An Analysis of Bangladesh Today: A Prognosis of its Polity

The paper, written in the context of the recent deportation of 27 Bangladeshi workers from Singapore, argues that what is required is a united front, a closing of ranks of the disparate political and...

by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury | On 11 Mar 2016

Investigating Household Preferences for Restoring Pallikaranai Marsh

The study examines households’ willingness to pay for the conservation of Pallinkaranai marsh located in the south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A stated preference method, namely, Contingent Valuation m...

by Suganya Balakumar | On 10 Mar 2016

Female Headed Households And Poverty: Analysis Using Household Level Data

The relationship between gender and poverty is a complex and debatable topic more than ever and thus a potential area for policy makers to focus. The aim of this paper is to review existing literature...

by Sukanya Das | On 10 Mar 2016

Transboundary Pollution as an Issue in Northeast Asian Regional Politics

The paper investigates the political aspects of the coorperation between China, South Korea and Japan to address transboundary pollution in Northeast Asia. Investigating the motivations, modalities an...

by Reinhard Drifte | On 09 Mar 2016

India Budget 2016: Old Economics, New Politics

India’s latest Budget focuses on the rural sector and the economically vulnerable sections and makes large allocations for agriculture and social sector programmes without compromising on fiscal disci...

by Amitendu Palit | On 04 Mar 2016

India and an Indian village: 50 years of economic development in Palanpur

The analysis of the paper begins in the next section by setting out broad economic changes in India as key context for change in Palanpur, with a particular focus on the three drivers set out above; s...

by Himanshu Prof | On 29 Feb 2016

Climate Change and The Agriculture Crisis as a Solution Agroecology

India's policy on agriculture in the context of climate change, is foregrounded by the need to produce enough grain to meet the food requirements of the country. To promote sustainable agriculture, po...

by | On 29 Feb 2016

Food Security and the Threat from Within: Rice Policy Reforms in the Philippines

The forces of globalization, in tandem with realities of domestic natural resources, economics and politics, and the influence of international institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO),...

by | On 26 Feb 2016

Whither Civil Society in Thailand?

Civil activism is looming over the Samak government. Although the Royal Thai army has remained in the barracks since the 2007 elections, they may become restive again. What is the position of civil so...

by | On 26 Feb 2016

Development Policies and Democratic Disruptions: Predicaments of the Marxist Left

This paper argues that development policies operate in Indian democracy at the interstices of two largely different yet interconnected worlds – of technical formulation and political formations. The I...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

Comparative Assessment of Proposals to Amend the Personal Income Tax Law

Proposals to reform the personal income tax has gained prominence in recent months. To date, personal income tax reform is part and parcel of the platform of a number of the candidates in the 2016 pre...

by Rosario G. Manasan | On 25 Feb 2016

Copenhagen: A Missed Opportunity

The failure of the Copenhagen Climate Summit has come as no surprise, and unless major developing countries take a more principled stand for development, future summits can only serve as a stage for m...

by | On 24 Feb 2016

Civil Society from the BRICS: Emerging Roles in the New International Development Landscape

There is a burgeoning literature on the (re)emergence of the BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – as significant actors in international development. To date, however, mos...

by Adele Poskitt | On 23 Feb 2016

Tamil Nadu Interim Budget Speech 2016-2017

Budget speech by the Hon’ble Minister for Finance and Public Works, Government of Tamil Nadu

by O Panneerselvam | On 22 Feb 2016

Discourse on Kashmir: From Territoriality to ‘Enlightened Sovereignty’

The author calls for renewed focus on the idea of ‘soft borders’ between India and Pakistan, with particular reference to Jammu and Kashmir, in the light of a theory of ‘enlightened sovereignty’ that...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

War and Drugs in Afghanistan

The cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan is nothing new. Although the drug economy diversified and became more vertically integrated after the fall of the Taliban, it had already emerged and deep...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

Clashes, Crises and Confusion: Japanese Politics at a Crossroads

The general election in Japan on August 30 resulted in a new coalition government formed by three former opposition parties. Focusing both on the short-term task of compil¬ing the national budget, and...

by | On 09 Feb 2016

Notes on Rohith Vemula and the Movement After

This article offers observations to Gopal Guru’s article which highlights the endemic caste discrimination in places of higher learning in India in the wake of the Rohith Vemula suicide in Hyderabad....

by Anveshi Research Centre for Women's Studies | On 09 Feb 2016

Swings and Roundabouts: A narrative on Water Policy Development in Sri Lanka

This paper deals with the ‘swings and roundabouts’ encountered in water policy development in Sri Lanka. In recent decades, policy reforms for water resource management nationally-demanded but designe...

by Rajindra Ariyabandu | On 01 Feb 2016

Sri Lanka’s North : The Denial of Minority Rights

Deepening militarisation and the lack of accountable governance in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province are preventing a return to normal life and threaten future violence. Scene of the most bitter fighting...

by International Crisis Group | On 01 Feb 2016

Founding of IWMI In Sri Lanka

The parliamentary general elections in 1977 was a watershed in the political landscape of Sri Lanka. The government that came into power mid-year sought a more liberalized and open economy, and hence...

by Nanda Abeywickrama | On 30 Jan 2016

Pigs on Two Feet

Is it a tit for tat play going on here between Congress and BJP?

by T.N. Ninan | On 30 Jan 2016

Elite Politics and Dissent in Sri Lanka

The year 2015 has been dramatic for politics in Sri Lanka. A Presidential, as well as a General, Election within the first eight months of the year saw the country having a new President and a new gov...

by | On 29 Jan 2016

Strengthening Public Health in Urban India: The Role of National Urban Health Mission

This note highlights the role of population-based public health; both in preventing disease outbreaks and managing those outbreaks whenever they occur. While its importance is well recognised in devel...

by Monica Das Gupta | On 28 Jan 2016

Focus on Children Under Six

This report is the outcome of a collective effort to bring children under six closer to the centre of attention in public debates and democratic politics. The report builds on a field survey of the In...

by | On 27 Jan 2016

Government Intervention and Prices of Medicines: Lessons from Tamil Nadu

This paper looks at the approach adopted by the government of Tamil Nadu where drug procurement and supply is done through an autonomous agency. The paper emphasises the need for such goverment interv...

by N. Lalitha | On 26 Jan 2016

East Asia in 2015

The future political landscape of Asia-Pacific would largely be decided, arguably, by happenings in the East Asian region. It is so because in East Asia, the interests of three important players of wo...

by Sandip Kumar Mishra | On 23 Jan 2016

Pakistan: In the Cusp of Changes, Meeting Challenges

While the Pakistani military and civilian leaders, so often the opposing forces, now seem inclined for cohabitation at the highest echelons of power, the country’s latest move towards a ‘comprehensive...

by | On 23 Jan 2016

Climate Change and Cities

This paper is a study of climate change discourse in urban India. It suggests that the policies being articulated to deal with climate issues are premised on incremental changes rather than radical re...

by Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay | On 21 Jan 2016

Women Workers and the Politics of Claims-Making in a Globalizing Economy

The paper analyses the evolving politics of claims-making by women workers in the Global South in the context of a globalized economy. It addresses the following questions. What kinds of claims are pr...

by | On 19 Jan 2016

Conducting Elections in the World’s Largest Plural Society

The paper discusses the need to have elections completely free of crime, and abuse of money, based on a perfect electoral roll, and with full voter participation.

by S. Y. Quraishi | On 19 Jan 2016

Whose Side Are You On? Identifying The Distributive Preferences of Local Politicians in India

The literature on decentralized public programs suggests that errors in the targeting of anti-poverty programs are rooted in the capture of these programs by local elites or local politicians. Consist...

by Mark Schneider | On 18 Jan 2016

From Congress-System to Non-hegemonic Multi-party Competition: Politics in Maharashtra

The paper reviews the changing nature of politics in the state of Maharashtra – an important subnational state in India. Politics in the state underwent a shift in 1978 and later again in 1990s. The p...

by | On 18 Jan 2016

New ‘Oil Shock’ – Impact on South Asia

In the 1970s, the oil-producing and exporting countries of the Middle East delivered a shock to the global economic system that had many unexpected consequences. The then-quadrupling of the price of o...

by Shahid Javed Burki | On 09 Jan 2016

Rural Tamil Nadu in the Liberalisation Era: What Do We Learn from Village Studies?

In this paper, the aim is to survey the findings of village studies that have been accomplished over the last two decades the era of economic liberalisation in India together with those of larger-scal...

by J. Jeyaranjan | On 09 Jan 2016

Suicide Bombings in Afghanistan

The findings of this research paper on suicide bombings largely discredit the commonly-held view that the personalities of the insurgent suicide bombers and their religion are the principal causes of...

by Riaz Hassan | On 09 Jan 2016

Conflict through a Gender Lens

This brief suggests that those seeking an in-depth understanding of the social and political world need to apply a feminist curiosity – that is, a curiosity about the roles gender plays at all levels...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

State Building, Political Progress, and Human Security in Afghanistan

Based on the Asia Foundation’s , "Afghanistan in 2006: A Survey of the Afghan People." , the papers in this volume analyze survey data on the opinions and perceptions of Afghans towards government, pu...

by | On 02 Jan 2016

Enhancing Youth Political Participation throughout the Electoral Cycle

This guide identifies key entry points for the inclusion of young people in political and electoral processes and compiles good practice examples of mechanisms for youth political empowerment around t...

by United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] | On 23 Dec 2015

Asymmetric Influence in Global Banking Regulation

Global regulatory standard setting is one of the most lucrative battlefields of the international political economy. Asymmetric influence and regulatory capture in setting such standards can undermine...

by Roman Goldbach | On 23 Dec 2015

Post Harvest Profile of Banana: 2015

Banana (Musa sapientum) is an important fruit crop in India. Bananas are grown in more than 150 countries, producing 105 million tonnes of fruit per year. The global production of banana is around 102...

by Agricultural Marketing | On 22 Dec 2015

Indo-French Defence Cooperation - Friends in Need or Friends Indeed?

