9782 research outputs found
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Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India
Get PDFThis study advances the understanding of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) by integrating access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and period product usage. Using a cross-sectional design and data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (n = 205,861 women aged 15–24 years), we examined factors associated with adequate MHH access and its geographical distribution across Indian districts via bivariate and multivariate logistic regression and Fairlie decomposition. We found substantial geographical disparities in access, ranging from 2.3% to 89.4%. Key predictors included household asset index, education, place of residence, and region. These factors, especially asset index, region, and urban/rural residence, explained a large portion of the observed disparities between high (top 25%)- and low-performing (bottom 25%) districts, indicating that socioeconomic disadvantage and geographical inequities significantly shape MHH access. These findings demonstrate the critical need for geographically targeted interventions promoting MHH in India, particularly by improving WASH infrastructure and affordability of products in socioeconomically marginalized areas
Resilience amidst adversity: Exploration of undergraduate students post-covid-19 experiences in Kerala
No full textThis research probes into the resilience exhibited by undergraduate students in Kerala aftermath COVID-19 pandemic. Employing the Resilience Assessment Questionnaire developed by Derek Mowbray, the study precisely examines the coping mechanisms adopted by these students. The sample size comprises 85 participants, representing diverse undergraduate courses from seven different districts of Kerala. They have been approached through educational institutions after obtaining informed consent. The collected data were analysed with Jamovi. Descriptive analysis, Spearman correlation and Mann–Whitney U test were used to derive the results. A significant 54% of the sample reported high resilience scores, indicating their ability to withstand adversity. Conversely, 24% fell into the average score category, while 22% exhibited lower resilience levels. These variations underscore and communicate students’ specific challenges during the pandemic, as reflected in their resilience scores. Whether young or mature, urban or rural, students exhibited similar levels of resilience. Instead, their academic progress and persistence played a pivotal role. In conclusion, this research sheds light on the resilience mechanisms employed by Kerala’s undergraduate students, emphasising the importance of fostering a robust support network to enhance their ability to adapt and thrive in challenging circumstances
Hobbesian contractualism: Insights into the nature of war, civil conflict, and Afghanistan's struggle
No full text“Amid the contemporary political turmoil, Hobbes's contractualism, as exemplified in Leviathan, stands as a beacon of rational order in the face of chaos.” This chapter delves into Hobbes' contractualism, its implications for civil conflict, and its relevance to ongoing conflicts such as Afghanistan's. Leviathan serves as our guide, navigating us through the complexities of war, sovereignty, and social cohesiveness. It uses analogies between theory and reality to equip us with the tools to resolve civil unrest and foster peace in our turbulent times. This chapter is not just a theoretical exploration. It has three practical goals. First, it elucidates Hobbes' contractualism and its implications for the causes and solutions of war. Second, drawing from Hobbes's experiences in civil unrest, as depicted in Leviathan, it scrutinises the relationship between contractualism and civic strife. Finally, it applies Hobbes's theories to shed light on Afghanistan's protracted civil war
From consuming food away from home to on-the-go consumption: A multi-study exploration using focus groups and fsQCA
Get PDFIn contemporary fast-paced lifestyles, on-the-go (OTG) consumption, a distinct form of consumption involving food away from home (FAFH), has become widespread globally. However, the factors driving OTG consumption remain underexplored. This research employs a two-phase methodology, beginning with phenomenological focus group discussions (7 groups, n = 40), followed by fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of survey data (n = 324). The exploration identifies key factors influencing OTG consumption and configurations that best describe this behaviour. Demographically, OTG consumers tend to be younger, employed full-time, and residing in urban areas. Psychographically, they seek enjoyment in their fast-paced lives, display materialistic tendencies aligned with consumption habits, have lower culinary skills, show a strong orientation towards sensory pleasure, and experience significant time pressure. Socially, these consumers are susceptible to interpersonal influence, are less concerned with body image, and tend to live in households with fewer female members. Marketing-mix elements such as targeted advertising, competitive pricing, product variety, and attractive special deals also play a crucial role in shaping their consumption. Thus, this exploration illuminates the multifaceted nature of OTG consumption and offers valuable insights for stakeholders interested in engaging this dynamic and fast-growing consumer segment
Industrial food system or ‘Global South’ agroecology? A philosophical analysis of the concept ‘sustainable diets’
No full textHow can we feed over nine billion people by 2050 with limited resources? This question reveals a clash between two agricultural paradigms amidst an escalating food polycrisis. The first paradigm, industrialized agriculture, practices monoculture cropping, and global production chains, often deepening divides between large and small-scale farmers and causing environmental harm. The second paradigm, agroecology, is a local, small-medium scale, sustainable food production system with the potential to redefine industrial practices, especially in the Global South. This article critically analyzes the FAO’s definition of “sustainable diets” and illustrates how Southern agroecology exemplifies sustainable food production through holistic-philosophical analysis. In contrast, industrial agriculture is seen as reductionist. The conclusions highlight the importance of holistic-systemic thinking in agriculture. Southern agroecology offers a grassroots approach to addressing the food polycrisis, mitigating socio-economic inequalities, providing nutritious food, and supporting participatory democratic policies. It secures food sovereignty as a human right, reducing poverty and hunger by reinforcing local food identity and embodying holistic thinking
Uncovering consular constraints in international student mobility: A perspective
