Space and Culture, India
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Get PDFThe following are some of the new publications for the Volume 3 (1). All are freely available on the internet.Â
Socio-Economic Conditions and Quality of Life in the Tribal Areas of Orissa with Special Reference to Mayurbhanj District
Get PDFOdisha (previously known as Orissa), being socio-economically backward but culturally sound, is one of the important states in Eastern India. Out of 30 districts 9 are considered as tribal districts (according to Location Quotient value) and of the total population (41,947,358 in 2011) a significant share (22.1%) goes to tribal people (8,145,081in 2011). This tribal group of Odisha has special significance because they are one of the most backward and geographically isolated communities. That’s why their life style and economy is confined to the direct utilization of natural resources, pre-agricultural level of technology and specific indigenous type of work. But now with the emergence of industry and market economy, the age-old relationship between tribes and nature has disturbed. Keeping this in backdrop, the present study tried to explore the changing scenario of socio-economic condition in the tribal areas of Odisha. In this regard, various socio-economic indicators have been analyzed and compared for representing district-level patterns of quality of life and finding out the variation among the Primitive tribal households in the study area. In addition, Mayurbhanj has also been taken as a case study to represent the socio-economic condition and quality of life at the block level. It may be pointed out in this context that out of 30 districts in Odisha, according to Location Quotient value Mayurbhanj is the highest tribal concentrated district. The overall objective of this study is to obtain a better understanding of disparities and variations in socio-economic status in Odisha as well as in Mayurbhanj and also find out some remedial measures to overcome the problems to bring the Primitive tribal community in the main stream of the society. Maps have been prepared on the above-mentioned indicators based on secondary data using Arc-GIS 9.3. From the analysis of the health-related indicators it is clear from the analysis that the quality of life in the district has improved remarkably over the years but socio-economic disparities in terms of caste and gender continue to be a major problem mostly in tribal and backward areas
Women as Milieu Managers in Integrated Watershed Management: Perspectives from the Hilly Areas of Uttarakhand
Get PDFIntegrated watershed management provides a viable mechanism for managing land, water and biomass of a region, especially in the rain-fed areas of India. It foresees a sustainable conservation of available natural resources and embarks upon collective action irrespective of gender bias. In the marginal hilly areas of the country, the burden of livelihood directly falls upon the womenfolk. This is because due to lack of off-farm activities the hills of India see a lot of male outmigration in search of better employment activities. The degradation in the ecosystem/natural resources thus has a direct bearing upon the women of the region, as they are the ultimate stakeholders of the natural endowments. Integrated watershed management provides a ray of hope amidst the swarm of faulty and borrowed developmental plans, especially for the womenfolk of the marginal hilly areas of the country. The present paper assesses the role the women play in managing their immediate surroundings and argues that the level of participation of women remains paramount in integrated watershed management in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand
Creating Own Histories: Adolescent Girls in Mumbai’s Bastis-Use of Photography as a Tool of Documentation and Advocacy
Get PDFExpressing oneself is a fundamental right as enunciated in many international conventions and
national constitutions. Expressing oneself,however, is subject to other factors, namely, one’s
access to language, and means and platforms of expression. Marginalised groups have historically
been kept away from gaining, as well as creating, knowledge and language. Breaking out of deprivation for marginalised groups requires having a reference framework of their own stories that are accessible to their own people, as well as visible to the rest of the world as legitimate history. As Sheila Rowbotham (1973) says, “in order to create an alternative, an oppressed group must at once shatter the self-reflecting world which encircles it and, at the same time, project its own image onto history.... All revolutionary movements create their own ways of seeing.” (p. 27). This paper seeks to show Vacha’s work with adolescent girls who purport to express themselves and document their perspectives through photography. Girls form one of the most marginalised
sections of society, due to age and gender. Girls from deprived backgrounds contend with further
disabilities of caste and class. Their perspectives are seldom part of the collective consciousness of
their own communities, let alone enter mainstream discourses. Vacha uses photography as a useful tool for deprived girls to express and document their stories. Public exhibitions are used to take these images
to a wider audience
Achieving Millennium Development Goals and India Vision 2020: Evidences from slums of Varanasi City
Get PDFThe objective of this paper is to examine the achievements of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and India Vision 2020 in the context of the slums of Varanasi city. India has been facing the problem of growing urban poverty due to rapid urbanisation. According to the Census of India 2011, about 65 million people live in urban slums, which are overcrowded, polluted, unhygienic, and deprived of basic services. This paper compares the goals and targets of UN MDGs and India Vision 2020 with the status of the slum dwellers of Varanasi city. The study is based on primary data, which includes survey of 150 households of five different slums of Varanasi city. The study reveals that more than 70% people are illiterate, less than 35% of population access government health facilities, only 36% household use tap water, etc. This comparison portrays a pathetic picture of slums and the inabilities to achieve both MDGs and national goals.Key words:MDGs, India Vision 2020, Slums, Poverty, Quality of life, Varanasi City, Indi
Protest Literature in Assam and Manipur: ‘Exploring Possibilities of Comparative Analysis through Dialogue’
Get PDFSelf Help Groups (SHGs) and Women\u27s Development: A Case Study of the Varanasi District
Get PDFDevelopment is a multi-dimensional process that affects society in multiple ways. It is well documented that women constitute about half of the world\u27s population but their share in the economy and other development spheres remain neglected. In addition, this large section of population (including Indian women) have been suffering from various disadvantages - lack of accessibility to resources, non-recognition of their economic contribution within the family and society. In order to resolve these emerging challenges, Government of India (GOI) has implemented various programmes and policies since Independence. Among these programmes, Self Help Groups (SHGs) may be considered as a significant initiative of the government as well as the non-governmental organisations (NGOs). These are based on the principle of democratic process of development. The democratic institution provides a platform to the socially and economically deprived sections and encourages them for economic participation. Since the 1970s, SHGs have been working in many states of India and contributing to the development processes. The present paper is an attempt to analyse the contribution of SHGs in women\u27s development in the district of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The impact of these groups on women\u27s development has been analysed by Gender Development Index (GDI), which focused on the male-female differences in terms of longevity of life, knowledge and economic betterment.
Key words: Development, Self Help Groups, Women in Development, Varanasi, Indi
Education for Disabled Children in Bangladesh: Perceptions, Misconceptions and Challenges
Get PDFDespite having specific policy, laws and services, disabled children in Bangladesh are facing troubles in obtaining education. Poverty, limited institutional services, lack of trained teachers, weak academic support, etc. are the most common visual causes behind their physically challenged conditions but the root causes remains hidden in our social system. The paper describes as to how people view the concept, educational need and importance of the disabled children while considering existing social, cultural and religious misconceptions and stigmas. Besides, opinion of the respondent are also described here. Based on quantitative research method, the data was collected from disabled children, their parents and their teachers through interviews and observation of the researchers. The findings reveal that majority of the population considered in the study are still maintaining different attitudes. Moreover, religious and cultural trends are not in favour of the disabled children. Families are found more attentive and sensitive but external supports are not appropriate to ensure their educational rights with harmony. Even disabled children often fail to receive proper cooperation and mental support from their institutions, society and from their parents. However, changes are visible but at a slower pace, and this trend should be speeded up. The paper also probes for the opinions and suggestions of the parents and teachers to overcome those barriers and limitations. The study was conducted in the Sylhet city of Bangladesh covering general and specialised schools where disabled children attend.Â