SOUTH INDIA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Not a member yet
365 research outputs found
Sort by
Colonial Interventions and Agricultural Evolution: The Horticultural Legacy of Dogra-Era Jammu and Kashmir
Full text linkThe Dogra period (1846–1947) marked a pivotal era for horticultural transformation in Jammu and Kashmir, driven by colonial influences and modern agricultural practices. This study examines the institutionalization of horticulture as an independent sector, exploring key developments such as the establishment of nurseries, the introduction of European fruit varieties, and the adoption of scientific techniques like grafting and budding. Utilizing primary sources, including annual horticultural and administrative reports, the paper highlights the socio-economic impact of fruit exports and the role of European expertise in shaping the region's horticultural landscape. The findings underscore horticulture's evolution from subsistence to a commercialized enterprise, revealing its enduring legacy in the region’s agricultural economy
Inter-Community Variation in Income, Occupation and Educational Attainment of Women in Imphal Valley of Manipur, India
Full text linkWomen in Manipur have many facets. At market, she is a trader; at field a laborer; at home a homemaker; in the society a torchbearer and above all a mother to everyone. Women in Manipur are more empowered compared to those in other parts of the country. However, it would be naïve to paint every Manipuri women in a single stroke of brush. In fact, several ethnic groups differ significantly from one another in terms of language, culture, religion, race, ethnicity, etc. inhabit the fertile Imphal valley. The valley is inhabited mainly by the Meiteis, the Pangals who professed Islam and several tribal communities of which the majority are of the Kabui Nagas who settled the valley from time immemorial. The purpose of the paper is to examine and analyse the inter-ethnic disparity or variations in the level of income, occupation and educational attainment among women of the three communities in Imphal valley. The paper is based on primary data collected through a survey in the valley during 2017 and 2018 using a well-designed household survey schedule-cum- questionnaire. The study finds the Meitei women to be most empowered and advanced in respect of indicators like education, employment and decision making in comparison to the other communities. However, across all the communities strong elements of patriarchy persists with undue reliance on male members of the society
Empowerment through Policy Framework: An Analysis of the Draft National Policy for Persons with Disabilities
Full text link
The National Sample Survey report (2018) in India describes that the prevalence of disability is 2.2 %, which is similar to the figures from the 2011 census i.e. In India of the 2011 census, there were 2.68 crores of persons living with disabilities. In 2006, the Indian Government framed a national policy for differently-abled persons covering the prevention and rehabilitation of disabilities. It also focuses on the rehabilitation of women and children with disabilities, facilitating a barrier-free environment, improving social security, initiating research, and formulating guidelines, among others. Later after 15 years, in 2021, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment released a draft National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan). The scenario in 2021 has faced many changes compared to that of 2006. One important legislative development was the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act in 2016, followed by the adoption of the National Education Policy in 2020. In better alignment with global initiatives, India ratified UNCRPD and acceded to various international resolutions directly or indirectly related to PwDs. The paper illustrates India's National policy for persons with disabilities. Generally, governments' policies are a means and mechanism for addressing the needs of citizens. Even in terms of disability, this existing policy and the new draft is a vehicle of sought-after change, which is the empowerment and inclusion of PwDs. Hence, the policy should consider the needs of the recipients and that it can meet those needs. The purpose of the current paper is to analyse the current policy as well as the recent draft policy, its strengths and weaknesses, and to identify areas that need attention
User Fees in Public Healthcare: A Willingness-to-Pay Study in Kerala, India
Full text link
This study examines the willingness to pay (WTP) for tertiary public healthcare services in Kerala, a state with a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and significant out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures. Data were collected from in-patients at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, using structured interviews to assess the socio-economic determinants influencing WTP. The findings reveal that socio-economic variables such as age, caste, education, employment status, and economic background significantly impact WTP. Urban patients, those with higher education levels, and regular income earners were willing to pay more for improved healthcare services, while patients from economically weaker backgrounds expressed lower WTP. The study also highlights the inadequacies in the current public healthcare system, such as insufficient laboratory facilities, leading to increased reliance on costly private institutions. The results underscore the potential of WTP-based user fees to enhance service quality and financial sustainability while addressing urban-rural disparities and economic inequities. However, careful policy design, including subsidies and exemptions for low-income groups, is essential to ensure affordability and accessibility. The study provides insights into sustainable healthcare financing models tailored to the socio-economic realities of Kerala
India’s Act East Policy and Inter-Ethnic Conflicts in Indo-Myanmar Border Town, Moreh in Manipur
Full text linkThe formulation and implementation of India's Look East Policy (Now Act East Policy) in the 1990s by the Government of India led to conflict and contestation between ethnicity-based militant organisations for domination and control of Moreh and its business activities, causing violent inter-ethnic conflicts. For instance, violent conflicts occurred between the Kuki-Naga, Kuki-Tamil, and Kuki-Meitei in the town (Moreh) in different periods, which not only resulted in the loss of lives and properties but also affected the proper functioning of border trade or India’s (Look) Act East Policy. The frequent imposition of bandhs, strikes, and economic blockades along the national highway as a sign of grievance reprisal has disrupted the smooth functioning of border trade between India and Myanmar or India’s Act East. The author used primary and secondary sources, conducted the field survey from January to June 2019, and interviewed leaders of Civil Society Organisations and other relevant individuals for the studies. The data has been qualitatively analysed to understand the problems of India’s Act East Policy due to the presence and operation of various ethnicity-based militant organisations in the border region. It also argues the importance of solving the militancy problems for the smooth functioning of India's (Look) Act East Policy
Impact of Climatic Factors on Rice Yield in Tamil Nadu: An ARDL Approach
Full text linkClimate change is one of the most pressing issues nearly all nations face, particularly those in developing and underdeveloped stages. Agriculture is the most vulnerable sector due to its direct and indirect dependence on climatic factors. This study investigates the impact of climate change on rice productivity in Tamil Nadu, spanning from 1990-91 to 2022-23, using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model. The bounds test reveals that minimum temperature, maximum temperature, and rainfall exhibit a long-term cointegration relationship with rice productivity. The bound test result indicates that there exists a cointegration among the climatic variables and rice yield. The adjusted R-squared value of 0.4943 indicates that approximately 49.43 per cent of the variation in the rice yield is explained by the climate factors used in the model. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers to understand the impact of climate change on the agriculture sector, particularly rice production, and supports the development of effective climate mitigation policies
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Applications in Poultry Farming: A Roadmap for Sustainable Development
Full text linkThe integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in poultry farming is critical for achieving long-term sustainability and economic resilience. This study examines the impact of ESG adoption on farmers’ sustainability perception and investigates whether firm size influences these perceptions. Additionally, it assesses variations in ESG adoption across different farmer groups using Chi-square analysis. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 185 poultry farmers in India using a structured questionnaire. ESG adoption was measured through binary responses (Yes/No), while sustainability perception was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Chi-square tests. Results indicate that larger poultry firms demonstrate significantly higher sustainability perception scores, likely due to better resource availability and compliance capabilities. The statistical analysis through Chi-square demonstrates that small-scale farmers adopt ESG practices less frequently because they experience limited financial capabilities and insufficient knowledge about such measures.