No full textAcademic mobility of students constitutes a core dimension in the internationalization of higher education (IHE). Recent trends in student mobility reveal that factors restricting the mobility of international students extend beyond market forces. Efforts of the government in the form of relaxing visa policies, providing work permits after completion of study as well as permanent residency in the host country corresponds as an important factor in internationalization. A critical study of literature illuminates the dearth in the scholarship that addresses the consular issues influencing student academic mobility patterns. However, increase in international mobility of students is also a cause of concern for policy makers in most countries that are popular higher education destinations. The problems and issues extend beyond the sphere of education. Interestingly, countries have adopted a different approach towards international student mobility. While some countries do offer a liberal visa policy regime, others follow a rigid system. This places a significant burden on the students that is of emotional, psychological as well as financial in nature. The focus of this paper is to understand how consular issues with respect to visa policies of the higher education destination countries obstruct international student mobility
Offshore drilling liabilities in India
No full textIndia’s quest for energy independence has led to some environmentally positive changes, like conversion of auto engines, but also some environmentally negative changes, like the expansion of India’s offshore oil and gas wells. The role of these wells as a pollutant arises certainly in the case of a spill, but also as various new international regulations related to climate change impacts come into effect. The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ/High Seas) Treaty and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Advisory Opinion on Climate Change both contain language related to higher standards for environmental impact assessments that consider cumulative emissions and transboundary harms. Additionally, changes by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regarding environmental, social and governance (ESG) guidelines and reporting can also impact how large companies like Oil India Limited (OIL) and GAIL (India) Limited (GAIL) conduct their offshore well business. This article analyses the complex regime already in place for India’s offshore oil wells with regulation by separate and overlapping ministries, model rules and common laws,suggesting that a new comprehensive and environmentally sound oversight regime is necessar
Manipur: A genocide?
No full textThe aim of this article is straightforward: to analyse if the events that started in the second trimester of 2023 in Manipur (Northeast India) satisfy the legal requirements to constitute a crime of genocide. To achieve this goal, it evaluates the available evidence, including primary and secondary sources, which provides enough information despite the circumstances. The article aims to elucidate the possible criminal liability of identified or unidentified individuals. The guiding norm is the Genocide Convention, which India signed and ratified, along with the principles, jurisprudence, and theory interpreting the treaty. This article contends that, prima facie, the elements of the crime of genocide are present in Manipur, including killings, infliction of bodily or mental harm, and the deliberate destruction of the Kuki/Kuki-Zo tribe’s conditions of life. Furthermore, this article contends that India breached its international obligations. In asserting this, it goes further than organisations such as Genocide Watch, which warned about the imminent occurrence of genocide in Manipur
Addressing the diaspora: Indian television's transnational imaginings
No full textWhile Bollywood's relationship with the diaspora has been addressed frequently, television's engagement with the community has not found sincere interest among scholars. By exploring a range of creative approaches that TV broadcasters employ to engage with the diaspora, this paper attempts to bridge the gap between scholarship on television and the diaspora. The paper examines three Hindi General Entertainment Channels – Star Plus, Zee TV, Colors, to understand how television imagines the diaspora. Through field interviews with industry experts, the paper argues that by addressing the diasporic community through diverse programming strategies, Indian television assimilates and reconstitutes the diaspora into the national imaginary. By including diasporic narratives in national programming, TV programmes serve as reterritorialised media objects that reconnect the diaspora to the homeland. The paper highlights that the transnational televisual exchanges between the nation and the diaspora signify the emergence of ‘neo-global’ media flows that perpetuate between media peripheries
Legislative realm of informational privacy in India: A comparative analysis in the backdrop of general data protection regulation
No full textIn today’s era of information and technology, a person browsing online leaves behind digital blueprints which reveal more about his personal information than he realises. The vulnerable data over online platforms could range from an individual’s name, profession, family, choices, etc., to sensitive information like medical records, sexual orientation, financial information, etc. The data-driven research and analysis by corporations and government entities of an individual’s finances, health conditions, political alignment, consumer habits, etc., transforms the raw data into actionable knowledge which suffers from a lack of consent or absence of quality consent and purpose-specific collection. The significance of data protection laws becomes pertinent in a civilisation that thrives on round-the-clock access to the internet and information sharing. The right to Privacy as a fundamental right was identified in India in K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, which envisioned informational privacy within the realm of privacy jurisprudence. As the Supreme Court urged the Union to provide a robust system for data protection, after nearly six years, the Digital Data Protection Act, 2023, was passed, hailed as an unwavering government commitment towards data protection. Though the declaration initiated a dialogue surrounding the quintessential need for data protection, prior to that, the Information and Technology Act, 2000 and Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011 determined responsibilities for data protection and affixing accountability for digital privacy. The paper will unpack the Act of 2023, juxtaposing it with its predecessors, and will undertake a comprehensive analysis of the touchstone of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The aim is to establish how far the legislation has succeeded in realising the true essence of informational privacy and providing a mechanism to counteract the data controller’s unwarranted and nonconsensual data mining