This paper aims at understanding the reasons behind the institutionalization of Indo-French defence cooperation after 1998, and at assessing the future prospects for this collaboration. By retracing i...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Cricket and Indian National Consciousness

It is recognized that there are close links between sport and politics, and in particular between sport and national consciousness. The Olympic Games and the football, rugby and cricket World Cups hav...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Shia and Iranian Ascendance: Sunni and American Perceptions

The primary aim of this paper, however, is not to account for the historical/political rise of Shiaism or of Iran, or even debate the existence of the so-called ‘Shia Crescent,’ but to examine instead...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

National Refugee Law for India: Benefits and Roadblocks

This paper intends to ascertain whether a uniform national law would be beneficial to the interests of the three main parties involved with refugee policy in India, namely the Government of India, the...

by Arjun Nair | On 22 Dec 2015

The Politics of Climate Change in India: Narratives of Equity and Co-benefits

India occupies an intriguing dual position in global climate politics – a poor and developing economy with low levels of historical and per capita emissions, and a large and rapidly growing economy wi...

by Navroz Dubash | On 21 Dec 2015

The High and Low Politics of Trade

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is in trouble. Its negotiating mechanism has mostly seized up, as reflected in the failure to conclude the long-running Doha Round. No obvious solution to this conun...

by | On 21 Dec 2015

Pakistan: Politics, Religion & Extremism

The study attempts to investigate whether it is relative deprivation as Ted Gurr suggests or the element of fear that pushed the Muslim majority Pakistan into a cycle of religious violence due to the...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

Sri Lanka: Rising Sectarian Schism

Sri Lanka, home to a plethora of ethnically diverse communities, saw horrific communal bloodshed in July 1983. Over three decades down the line, history seems to be repeating itself as hordes of Budd...

by Chaarvi Modi | On 17 Dec 2015

Progress of the World’s Women 2008/2009: Who Answers to Women?

The “Progress of the World's Women 2008/2009: Who Answers to Women?” demonstrates that one of the most powerful constraints on realizing women's rights and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (...

by | On 07 Dec 2015

The Global Gender Gap Report 2015

The Global Gender Gap Report quantifies the magnitude of gender based disparities and tracks their progress over time. While no single measure can capture the complete situation, the Global Gender Gap...

by World Economic Forum [WEF] | On 24 Nov 2015

Terrorism and Security in Asia: Redefining Regional Order?

While a good deal has been written and said about the threat posed by terrorism in Southeast Asia, there has been little work analyzing the impact of terrorism and the war on terror on Asian regional...

by Amitav Acharya | On 22 Nov 2015

Why can't an Academic deliver a Lecture on Secularism without Police Protection? - Romila Thapar

At Pratirodh, the Writers' Convention organised on 1 October 2015, Romila Thapar began with an anecdotal account of her recent lecture on secularism in Mumbai, a lecture for which she was advised to t...

by Romila Thapar | On 18 Nov 2015

Irfan Habib on Unscientific Approach Towards History and Losing Space of Dissent

Irfan Habib spoke at the writer's convention, Pratirodh, held at Mavlankar Hall on the 1st of November, in solidarity with writers who have returned their awards protesting the loss of a liberal space...

by | On 18 Nov 2015

The Sunday Edit: Bringing Back Beef

Beef bans and intolerance of the diversity that abounds in this country are clearly not the way to win elections.

by Ravi Duggal | On 15 Nov 2015

Now Focus on the Economy

What the government should is to concentrate on economic issues with diversionary issues being put back in the cupboard.

by T.N. Ninan | On 07 Nov 2015

Indian Society and the Secular: Public Lecture in Memory of Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer

In this lecture, the author discusses the concept of Indian secularism. She suggests that the concept of secularism went beyond politics. The lecture discusses on three aspects of what is involved in...

by Romila Thapar | On 28 Oct 2015

The Climate Summits: Only Pledges and No Reviews

This interview is with D Raghunandan of Delhi Science Forum on India’s pledge regarding climate changes negotiations in Paris. The pledge was recently revealed in the documents presented by Prakash J...

by D Raghunandan | On 20 Oct 2015

The Battle for Bihar

While the politics of caste and personalities do seem to be relevant to the elections to the Legislative Assembly in the eastern Indian State of Bihar, with the multi-phase polls beginning on 12 Octob...

by | On 19 Oct 2015

Measuring Poverty

The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted in 2000 a set of “Millennium Development Goals” the first of which is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, more specifically to “reduce by half,...

by Angus Deaton | On 13 Oct 2015

Bihar Ten Years of Election Watch: Comprehensive Reports on Elections, Crime and Money

Ten years of election watch in Bihar.

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 12 Oct 2015

The Sunday Edit: History, Politics and Science: Temerity of Archaeology

The echoes of the execution of the Syrian archaeologist, Khaled al-Assad by ISIS for trying to protect the antiquities at Palmyra, and the attempts to brutally erase intellectual inquiry, are to be he...

by Anuradha Kumar | On 11 Oct 2015

Strategies for Safe Motherhood in Tamil Nadu: A Note

While most states in India are grappling with the problem of high MMR, states such as Tamil Nadu have managed to reduce MMR levels to 79 deaths per 100,000 live births (SRS 2011–13). This review also...

by William Joe | On 06 Oct 2015

Public Good Provision in Indian Rural Areas: The Returns to Collective Action by Microfinance Groups

Self-help groups (SHGs) are the most common form of microfinance in India. The authors provide evidence that SHGs, composed of women only, undertake collective actions for the provision of public good...

by | On 01 Oct 2015

Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture – Implications for Food Production in Tamil Nadu, India

Policy makers in India need to pay careful attention to the potential impacts of climate change on food production. Research in Tamil Nadu suggests that rice and sorghum yields are likely to decline b...

by V. Saravanakumar | On 30 Sep 2015

Ground Water and Farm Incomes at Risk from Climate Change in Tamil Nadu, India

Research from South India suggests that climate change will affect ground water availability with serious and negative implications for agriculture. Any increase in temperature above a threshold of ...

by R. Balasubramanian | On 30 Sep 2015

Surviving in Bihar

Can election change the condition of Bihar? At least improving the transport facilities....

by T.N. Ninan | On 26 Sep 2015

Impact of Climate Change on Yield of Major Food Crops in Tamil Nadu, India

This study uses panel data for 39 years and 13 districts to estimate the yield sensitivity of major food crops to climate change in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It first estimated the margina...

by V. Saravanakumar | On 25 Sep 2015

Climate Sensitivity of Groundwater Systems Critical for Agricultural Incomes in South India

This study examines the implications of variations in climate variables on ground water sources of irrigation and agricultural income in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Our findings, based on a panel...

by Balasubramanian R | On 24 Sep 2015

The Troubled Democracy of Bangladesh: ‘Muddling Through’ or ‘a Political Settlement’?

Is democracy in Bangladesh on a reverse course? Is there a culture of intolerance being engendered by deliberate design? Will creeping extremisms create an inevitable schism within the nation? The pap...

by | On 23 Sep 2015

Book Review: Gender, Ideology and Conflict

Review of Women in Terrorism: Case of the LTTE by Tamara Herath. Sage Publications 2015. pp. 264. Rs. 533/- ISBN-13: 978-8132106951.

by Ilina Sen | On 21 Sep 2015

Political and Economic Analysis of State Business Relations in Andhra Pradesh: Impact on the Performance of Manufacturing Sector

The central objective of this paper is to enquire into the politics of the government and business relation and how it affected the industrial development in Andhra Pradesh.

by Alivelu G | On 17 Sep 2015

Women's Participation in the History of Ideas and Reconstruction of Knowledge

"The problems of knowledge are central to feminist theorizing which has sought to destabilize androcentric, mainstream thinking in the humanities and in the social and natural sciences". The feminist...

by | On 14 Sep 2015

Developing Regional Value Chains in South Asian Leather Clusters: Issues, Options and an Indian Case

The possibility of developing regional production networks in specific sectors between nations of South Asia has been explored in this paper. The case of the leather and leather goods cluster in T...

by Keshab Das | On 11 Sep 2015

Youth and Politics in India - II

This paper aims to uncover the features that make India’s youth politics so distinct from other forms of politics within the country, the kinds of politics young people participate in, and the kinds o...

by Rahul Advani | On 10 Sep 2015

Youth and Politics in India - I

This paper spells out the ways in which, and the reasons why, young people in India today engage in politics. An answer to this research question is attempted by first locating the politics of youth w...

by | On 10 Sep 2015

The School Feeding Programme in India

This paper provides a descriptive summary of India’s experience with school feeding programmes (SFPs), focussing mainly on the period since 1995, the year that saw the launch of a national initiative...

by M S Swaminathan Research Foundation India | On 08 Sep 2015

Street Politics

Will the changes in the names of places and streets be accepted? How should they be named?

by T.N. Ninan | On 05 Sep 2015

Indian Society and the Secular: 5th Asghar Ali Engineer Memorial Lecture

In this lecture, the author discusses the concept of Indian secularism. She suggests that the concept of secularism went beyond politics and none of the mainstream political parties adhered to it, and...

by Romila Thapar | On 31 Aug 2015

MP Participation in the First Year of the 16th Lok Sabha

Monsoon Session 2015 marks the end of the first year of the 16th Lok Sabha. This note looks at the participation of MPs in both Houses of Parliament over the last year. Participation in debates includ...

by Kusum Malik | On 25 Aug 2015

The Politics of Sustaining Inclusive Growth and Social Inclusion

This working paper records the findings of the project and discusses the key principles that underpin the Danish and Finnish welfare states. The paper reflects on the critical issues that must be cons...

by Valerie Koh | On 11 Aug 2015

Impact of Trilemma Indicators on Macroeconomic Policy: Does Central Bank Independence Matter?