Business sectors adopt ESG due to its economic progress and operational advantages thus benefiting performance and stakeholder trust and reducing waste. Research findings recommend to legislators and representatives of the business sector that monetary programs should receive funding to combine with legal support from educational institutions for ESG implementation throughout all farm dimensions. Future investigation should analyze ESG regulatory compliance and sustainability practices for poultry farmers through a combination of time-based assessments together with geographic profiles along with technological capabilities
Beyond the Buy Button: Demographics Influence on Consumer Behavior in India’s Online Shopping
Full text linkIndia’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, fueled by a growing number of internet users and widespread adoption of mobile technologies. This study investigates the effect of demographic factors on consumer behavior related to social media advertising and online shopping. Data were collected from 558 respondents across various age groups, educational qualifications, and occupations using a structured questionnaire. The study analyzes how these demographic variables influence perceptions of social media advertisements, satisfaction with online shopping, and factors affecting consumer decisions. Using SPSS for statistical analysis, the study reveals significant differences in the perceived relevance and informativeness of social media advertisements, along with social media engagement and its influence on shopping behavior. Educational qualification and occupation were found to significantly influence key constructs, while gender differences played a role in how users perceive the informativeness and relevance of online ads. However, no significant differences were observed in social media advertisement performance expectancy and satisfaction with online shopping across demographic groups. These findings suggest that marketers should consider demographic factors when developing strategies for social media advertising, as different segments respond uniquely to various aspects of online shopping and digital engagement. The study contributes valuable insights into how India’s growing digital landscape shapes consumer behavior, offering actionable recommendations for businesses to better tailor their marketing efforts. Future research should explore additional factors like income level, digital literacy, and platform preferences to offer a more inclusive understanding of online shopping behavior in India’s digital economy
Deconstructing “Disability” through Sociological Perspectives in Mizoram
Full text linkDisability has existed since ancient times and it was always perceived as a problem within an individual. With the advancement in medicine and technology, disability was considered to be a disease which can be cured by medical practitioners. The study of disability through scientific lens has always aimed for a complete cure in disability. However, it was only a few decades ago when academicians started pointing out the social issues related to disability and how the restrictions and exclusion of society disabled an individual. In this sense, disability is not an individual issue but rather extends to social issue. The study on disability in the field of social sciences, particularly sociology has mainly employed social model of disability to analyzed disability and sociologists mainly look past other relevant sociological theories and concepts to deconstruct disability from a sociological perspective. This study uses mixed methods of both qualitative and quantitative research methods to study the relevance of sociological theories like stigma and alienation and their applicability among 163 women with disabilities in Mizoram. The outcome of the study shows that most of the women with disabilities have low educational qualifications which the respondents have attributed to the ignorance by the government authorities and labelled this ignorance as one of the main causes of stigma. Most of the women have faced stigma from society which led them to alienate themselves from the rest of the society. The effect of such stigma and alienation led them to experience lower self-esteem, lower confidence and lower chances to achieve upward mobility in life. The intersectionality of all these barriers, analyzed through the lens of sociological theories have led the women with disabilities in Mizoram to remain as an "out-group." This study has proven the applicability of selected sociological theories and the contextualization of the findings reveal the importance of conducting disability study through sociological perspectives as it provides a ground-level approach to their real lived-problems and issues and suggest some recommendations to uplift their current situations in Mizoram
Dry Law, Deep Impact: A Micro-Sociological Study of the Alcohol Ban in Madhepura, Bihar
Full text linkThis study examines the micro-sociological effects of Bihar's 2016 alcohol prohibition law, focusing on Madhepura as a case example. The "dry law" was intended to reduce domestic violence, enhance public health, and improve socio-economic conditions, especially for women. Although official accounts praise its achievements, the situation on the ground in areas like Madhepura presents a more complex reality. Utilizing primary interviews, secondary sources, and statistical data, the research investigates shifts in family dynamics, the emergence of illegal liquor trade, health impacts, and pressures on institutions. Results indicate a decline in domestic violence and increased household savings in certain communities, but also highlight significant growth in black-market liquor, cases of methanol poisoning, and instances of police misconduct. The paper advocates for a more balanced, community-focused prohibition strategy that includes rehabilitation, alternative employment options, and harm reduction measures