For a sample of 42 high and middle income countries analyzed over a period of 30 years ranging from 1982 till 2011, this paper shows that while an efficient trilemma policy choice can help lower inf...

by | On 31 Jul 2015

Cotton’s Forgotten Children: Child Labour and Below Minimum Wages in Hybrid Cottonseed Production in India

Data for 2014-15 shows that children under 14 years still account for nearly 25% of the total workforce in cottonseed farms in India. In 2014-15, a total of around 200,000 children below 14 years were...

by Davuluri Venkateswarlu | On 30 Jul 2015

Cyclone Aila and the Sundarbans: An Enquiry into the Disaster and Politics of Aid and Relief

This paper explores the politics and problems of the governmentality of aid and relief in context of the disastrous effect of cyclone Aila on the Sundarbans and nearby areas. The author through narrat...

by Amites Mukhopadhyay | On 17 Jul 2015

Is Imperialism a Relevant Concept in Today’s World?

This paper explores some aspects of the imperialism/empire/new imperialism debate and looks at whether imperialism remains to be a valid theoretical category in analyzing contemporary economics and po...

by Subhanil Chowdhury | On 02 Jul 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Department of Environment of Tamil Nadu Government

The Department of Environment aims to improve the quality of the environment and nurture the cultural heritage of the State which is an essential ingredient of the Vision Tamil Nadu 2023 document. Sev...

by | On 15 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Forest Department of Tamil Nadu Government

Forest policy aims at ensuring environmental stability and maintaining the ecological balance, which help in sustenance of all life forms. One of the principal goals is to bring one-third of the land...

by | On 15 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Health Department of Tamil Nadu Government

Tamil Nadu has emerged as a model State in India in providing health care services. The Health and Family Welfare Department aims to Provide health care facilities to the people of Tamil Nadu by quali...

by | On 12 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Agriculture Department of Tamil Nadu Government

Agriculture sector covers largest segment of livelihood and plays a significant role in the overall socioeconomic fabric of the nation.Tamil Nadu, through the Second Green Revolution, has initiated ma...

by | On 12 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Labour and Employment Department of Tamil Nadu Government

The labour policy of the Government seeks the overall growth and development of the industry and the individual worker who equally contributes to the success of the industry. Labour management relatio...

by | On 12 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Industries Department of Tamil Nadu Government

This policy note emphasis on the growth and development of industries. The note aims to give an impetus to industrial development and to create an Industry - friendly environment to enable the State t...

by | On 12 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme Department of Tamil Nadu Government

The Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu has always ensured the welfare of the underprivileged sections of the society like destitute women, orphaned...

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 11 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department of Tamil Nadu Government

The prime objective of this Government is accelerated growth and sustainable development of Adi Dravidar and Tribal population in Tamil Nadu. It also aims to ensure socio-economic and educational deve...

by | On 10 Jun 2015

Policy Note 2014–2015 on Housing and Urban Development Department of Tamil Nadu Government

The Department of Housing and Urban Development works with dedication to implement the schemes prescribed in "Vision 2023", provide developed infrastructure, create self-sufficient urban life, encour...

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 10 Jun 2015

Policy Note on Transport Department of Tamil Nadu Government

This Policy note gives an account of organization structure, functions, functionaries financial and physical performance of the department. The document aims to provide safe, reliable, affordable and...

by V. Senthilbalaji | On 10 Jun 2015

Archiving the Nation-State in Feminist Praxis: A South Asian Perspective

This essay mainly examines the relationship between feminism and nationalism as a point from which it looks at South Asian feminist scholarship. The historical circumstances in their respective countr...

by Uma Chakravarti | On 08 Jun 2015

Youth, Social Change and Politics in India Today: An Introduction to the Delhi Studies

Events in many parts of the world over the last decade – starting with protests in Greece in December 2008, following the death of a young student at the hands of the police, and continuing through th...

by | On 05 Jun 2015

Nepal's Continuing Quest for Federalism and Peace

Nepal is currently experiencing perhaps one of the most turbulent phases in its contemporary political history. In 2008, the 240-year-old institution of monarchy—for long seen as a symbol of unity, in...

by Akanshya Shah | On 05 Jun 2015

The Dance of the Elephant and the Dragon: The Promise and Perils of Sino-Indian Relations

India and China, two of the world's oldest civilisations, have had little historically relevant interactions with one other. Separated by the world's highest mountain range, the Himalayas, neither of...

by Himanil Raina | On 04 Jun 2015

State of Indian Farmers: A Report

The present study is based on primary survey across 18 states of India by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi conducted between December 2013 and January 2014. The survey wa...

by | On 18 May 2015

Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department: Policy Note

The policy aims to promote and develop sports activities and to formulate and implement plans for the promotion of sports and improvement of standards of sports and games in the State of Tamil Nadu....

by | On 12 May 2015

Why Democracy Struggles: Thailand’s Elite Coup Culture

Since the revolution of 1932 that ended absolute monarchy, Thailand has experienced sporadic military interventions, with 19 coups and coup attempts over those decades. This article explains these mil...

by | On 27 Apr 2015

National Agroforestry Policy - 2014

The National Agroforestry Policy, which deals with the practice of integrating trees, crops and livestock on the same plot of land, was launched February 10, the first day of the World Congress on Agr...

by | On 21 Apr 2015

International Perspectives on Network Neutrality

This issue of Global Media Journal - Canadian Edition spotlights international perspectives on network neutrality focusing on the politics, policies and practices of network management. Contents - Int...

by | On 15 Apr 2015

Two Decades of Indian Microfinance: Trajectory and Transformation

This paper critically reviews the major trends in the trajectory of evolution of Indian microfinance since the early 1990s. The debates on Indian microfinance reflect the myriad imaginations and perc...

by | On 31 Mar 2015

Making Democracy Work: Culture, Social Capital and Elections in China

This paper aims to show that culture is an important determinant of the effectiveness of formal democratic institutions, such as elections. It is found that social capital complements democratic insti...

by Gerard Padro -i-Miquel | On 23 Mar 2015

Youth and Democratic Citizenship in East and South-East Asia

This report addresses East and South-East Asian youth’s sense of involvement and empowerment as democratic citizens, their assessments of institutions and quality of governance, and how they particip...

by United Nations Development Programme UNDP | On 10 Mar 2015

Politics, Paisa or Priorities: Where Would Children Fit into the 2015-16 Union Budget?

It is a well-known fact that children are not getting much attention in the Union Budgets. There are some schemes by the government for children. Many of them are not properly implemented or lack fund...

by Bharti Ali | On 25 Feb 2015

Real Pride of Ancient Indian Science

Do we really have the time to waste on controversies like what ancient India did or did not achieve by way of scientific discoveries? This is when there is the huge unfinished agenda to use the best o...

by Sunita Narain | On 03 Feb 2015

Presidential Stakes and Sri Lanka's future

Across the great Eurasian plate these days, one can find leaders dispensing with truly competitive politics. But traverse the Himalayas to South Asia and the climate is different: Democracy is on a w...

by Chandrani Sharma | On 13 Jan 2015

Militancy and Identity Politics in Assam

With the state getting tougher and the public turning against them, the militants in Assam are clearly on the defensive today. Militancy in Assam is not a mere law and order problem but a reflection o...

by | On 29 Dec 2014

Student Politics: A Game-Theoretic Exploration

The student parties on campus are essentially student wings of larger national parties, which command huge amounts of resources that are used during elections, often instigating conflict and violenc...

by Soumyanetra Munshi | On 01 Dec 2014

Violence against Women in Politics A study conducted in India, Nepal and Pakistan

This study addresses the nature, extent and reasons for women’s political participation within India, Nepal and Pakistan. All three countries have recently elected or are in the process of electing th...

by Ranjana Kumari | On 27 Nov 2014

Efficiency in Healthcare Delivery: Performance of Public Services

This paper focusses on the current health profile of the state of Maharashtra, and its performance as against other growth driven states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Using parameters such as birth rat...

by Manisha Karne | On 21 Nov 2014

Analysis of Criminal and Financial Details of Candidates and MLAs from Jharkhand: Based on 2009 Assembly Elections

Jharkhand Assembly elections 2009 were held in five phases from November 16, 2009 to December 13, 2009. This report includes the analysis of voting trends, criminalization, money power, gender etc in...

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 05 Nov 2014

The Global Gender Gap Report 2014

Through the Global Gender Gap Report 2014, the World Economic Forum quantifies the magnitude of gender-based disparities and tracks their progress over time. While no single measure can capture the co...

by World Economic Forum WEF | On 29 Oct 2014

Four Changes to Trade Rules to Facilitate Climate Change Action

The tension between trade and climate change has arisen in part because of the assumption that climate change action (e.g., carbon price increases) can be taken as a given. The question that many pape...

by Aaditya Mattoo | On 20 Oct 2014

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2014: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Candidates

Maharashtra Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 2336 candidates out of 4119 candidates who are contesting in the Maharashtra Assemb...

by Association for Democratic Reforms ADR | On 14 Oct 2014

The 100 Laws Project: Compendium of Laws to be Repealed

100 laws are identified which can be repealed. The laws in this compendium need to be repealed on account of any one of three reasons: they are either redundant (having outlived their purpose), they...

by Centre for Civil Society CCS | On 08 Oct 2014

Genesis and Evaluaton Political Parties in India

In the last two decades, there has been a substantial change both in the nature of politics in India as well as in nature of relationship between the state and the society. One of the very important m...

by Satri Kesalu | On 29 Sep 2014

Abolishing Indonesia’s Direct Local Elections: Missing the Forest for the Trees?

The Indonesian House of Representatives is due to pass a bill ending direct elections of local leaders, leaving the selection process to legislators in regional parliaments. Is such a move missing the...

by Jonathan Chen | On 25 Sep 2014

Worker’s Rights and Practices in the Contemporary Scenario: An Overview

This book offers a careful summary of the rights and practices of work in the Indian labour market. In specific, it deals with rights deficiency of workers in different sectors especially on agricultu...

by V.V. Giri Labour Institute | On 19 Sep 2014

Civil Society, Indian Elections and Democracy Today

Civil society in Independent India has perhaps never been as active as it is today, except in the years before and during the emergency. The author explores the role it has played in strengthening and...

by Trilochan Sastry | On 18 Sep 2014

If Only Cities Can See Wetlands

Sixty people died in a building collapse in Chennai last fortnight. There is much more than the municipal incompetence that needs to be fixed to avoid such tragic incidents. This building was located...

by Sunita Narain | On 24 Jul 2014

If only cities

Wetlands are rarely recorded under municipal land laws, so nobody knows about them. Planners see only land, not water and greedy builders take over. It is due to this oversight that buildings are plan...

by Sunita Narain | On 24 Jul 2014

Gender Quotas and Female Leadership: A Review

Despite significant advances in education and political participation, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions in politics and business across the globe. In many countries, policy-ma...

by Rohini Pande | On 07 Jul 2014

Why India Needs the Women’s Reservation Bill

Nine out of ten parliamentarians in India are men. Such dismal figures reveal the lasting grip of unfavourable social norms. Women’s disadvantage on a complex set of social and economic factors effect...

by Lucy Dubochet | On 17 Jun 2014

Young Leaders in the Parliament - Know your MP

The 2014 General Elections has marked its place in election history- one is the margin of victory witnessed which was the largest in the history of Indian democracy. The second factor unique this time...

by IRIS Knowledge Foundation IKF | On 06 Jun 2014

Position Paper on Education Post-2015

This position paper identifies that there is a strong need for a new and forward-looking education agenda that completes unfinished business while going beyond the current goals in terms of depth and...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 16 May 2014

Developing Democracies in Southeast Asia:Theorizing the Role of Parties and Elections 1 Forthcoming in Southeast Asia and Political Science: Theory, Region, and Method

Political parties and elections lie at the center of modern democratic politics. Elections function as the chief means of holding leaders accountable for their actions in democratic societies. Politic...

by Erik Kuhonta | On 28 Apr 2014

How to win an Afghan Election

Afghanistan is currently in its second round of presidential and provincial council elections since 2001. In these elections most attention by international observers and analysts is being paid to que...

by Martine Bijlert | On 21 Apr 2014

National Refugee Law in India: Benefits and Roadblocks

India’s status as a preferred refugee haven is confirmed by the steady flow of refugees from many of its subcontinental neighbours as also from elsewhere. India continues to receive them despite its o...

by Arjun Nair | On 17 Apr 2014

Issues of Exclusion and Inclusion in Decentralized Local Governance Institutions in India

This paper proposes to explore “the issues of exclusion and inclusion in decentralized local governance institutions in India”. It also tries to explore how the marginalized groups are excluded in the...

by Dr. Dasarathi Bhuyan | On 14 Apr 2014

Politics and Public Policies: Politics of Human Development in Uttar Pradesh, India

In India, public policies for human development are politically contested for many reasons like diverse political interests, commitment to specific social bases by political regimes etc. They have r...

by Shyam Singh | On 10 Apr 2014

Elections 2014: What Do the Manifestos of Political Parties Promise Children?

A quick look at the manifestos of the five national political parties, Indian National Congress (INC), Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Aam Admi Party (AAP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) and S...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 10 Apr 2014

Indian Youth and Electoral Politics - An Emerging Engagement

Review of the book 'Indian Youth and Electoral Politics - An Emerging Engagement' edited by Sanjay Kumar; Fellow at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS); April 2014; pp 180; Rs 450.

by Nandini Bhattacharya | On 07 Apr 2014

Lok Sabha Elections, 2014: Fascism, Democracy’s Challenges and Role of Citizens

PUCL through this statement, wishes to bring to the attention of the people of India, the serious threat to democracy itself and the human rights challenges posed by the electoral alliances and cal...

by People's Union of Civil Liberties PUCL | On 03 Apr 2014

Decentralised Forest Governance, Institutions and Livelihoods in Odisha: A Study of Evolution of Policy Process and Politics

This paper aims to provide an analytical glimpse of the evolution of forest policies in Odisha in the post-independence era, by unraveling the major stages of evolution of such policies. The paper a...

by Bishnu Prasad Mohapatra | On 02 Apr 2014

Social Mobility of Caste and Tribes in India

Explains how the social difference between the caste system and different tribes was contained even through the caste system was officially abolished. Presents a general model of social mobility based...

by Panizza Philipp | On 28 Feb 2014

Land, Politics, Work and Home-Life at Adimalathura: Towards a Local History

This paper focuses on the fishing hamlet of Adimalathura located on the coast of the Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala, which has been identified as an area of extreme developmental disadvantage...

by J. Devika | On 11 Feb 2014

Land, Politics, Work and Home-Life in a City Slum: Reconstructing History from Oral Narratives

This paper is a limited attempt at sketching the history of a prominent slum in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, using mainly the memories of residents collected as oral narratives. [CDS Working pape...

by J Devika | On 07 Feb 2014

Women and the RSS

Bound together by fraternal ties, the RSS and the various members of the Parivar share all pervasive ideas of ‘female virtue’ and the ideal of ‘Hindu family’ that serves to push aside a more comprehe...

by Namrata Ganneri | On 25 Jan 2014

The Road Ahead for Aam Aadmi Party

This paper seeks insight into the road-map followed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) till date and in the coming future. There were very few who had foreseen the stunning debut of the Aam Aadmi Party (AA...

by Ronojoy Sen | On 22 Jan 2014

Bangladesh at a Crossroads: A Political Prognosis

Bangladesh is in the cusp of great changes. At this point in time it is standing at a crossroads. This is when its friends and its responsible citizenry must help point towards the right direction: on...

by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury | On 22 Jan 2014

Youth and Politics in India-II

This paper aims to uncover the features that make India’s youth politics so distinct from other forms of politics within the country, the kinds of politics young people participate in, and the kinds o...

by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury | On 22 Jan 2014

Youth and Politics in India-I

This paper spells out the ways in which, and the reasons why, young people in India today engage in politics. An answer to this research question is attempted by first locating the politics of youth w...

by Rahul Advani | On 22 Jan 2014

What is Driving the Indian Middle Class Towards Electoral Politics? Evidence from Delhi

Using the case of Delhi and drawing on examples from other metropolitan cities, this paper attempts to understand the factors that have led to the rise of middle class neighborhood associations an...

by Poulomi Chakrabarti | On 16 Jan 2014

The Return of the Prodigy Son: Do Return Migrants Make Better Leaders?

This paper investigates the impact of political leaders’ migration experience on the quality of their leadership. A database is constructed on the personal background of 932 politicians who were at...

by Marion Mercier | On 20 Dec 2013

China-ASEAN Relations: Consensus on Principles, Differences on Specifics

ASEAN, for China, is the focal point for Chinese diplomacy with Southeast Asian countries. Beyond ASEAN, China’s overall relations with Russia, Central Asia and most South Asian countries are relative...

by Chaobing Qiu | On 29 Nov 2013

Asia's Rising Power and America's Continued Purpose

This paper examines a range of possible outcomes in strategic Asia and evaluates the likelihood of each outcome based on the prospective performance of the U.S and the Chinese economies, potential pol...

by Aaron Friedberg | On 26 Nov 2013

Strengthening Democracy in Bangladesh

The paper describes of some of the critical challenges to democratization in Bangladesh. While electoral challenges are included, the paper looks beyond elections and describe other factors that can h...

by ASIA FOUNDATION | On 14 Nov 2013

Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Elections: A Lesson For The Convicted Politicians?

As Nepal prepares to hold the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections on 19th November 2013, there already seems to be one positive lesson: those “convicted of a criminal offence involving moral turpitu...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 11 Nov 2013

Economic Conditions of the In-Migrant Workers in Kerala: A Case Study in the Trivandrum District

The major objective of the paper is to examine the economic conditions of the in-migrant workers in Kerala. This has been done by analysing their savings, income and consumption pattern and nature o...

by Dilip Saikia | On 11 Nov 2013

Social Media and Elections

Social Media and search results can be readily manipulated which has remained unappreciated by the press and the general public. During time of elections, when the stakes are high, electoral candidate...

by Panagiotis Metaxas | On 06 Nov 2013

Democratic Politics and Legal Rights: Employment Guarantee and Food Security in India

This paper focusses on two Indian laws that seek to guarantee socioeconomic rights: the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), an important example of India’s recent history of legislation...

by Reetika Khera | On 25 Oct 2013

Judge not, Judge be not, Be not a Judge

Some news items appearing over the past six months concerning judges cause concern and alarm. Here are a few. A judge was travelling in a car with revolving red beacon light at the top. When the car...

by Lawyers Collective | On 23 Oct 2013

Tamil everywhere, Tamil in everything

A section of lawyers has declared that till the Governor formally announces that Tamil will be an associate language in the High Court, they would persist with their boycott of the courts. Accordingly...

by Lawyers Collective | On 10 Oct 2013

Rural Poverty and the Public Distribution System

Presented are estimates of the impact of India’s Public Distribution System on rural poverty, using National Sample Survey data for 2009-10 and official poverty lines. At the all India level, the PD...

by Jean Dreze | On 27 Sep 2013

Crystallizing Fault-lines: Turkey’s Democratic Durability at Risk

In the aftermath of the anti-governmental Gezi demonstrations of May-June and the conclusion of the Ergenekon trial earlier this month, clear fault-lines are crystallizing in the Turkish political lan...

by Ozan Serdaroglu | On 05 Sep 2013

The Impact of NREGA on Rural-Urban Migration: Field survey of Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu

Migration can act as a negative force. It can lead to distress migration, which is what happens when people have to go to cities to find work because they cannot survive on what they can earn in thei...

by Naomi Jacob | On 17 Apr 2013

Women Political Leaders, Corruption and Learning: Evidence from a Large Public Program in India

In the paper there is a use of nation-wide policy of randomly allocating village council headships to women to identify the impact of female political leadership on the governance of projects implemen...

by Farzana Afridi | On 07 Mar 2013

Social Fragmentation, Public Goods and Elections: Evidence from China

This study examines how the economic effects of elections in rural China depend on voter heterogeneity, for which religious fractionalization is taken as a proxy. [BREAD Working No. 366]. URL:[http:/...

by Gerard Padro-i- Miquel | On 09 Jan 2013

Building a Knowledge Base on Population Ageing in India: Report on the Status of Elderly in Select States of India, 2011

To understand the ageing in India, a primary survey was carried out in seven states – Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal – having a higher percentage of...

by United Nations Population Fund UNFPA | On 08 Jan 2013

How Indian Voters Respond to Candidates with Criminal Charges: Evidence from the 2009 Lok Sabha Elections

What are the response of voters to candidates who have reported that they have criminal charges against them? A analysis within the framework of a simple analytical model which assumes that criminal c...

by Bhaskar Dutta | On 02 Nov 2012

Notional Contracts: The Moral Economy of Contract Farming Arrangements in India

This study examines the moral economy of firm-farmer contracts in contract farming schemes in India, bringing together data from field surveys, conducted between 2007 and 2010, of 42 agribusinesses a...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 20 Sep 2012

Gender Impact of Trade Reforms in Indian Plantation Sector: An Exploratory Ananlysis

This paper examines the potential gender impacts of the trade reforms in plantation agriculture in the emerging context of the two prominent FTAs, viz. the Indo-ASEAN and the proposed EU-India FTA....

by Viswanathan P K | On 14 Sep 2012

The Heterogeneous Welfare Impacts of Participation in Contract Farming Schemes: Evidence from Southern India

The heterogeneity of welfare impacts of contract farming participation is demonstrated by estimating an endogenous switching model using survey data for 474 farmers in four commodity sectors, gherkin...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 06 Sep 2012

Situating Conflict and Poverty in Manipur

What is the relationship between social conflict and poverty in the context of Manipur? There is a need to recognize togetherness of the imperatives of economic well being, socio-cultural identity a...

by Anand Kumar | On 22 Aug 2012

Mango Travellers Stealing Rural Jobs

Mangoes from Andhra Pradesh reach everywhere in India. This has caused the conversion of large tracts of paddy fields into mango farms in Andhra. It affects the rural employment. Use of chemicals to r...

by Alex George | On 14 Aug 2012

India's SEZ Policy

Over the last few decades India has emerged as an economic giant. In 2000 the Special Economic Zone (SEZs) policy became part of a strategy to maintain high growth and promote India’s manufacturing ...

by Ebba Mårtensson | On 11 Jul 2012

The Effects of Democratization on Public Goods and Redistribution: Evidence from China

This study investigates the effects of introducing elections on public goods and redistribution in rural China. A large and unique survey was collected to document the history of political reforms and...

by Yang Yao | On 05 Jun 2012

Private Returns to Public Office

The wealth accumulation of Indian parliamentarians using public disclosures required of all candidates since 2003 are studied. Annual asset growth of winners is on average 3 to 6 percentage points hi...

by Raymond Fisman | On 18 May 2012

Inter-Party Competition and Electoral Campaigning in Rural Malaysia: The Pendang and Anak Bukit By-Elections of 2002

The Pendang parliamentary and Anak Bukit by-elections for the Kedah state legislative assembly were among the most contentious of by-elections in recent Malaysian politics. Held simultaneously on 18...

by K Ramanathan | On 10 May 2012

Urban Policies: Political Gimmicks?

Review of the book 'Re-visioning Indian Cities: The Urban Renewal Mission' by Christopher Manickam. Author of the book: K. C. Sivaramakrishnan, published by Sage, New Delhi.

by Christopher Manickam | On 23 Apr 2012

Farmers’ Information Needs and Search Behaviors: Case Study in Tamil Nadu, India

Using a case study of two districts in South India, farmers’ information needs and information search behavior, factors affecting their search behavior, and their willingness to pay for information a...

by Suresh Chandra Babu | On 10 Apr 2012

Chronicling the Hindutva Threat

Review of The Saffron Condition, Politics of Repression and Exclusion in Neo Liberal India By Subhash Gatade; Three Essays Collective, New Delhi; Pp. 475, Rs 500.

by Ram Puniyani | On 04 Apr 2012

Tamil Nadu Budget Speech: 2012-13

Speech of Thiru O. Panneerselvam, Hon’ble Minister for Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Budget for the year 2012-2013 to the Legislative Assembly on 26th March, 2012. [Government...

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 27 Mar 2012

Annual Report (2011-12) on The Working of State Power Utilities and Electricity Departments

Major shifts in the policy initiated in the electricity sector are well documented, only then the effect of the policy change can be analyzed, especially from the point of view of laying down future p...

by Planning Commission | On 19 Mar 2012

Not the Remembered Country

The food security Bill's focus ignores changes in agriculture and eating habits. [BS editorial]. URL:[http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/t-n-ninan-notremembered-country/467874/].

by T.N. Ninan | On 19 Mar 2012

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, GOI 2012-13

This brief uses Government reported data to analyse Sarva Shiksha Ahiyan performance along the following parameters: a) Overall trends in allocation and expenditures, b) Expenditure performance across...

by Accountability Initiative | On 16 Mar 2012

Report on China's Central, Local Budgets (2012)

REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CENTRAL AND LOCAL BUDGETS FOR 2011 AND ON DRAFT CENTRAL AND LOCAL BUDGETS FOR 2012. [Ministry of Finance Report]. URL:[http://www.npc.gov.cn/englishnpc/news/...

by Ministry of Finance China | On 15 Mar 2012

Federal Budget of Pakistan-2011-12

BUDGET SPEECH 2011-2012 by DR. ABDUL HAFEEZ SHAIKH, Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Planning & Development.

by Minister of Finance Pakistan | On 12 Mar 2012

Budget of Nepal 2011-12

Budget speech by Nepal Finance Minister. URL:[http://www.mof.gov.np/publication/speech/2011/pdf/budgetspeech_english.pdf].

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Nepal | On 06 Mar 2012

The End of the “Liberal Theory of History”? Dissecting the U.S. Congress’ Discourse on China’s Currency Policy

In the last ten years, economic issues related to currency policy have become the major ongoing dispute between China and the U.S. Especially the U.S. Congress is stridently demanding a tougher poli...

by Nicola Nymalm | On 01 Mar 2012

Saving Mumbai

What Mumbai needs as a starting point is a city administration that is accountable to the city's residents, and a directly elected mayor, as in all great cities of the world. [BS Weekend Ruminations]....

by T.N. Ninan | On 22 Feb 2012

Agriculture-Nutrition Linkages and Policies in India

This paper looks at some key entry points for agriculture to influence nutrition and suggests policies for nutrition-sensitive agricultural development, within the current policy framework. In additi...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 07 Feb 2012

Transparency in Parliament: A Review of the Procedures and Practices in South Asia along with Recommended Guidelines for Increasing Openness

This paper examines the functioning of Parliaments in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka1 in order to gauge the extent of openness and access from the point of view of both Members of Parliam...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 31 Jan 2012

Vital Stats: Assembly Elections 2012

The Election Commission recently announced the poll schedule for Assembly elections in five States – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. As parties prepare for the upcoming election...

by Rohit Kumar | On 24 Jan 2012

The HUNGaMA Survey Report – 2011

The HUNGaMA (Hunger and M alnutrition) S urvey conducted across 112 rural districts of India in 2011 provides r eliable estimates of c hild n utrition covering nearly 20% of Indian children. The H...

by HUNGaMa for Change HUNGaMa | On 12 Jan 2012

Parental Education as a Criterion for Affirmative Action in Higher Education: A Preliminary Analysis

Affirmative action, especially in the form of reservation policies, to address the issues of inclusion and equity has been in place in India for a long time. Through these policies higher participatio...

by Rakesh Basant | On 09 Jan 2012

Mullaperiyar – the Issue and the Politics

Discussions and debates are going on in Kerala over the Mullaperiyar dam. A solution is proposed here to solve the issues associated with the dam.

by Santhakumar V | On 19 Dec 2011

The Politics of Water Discourse in Pakistan

The policy brief explores the evolving discourse on water issues in Pakistan where the process of political articulation, securitization and mobilization which often links water to Kashmir is studied....

by Medha Bisht | On 24 Nov 2011

Growth and Election Outcomes in a Developing Country

With the exception Brander and Drazen (2008), who use a comprehensive cross-country database consisting of both developed and developing countries, the hypothesis that rapid growth helps incumbents...

by Poonam Gupta | On 31 Oct 2011

The Pricing Problem of Public Transport in Kerala

The mainstay of the public transport system in Kerala is the private stage carriages (PSC), the economics of operation of which is the subject of this paper. The long run sustainability of the secto...

by Narayana D | On 28 Oct 2011

Emigration of Women Domestic Workers from Kerala: Gender, State Policy and the Politics of Movement

Restrictions imposed by the Government of India on the emigration of women in ‘unskilled’ categories such as domestic work are framed as measures intended to protect women from exploitation. Specia...

by Praveena Kodoth | On 24 Oct 2011

Production and Marketing of Coconut in India

The production and marketing scenario of coconut in the country has witnessed a phenomenal development, particularly in the field of production such as development of improved high yielding dwarf va...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 21 Oct 2011

Gender, Governance and Women’s Rights in South Asia

This study focuses on gender equality and democratic governance in the five largest states of the South Asian region, namely, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Beginning with a general...

by Seema Kazi | On 20 Oct 2011

What is driving the Indian middle class towards electoral politics? Evidence from Delhi

Neighborhood Associations have assumed an important role in public policy decision making as the principal voice of the middle class across urban India. In recent years, these associations have sought...

by Poulomi Chakrabarti | On 20 Oct 2011

Evaluation of Value-Added Agricultural Advisory Services: Case Study of Agriclinics in Southern India

The Indian national program of agriclinics and agribusiness centers, started in 2002, aims to provide farmers with a reliable alternative to the private input dealer by subsidizing technically trained...

by Claire J Glendenning | On 14 Oct 2011

Paraiyans’ Self-assertion for Identity

Review of Nandanar’s Children: The Paraiyans’ Tryst with Destiny Tamil Nadu 1850—1956, Raj Sekhar Basu, Sage India, New Delhi, 2011, 492 pp, Rs 895

by Rajesh Komath | On 11 Oct 2011

Vital Stats: Parliament in Monsoon Session 2011

In performance terms, the house fell significantly short of its initial plan. Proceedings were marred by disruptions – first on the issue of corruption and the detention of Anna Hazare, and later on t...

by Rohit Kumar | On 09 Sep 2011

Historical Analysis Or Honest Reflection?

Review of Lost Years of the RSS by Sanjeev Kelkar; Sage India, New Delhi 2011, pp. 392, Rs 350.

by Nikhil Govind | On 05 Aug 2011

Government Mediated Program on Intensifying Industry-Academia Linkages for Human Resource Development; Experinces of an Innovative Model from TIFAC

The importance of academia- industry linkages for development of an economy is well recognized. With a view to make the higher technical education relevant, by forging and catalyzing functional link...

by Jancy Ayyaswamy | On 26 Jul 2011

Inter-State Imbalances in Essential Services: Some Perspectives

This paper analyzes the inter-state imbalances in three major sectors of the economy, namely, education, health and family welfare, and water supply and sanitation for fifteen major states. It uses...

by C Bhujanga Rao | On 14 Jul 2011

Primary School Teachers: The Twists and Turns of Everyday Practice

The paper examines the role played by of classroom environment in the development of a teacher. The paper studies the concept of 'teacher development' in India. URL:[http://www.eruindia.org/files/Tea...

by Vimala Ramachandran | On 08 Jul 2011

Commons And Community: Evidence From Southwestern Tribal Belt Of Madhya Pradesh

Sah and Shah (2003) have shown that the incidence of poverty in the South-Western tribal belt of Madhya Pradesh is alarmingly high. About three fifths of the households in this tribal belt were catego...

by D.C. Sah | On 04 Jul 2011

Media Under Fire: Press Freedom Lockdown in Sri Lanka

In October 2008, a delegation from the International Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression Mission undertook a solidarity and advocacy mission to Sri Lanka to assess the current media situation...

by Int Press Freedom & Freedom of Expression Mission IPF&FE | On 13 Jun 2011

Captured by Cotton: Exploited Dalit Girls Produce Garments in India for European and US Markets

In this report, the widespread use of the Sumangali Scheme in Tamil Nadu is illustrated by four case studies of such vertically integrated enterprises of which the European and US buyers were identif...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 08 Jun 2011

Towards Open and Equitable Access to Research and Knowledge for Development

Unequal access to and distribution of public knowledge is governed by Northern standards and is increasingly inappropriate in the age of the networked “Invisible College”. Academic journals remain the...

by Leslie Chan | On 14 May 2011

Bengal Diary: On the Eve of Change: SMS Updates of a West Bengal Tour, April 2011

A tour of West Bengal on the eve of the elections and the results, April 19 – 27, 2011, recorded by a young journalist-in-the-making in a collection of SMS messages.

by Kranti S. Bhatewara | On 13 May 2011

Do Local Elections in Non-Democracies Increase Accountability? Evidence from Rural China

Unique survey data is used to study whether the introduction of local elections in China made local leaders more accountable towards local constituents. A simple model is developed to predict the e...

by Monica Martinez Bravo | On 18 Apr 2011

Assam: Alienating the Natives

The issue of Bengali speaking Muslims has been brought up in Assam time and over again and this point has also been used at the time of elections to polarize the communities along religious lines.

by Ram Puniyani | On 05 Apr 2011

Budget 2011-12, Delhi

Budget speech by finance minister. URL: [http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/21d1f280463783518436871b84a2a7b0/CM+Speech+-+PRINT.pdf?MOD=AJPERES].

by Government of Delhi | On 30 Mar 2011

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Gender Budget 2011-12

The Corporation has decided to implement various schemes for females within the framework of its obligatory and discretionary functions as laid down in the M.M.C. Act. A step towards it, is a separat...

by Municipal Commissioner BMC | On 07 Mar 2011

Sri Lanka: Budget Speech, 2011

In the aftermath of the long war in the north, the prime minister anf finance minister launched Mahinda Chintana - Vision for the Future” that targets a per capita income in excess of US$ 4,000 by 201...

by Mahinda Rajapaksa | On 26 Feb 2011

Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP): Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors Survey

The overall objective of the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) risk factors survey was to improve the information available to the Government health services and care providers on a set of high-priority...

by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare H & FW | On 24 Feb 2011

Some Aspects of Inter District Disparities in Tamil Nadu

The study analyzes the inter-district variations in levels of income and human development in Tamal Nadu in recent years. It also tries to analyze the causes of the relatively low levels of income of...

by R. J. Chelliah | On 15 Feb 2011

Tamil Nadu Budget Speech

Tamil Nadu Budget Speech of the Finance Minister.

by Government of Tamil Nadu | On 14 Feb 2011

India and the Civil War in Sri Lanka:   On the Failures of   Regional Conflict Management in South Asia 

The  paper  provides  an  assessment  of  India’s  role  in  the  final  years  of  the  civil  war  in  Sri  Lanka  (2003‐2009).  In  particular,  it  looks  for  explanations  for  India’s  in...

by Sandra Destradi | On 10 Feb 2011

Resolutions of the Sixth Session of the First Parliament of Bhutan

The following bills were resolved to be passed with corrections: The Child Care and Protection Bill; Penal Code Amendment Bill; Anti Corruption Act 2010; and others

by Jigme Tshultim | On 08 Feb 2011

Regional Sources of Growth Acceleration in India

Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were the major contributors to the growth acceleration in India after 1991-92. Although the Regional Disparity may increase tempor...

by Ravindra H. Dholakia | On 25 Nov 2010

Prospects for Regional Cooperation between Latin America and the Caribbean Region and the Asia and Pacific Region: Perspective from East Asia

The Asia and Pacific region and Latin America and Caribbean region are two regions divided not only by vast geographic distance, but also by disparities in economics, politics, culture, and history. M...

by Erlinda M. Medalla | On 04 Nov 2010

Politics for winners

The Gandhi mother-son duo and the prime minister have come down on two sides of the land acquisition/environment debate. Manmohan Singh is focused on delivering 9 per cent economic growth; he sees a c...

by T.N. Ninan | On 24 Sep 2010

Regulation in Health Care in Tamil Nadu (India): A study of the Implementation of Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) 1994, and Consumer Protection Act (CPA) 1986

The functioning of healthcare sector could be substantially influenced by the design and implementation of regulatory policies that govern the behaviour of various stakeholders. The empirical challe...

by Vangal R Muraleedharan | On 16 Sep 2010

An Ethnography of Associational Life: Caste and Politics in India

In 1956 Susanne Rudolph and I arrived in India for the first of many research years there. We were among the second batch of Ford Foundation Foreign Area Training Fellows. As area scholars we were com...

by Lloyd I. Rudolf | On 15 Sep 2010

Private Sector in the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme: A Study of the Implementation of Private-Public Partnership Strategy in Tamil Nadu and Kerala (India)

During the past one decade, the concept of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) has gained much prominence in healthcare sector in India. The foremost objective of such partnerships has been to improve th...

by Vangal R Muraleedharan | On 23 Jul 2010

Book Review:Women's Health: Grounded in Work

Review of Women Work and Health: Current Concerns, Amita Sahaya and Sunita Kaistha (Editors). Published by The Women Press, New Delhi-110007 in association with Women Work and health Initiatives (...

by Ruby Ojha | On 03 Jun 2010

Which Asia?

Is Asia a cohesive analytical unit in any practical sense?

by T.N. Ninan | On 17 May 2010

Book Review: Of Space and 'Spatialities'

Review of Spatialising Politics: Culture and Geography in Postcolonial Sri Lanka. Catherine Brun and Tariq Jazeel (Editors). Sage Publications, New Delhi; 2009, 260 pp, Rs. 695.

by Anandi Dantas | On 04 May 2010

Rural Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Development

Empowerment of women has emerged as an important issue in recent times. The economic empowerment of women is being regarded these days as a Sine-quo-non of progress for a country; hence, the issue of...

by Sathiabama K | On 19 Apr 2010

State Business Relations and Performance of Manufacturing Sector in Andhra Pradesh

In this paper, an attempt is made to enquire into the politics of the government and business relation and how it affects the industrial development in general and expansion of manufacturing sector...

by Alivelu G | On 02 Mar 2010

Many Worlds of Dak Vachan: Proverbial Knowledge and the History of Rain and Weather

This paper is about deconstructing the middle class perception of the domain of the ‘folk’ in this region. With these questions, the paper sets out an agenda for writing the history of rain and weat...

by Sadan Jha | On 16 Feb 2010

Water Democracy: Reclaiming Public Water in Asia

This collection of 19 new essays written by civil society activists, trade unionists and other water practitioners, presents examples of ongoing struggles against water privatization and commercia...

by Focus on the Global South FGS | On 22 Jan 2010

Re-Activating Primary Health Centres Through Industrial Partnership in Tamilnadu Is it a Sustainable Model of Partnership?

Kerala’s success in human development demonstrated that efficient functioning of government health care delivery system opens the doors of prosperity for the poor and vulnerable sections of the popu...

by Varatharajan D | On 21 Dec 2009

Democratic Citizenship: From Proportionality to a Continuum Approach to Political Participation

This paper is an attempt to explore the meaning and significance of political participation within (a) the conceptual framework of democratic citizenship and (b) debates surrounding representative d...

by Anupama Roy | On 10 Dec 2009

Delivering (sustainable) Services on Scale : Anywhere

This paper addresses issues related to public private partnerships that can enable delivery of comprehensive health care to rural communities.

by Prachi Shukla | On 25 Nov 2009

The Socio-Economic Determinants Behind Infant Mortality and Maternal Mortality

A qualitative study was conducted in the six states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Haryana to understand the socio-economic, cultural and demographic features a...

by Indian Trust for Innovation and Social Change ITISC | On 12 Nov 2009

Climate Change and China: Technology, Market and Beyond

The paper discusses the impacts of climate change to the environment of China and most especially to the livelihood of Chinese people there. It analyzed the Chinese government’s position and enumerate...

by Dale Jiajun Wen | On 16 Oct 2009

The Afghan Economy After the Election

There were many challenges involved in the conduct of the elections. For example, the people had to cast votes among 16 presidential candidates (2 candidates withdrew two days before the elections) i...

by Manabu Fujimura | On 17 Sep 2009

The State and Civil Society in Disaster Response An Analysis of the Tamil Nadu Experience

The primary objective of this report is to bring together the experiences and learnings of a range of actors affected by, and involved in the disaster response in order to identify factors that have i...

by Tata Institue of Social Sciences TISS | On 28 Jul 2009

Straddling Faultlines : India's Foreign Policy Toward The Great Middle East

India’s foreign policy has had an anomalous quality since the time Jawaharlal Nehru resolutely attempted to steer clear of Cold War alliances. This continues to be so given India’s unique situation of...

by Sushil J Aaron | On 21 May 2009

Essential Drugs in Government Healthcare: Emerging Model of Procurement and Supply

Medicines are important in curing and preventing diseases, and hence, the ultimate goal of `Health for All’ cannot be achieved if people do not have adequate access to essential drugs. Evidences show...

by Lalitha N | On 14 May 2009

Economic Growth, Governance and Voting Behaviour: an Application to Indian Elections

The focus of this paper is on the potential economic factors underlying voter behaviour in a democracy. It develops a simplified model based on economic theory (welfare & conditional probabilities)...

by Arvind Virmani | On 28 Apr 2009

Controlling Money and Politics – An Exercise in Damage Control

In many countries political financial regulations have been introduced.

by Marcin Walecki | On 28 Apr 2009

Essential Drugs in Government Healthcare: Emerging Model of Procurement and Supply

This paper details the procedures adopted by the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation in procuring and supplying essential drugs to the government health care which is a positive measure in ensurin...

by Lalitha N | On 22 Apr 2009

Vote-Buying and Reciprocity

In this paper, how social preferences overcome the commitment problems implicit in vote-buying is examined. Data used for the study is a survey information on vote-buying experienced in a 2006 munici...

by Frederico Finan | On 03 Apr 2009

EC Controversy: What are the Issues? EC Controversy: What Are the Issues

A comprehensive and logically rigorous analysis of the issues raised by the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner N.Gopalaswami for the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, the...

by Ramaswamy R. Iyer | On 03 Apr 2009

Budget 2009-10, Orissa

Budget speech of finance minister

by Orissa Government | On 13 Mar 2009

Tamil Nadu Budget Speech 2009-10

Budget speech by Prof. Anbazhagan

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 24 Feb 2009

Mullaitivu Vs Gaza: The Tokyo Co-Chairs fail on the responsibility to protect

The Mullaitivu district where the Sri Lankan Army have started cluster-boming today i.e. 4 February 2009 would look exactly what Gaza strip was about a few weeks ago. The Hamas whom Israel sought to c...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 06 Feb 2009

Fiscal Federalism, State Lobbying and Discretionary Finance in India

The paper attempts to construct political influence variables and explain discrepancies in fund disbursement through proper econometric specification in the Indian context.

by Rongili Biswas | On 21 Jan 2009

States Reorganisation: Contemporary Concerns

Language alone can no longer be the basis for division of states. Issues such as size, governance, economic viability and recognition of new identities are equally important to consider the demands f...

by Asha Sarangi | On 14 Jan 2009

Does Timing of Elections Instigate Riots? A Subnational Study of 16 Indian States, 1958-2004

Whether timing of the elections leads to riots or not within India. In other words, does timing of elections instigate riots? Using time series crosssectional data for 16 major Indian states for the...

by Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati | On 09 Jan 2009

Development of What? An Exposition of the Politics of Development Economics

The present paper aims at driving home a hitherto-neglected and perhaps often muted (but important) point, namely, that the confusions and identity crisis that had gripped development economics in th...

by Arup Maharatna | On 31 Dec 2008

Controlling Money and Politics – An Exercise in Damage Control

Whether there should be transparency in political finance? Whether there should be a control over the money that the political parties are receiving?

by Marcin Walecki | On 04 Dec 2008

Village India and its Political Economy

The paper gives us a study about a village Iruvelippatu, Tamil NaduSome features of agrarian economies have also been studied. [WP No. 42].

by K N Raj | On 03 Dec 2008

Another Commission is Not Enough:Ram Harri Shrestha and the Corrosive Impact of Impunity on Nepal's Unsteady Peace.

Neplal's maoists initiated the process of crippling the institution of parliamentary dempcracy by giving primacy to military meanse over the political. Mainstream parties, unable to resist petty polit...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 29 Sep 2008

Human rights in retreat

Is there not a worse situation today than during the Emergency? There was no colonization of the country by the foreign powers, with agriculture, industry, education, defense, health and trade being a...

by P.B. Sawant | On 05 Sep 2008

Gujjar protest and Reservation Politics

Successive governmental commissions have held that Gujjars do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes. The Gujjar protest has ramifications beyond the States where they live. If th...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 28 May 2008

Towards a Less Imperfect State of the World: The Gulf Between North and South

Many developing countries assert a claim to the privilege of managing world order on a shared basis but exhibit a strong reluctance to accept the responsibility flowing from such privilege, for exampl...

by Ramesh Thakur | On 14 May 2008

Why Tank Systems Need to be Revitalized: Kaveripakkam Tank in Tamil Nadu

In the past tank systems of water storage and use played an important role in the region’s prosperity. In recent times these tanks are being neglected. A case in point is the Kaveripakkam tank in Tam...

by K Sivasubramaniyan | On 03 May 2008

Liberation, May 2008

New Mineral Policy 2008 Quota Verdict CPI(M) Coimbatore Congress SPECIAL FEATURE Democracy in S Asia: Nepal Mandate Post-Poll Pakistan Bhutan Polls and Other features.

by Liberation | On 24 Apr 2008

Report on SAHR Fact Finding Mission to the North and East of Sri Lanka to Assess the State of Displaced Persons

This report on the state of displaced persons in the North and East of Sri Lanka analyses the security condition and concerns of those who live in makeshifts and camps in conflict affected areas. It p...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 11 Apr 2008

Goa Budget 2008-09

Budget presented by Goa finance minister for the year 2008-09.

by Goa Government | On 01 Apr 2008

Tamil Nadu Budget 2008-09

Speech of Prof. K. Anbazhagan, Minister for Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Budget for 2008-2009 to the Legislative Assembly on 20th March, 2008.

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 25 Mar 2008

Brief Report of the National Seminar on 'Feeding the Child'

The problematic areas in child feedoing, particularly the poor infrastructure for the Anganwadis was highlighted. The consensus was that despite all these shortcomings there must be an expansion of A...

by Swami Sivananda Memorial Institute SSMI | On 13 Mar 2008

Islam at the Ballot Box

So far, no Islamist party has managed to win a majority of the popular vote in any of the Muslim countries where reasonably clean elections are held. If anything, the Islamist share of the vote has be...

by Amir Taheri | On 24 Feb 2008

Pakistan’s Historic Opportunity for Change

Opinion polls show less than 20 per cent of Pakistanis now approve of President Musharraf, who has been described as an indispensable ally in the war against terrorism by some members of the Bush admi...

by Husain Haqqani | On 24 Feb 2008

Book Review: Public Memory and Cultural Politics in Sri Lanka

Militarizing Sri Lanka: Popular Culture, Memory and Narrative in the Armed Conflict by Neloufer de Mel; Sage, New Delhi, 2007; pp. 329, Rs. 475.

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 14 Jan 2008

Advice for Ms Gandhi

Congress party has to find out why the aam aadmi has deserted the party? There are some advice to Sonia Gandhi which she will not get from her advisors.

by T.N. Ninan | On 31 Dec 2007

Understanding Gujarat Elections: What Does it Portend for Indian Democracy?

With the re-election of Narendra Modi and the BJP will the current disarray in the party give way to strong optimism to strive for power at the centre?

by Ram Puniyani | On 24 Dec 2007

Pakistan’s Last Bid for Democracy

This Essay examines the factors retarding democracy in Pakistan and asserts that now, more than ever, the country’s political forces must work together to fight common foes.

by Colum Murphy | On 27 Nov 2007

Book Review: Managing Natural Resources: Civil Society Initiatives

Review of Community-based Natural Resource Management Issues and Cases from South Asia by Ajith Menon, Praveen Singh, Esha Shah, Sharachchandra Lele, Suhas Paranjape, K.J. Joy Sage Publications, New D...

by Santhakumar V | On 05 Nov 2007

Model Nagara Raj Bill

Model bill to amend the laws relating to the Municipalities and to institutionalise citizens’ participation in municipal functions, e.g. setting priorities, budgeting provisions, etc. by setting up of...

by Ministry of Urban Development MoUD | On 08 Oct 2007

Periurbanisation in Tamil Nadu: A Quantitative Approach

This paper is an attempt to measure the extent of peri-urbanisation that has taken place in TamilNadu. Geographical data is used based on the 1991 census for TamilNadu and Pondicherry. A systematic e...

by Sébastien Oliveau | On 04 Oct 2007

Marketing of Bt Cotton in India: Aggressive, Unscrupulous and False….

The paper examines the prevailing situation of Bt cotton marketing in India. It tells a story of how aggressive and unethical marketing practices are adopted for luring faemers into the Bt cotton trap...

by Centre for Sustainable Agriculture CSA | On 04 Oct 2007

Burma: Member States of the UN must Intervene: ACHR Weely Review

Reports have been pouring in that the Burmese soldiers today used baton and tear gas against the Buddhist monks and civilian protesters at Shwedagon pagoda, the holiest Buddhist place in Rangoon. The...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 26 Sep 2007

Post-Autistic Economics Review: Issue No.43, September 15, 2007

Growing inequality in the neo-liberal heartland George Irvin ................................................................................. 2 - Science, ideology and development: Is there a ‘Sust...

by PAER Post Autistic Economic Review | On 16 Sep 2007

Educational Innovations in Rural Tamil Nadu: Tsunami-affected Arunthatiars of Sathyamangalam

This paper reports on the human aspect of a two-and-half-year collaboration between mathematics teachers of the City University of New York (CUNY), and grassroots organizers in rural Tamil Nadu. Repor...

by Vrunda Prabhu | On 19 Aug 2007

Tal Makeshift Camp: No One Should Have to Live Like This

There seems to be no place for the stateless Rohingya people fleeing discrimination and persecution in their own country, Myanmar. They run away from a country that does not recognize them as citizens...

by Médecins Sans Frontières MSF | On 11 Aug 2007

Better Than the Rest

India’s good economic performance and friendlier ties with important countries that have been either distant or hostile, is achieved by a leader with whom the country can feel at ease. But Dr. Manmoha...

by T.N. Ninan | On 06 Aug 2007

FEER: The June 2007 issue

Satisfuy China's Demand for Money by Hugo Restall Monetary Policy: China’s Last Option: Let the Yuan Soar by Michael Pettis Stop the Specter of a Rising Rupee by Vivek Moorthy Hong Kong’s Arreste...

by FEER | On 04 Aug 2007

Book Review: Debating India's Future

Review of: The Future of India – Economics, Politics and Governance by Bimal Jalan, Penguin books, New Delhi.

by G Narasimha Raghavan | On 03 Aug 2007

De-risking the System

The advent of political uncertainties has led to questions about poor governance which can lead to economic under performance.

by T.N. Ninan | On 31 Jul 2007

Book Review: Discourses on Women’s Movement: Theory and Action

Review of Writing the Women’s Movement: A Reader Edited by Mala Khullar; Zuban (in collaboration with EWHA Women’s University Seoul).

by Veena Poonacha | On 05 Jul 2007

Battling for Clean Environment Supreme Court, Technocrats and Populist Politics in Delhi

The role of Supreme Court in controlling air pollution in Delhi in the face of political contestation and government reluctance in implementing what had already long been on the statute books. Focus i...

by Kuldeep Mathur | On 29 Jun 2007

Industrial Growth in Kerala: Trends and Explanations

The study traces the trends in industrial growth against the backdrop of the overall economic growth in Kerala under the influence of the ongoing economic reforms and evaluates it against the performa...

by KK Subrahmanian | On 14 Jun 2007

When it Rains on the Sand Dunes

A desert journey, from a pool where both humans and camels drank, to a bavadi then to a water tap in Khaba village has some valuable lessons about the ground realities of the social forces around wate...

by Meera Baindur | On 16 Feb 2007

Grounding the Spirit: Revival of Irula Art as a Form of Narrative Tradition

Kriebish had, for a long time, cherished a dream of setting up a learning and documentation centre dedicated to the study of oral literature, village religion and customs, music and dance, traditional...

by Leena Pascal | On 12 Feb 2007

‘Autonomy On-line’: Indymedia and Practices of Alter-Globalisation

The paper examines Australian Indymedia collectives as a means to improve understanding of the practices of alter-globalisation movements. Indymedia, which emerged around the anti-World Trade Organisa...

by Jenny Pickerill | On 30 Jan 2007

Telecommunications privatisation in Taiwan: A beautiful mistake?

This paper examines the changing role of the government and market in regulating the telecommunications sector since 1996 in Taiwan. It also explores changes in the institutional framework for regula...

by Kuo-Tai Cheng | On 22 Dec 2006

Performance Analysis of Fisherwomen Self-help Groups in Tamil Nadu

The present study attempted to assess the performance of Fisherwomen's self help groups (SHGs) in Tamil Nadu . Primary data required for the study were collected from 725 fisherwomen SHG members repr...

by R. Jayaraman | On 03 Dec 2006

The China-Japan-US Triangle

The most critical factor for maintaining regional stability in East Asia over the next few decades is the relations between the three great powers in the region: China, Japan and the United States. Th...

by Ezra F.Vogel | On 24 Oct 2006

Kanshi Ram: The Man and his Legacy

Kanshi Ram’s main legacy is that political mobilization and use of State power is required to provide dalits self-respect, dignity, social equality and political empowerment to fight against dominati...

by Sudha Pai | On 13 Oct 2006

Free TV

If the DMK’s seemingly outrageous promise of a free TV set makes people sit up and look at the issue from ground level up, why, we may finally tackle our subsidy problem!

by T.N. Ninan | On 09 Apr 2006

Challenges before Cultural Resistance: Methods of Intervention

Any intervention of the Left in the field of the dominant media must be guided by an adherence to politics and seek to fundamentally alter the relations of artistic production and make art more access...

by Arjun Ghosh | On 01 Apr 2006

Voluntary Organisations, NGOs and the ‘Politics of Development’ in India: A Critical Exploration

This essay studies the domain of politics of development constituted by the state, and attempts to plot the emergence of the voluntary sector, NGOs in particular, as a representative in this contested...

by Swagato Sarkar | On 31 Mar 2006

Democracy and People’s Rights in the Neo-Liberal Era: Role of Judiciary

The recent judgments and orders from various levels of higher judiciary indicate a drastic shift in their outlook and approach. A close look reveals two trends developing within the judiciary. Firstly...

by M.B.Rajesh | On 31 Mar 2006

Verdict 2004: From Identities to Issues and Interests?

This paper is a humble attempt to take an intellectual and political position while analyzing the 2004 election results in the context of neo-liberal regime in India and also tries to portray whether...

by Maidul Islam | On 31 Mar 2006

An Open Letter on Dissent, Dissenters and Petrification of Politics

Why are we – people who feel that there ought to be some space for disagreement in a democratic society, and more so in a dialogue between the world's two largest democracies -- so completely, unequiv...

by Ananya Vajpeyi | On 03 Mar 2006

Liberation, March 2006

Butcher Bush, Go Back! Tribute to Bhagat Singh AIALA’s Second National Conference Review of Rang De Basanti

by CPI (ML) | On 24 Feb 2006

Weapons of Mass Destruction? Or, of Mass Deception? Media in Iraq War and After

The close relationship, a symbiotic one, between the media and the government of the day has long existed. In the run up to the Iraq war and afterwards, the Bush Administration and legislators in t...

by Yasemin Inceoglu | On 16 Feb 2006

Elementary Education: Rising Expenditure, Poor Quality: Book Review

Review of 'The Economics of Elementary Education in India: The Challenge of Public Finance, Private Provision and Household Costs' edited by Santosh Mehrotra; Sage, New Delhi; 2005, pp.328.

by P. Geetha Rani . | On 20 Jan 2006

Dress Code for Women Students: Essay competition for women college students in Tamil Nadu

Judges comments and excerpts from the award winning essays by Rashmi Goutham, Stella MAris College, Chennai Deepti, Women's Christian College, Chennai S. Padmapriya, Madras University Meera Ganapathy...

by Nadnini Voice for the Deprived | On 26 Nov 2005

Is Maharashtra Performing Worse Than Other States? A Comparive Study of Public Finances of Indian States

Second Generation Reforms (SGR) has become the new buzz-word around policy circles. In fact, a few governments (Central government included) have gone ahead and proclaimed that they have already initi...

by Anonymous | On 19 Aug 2005

Economic Reforms, Electrol Politics A Welfare

The introduction of economic reforms often hurts entrenched vested interests, which had prospered under state-led evelopment. For the ruling political party that introduces reforms, alienating such in...

by Ajit Karnik | On 19 Aug 2005

A Fair Plan Approach For Devolution Under The Twelfth Central Finance Commission: Some Suggestions

This study has made some suggestions for the consideration of the Twelfth Finance Commission. We have provided a conceptual framework comprising eight cardinal principles abbreviated as FAIR PLAN. We...

by Abhay Pethe | On 05 Aug 2005

Change And The Everyday Politics Of Community Based Organisations

Membership based organisations are an increasingly important institutional form, encountered both in the social theories we use and in the practices of people we study. An examination of these organis...

by Joseph Devine | On 31 Mar 2005