South India Journal of Social Sciences (SIJSS) is a UGC-CARE listed, bimonthly journal published by the Academy of Social Sciences, an organization registered under the Society’s Act. The journal covers a wide range of areas within the social sciences, including sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, history, and more. Since its establishment in 2003 as a print journal (ISSN: 0972-8945), SIJSS has been committed to promoting high-quality research and scholarly discourse in the field of social sciences. In 2024, the journal was assigned an online ISSN (3048-6165), further strengthening its digital identity. Beginning April 2025, SIJSS transitioned to a bimonthly edition with a strong online presence, making its content more accessible to readers and authors worldwide. The journal uses the Open Journal System (OJS) to manage the complete researcher-to-reader workflow, including submission, peer review, and production.
The Entwined Nexus: Television, Caste, and Media Capital in the Telugu States
Section: Book Review Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Entwined Nexus, Media Capital, Political Economy This article critically reviews Srinivas Panthukala’s Media Capital: The Political Economy of 24/7 Television News in the Telugu States (2025) examines how television news in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana evolved into a sophisticated political and commercial institution. The book argues that the rise of 24/7 television news in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana cannot be understood merely through media liberalization or market competition. Instead, the regional media landscape is structurally shaped by caste hierarchies, capital accumulation, and party-political strategies. Panthukala demonstrates that dominant agrarian-capitalist castes, particularly Reddys, Kammas, and Velamas channeled surplus capital into television news following economic liberalization in the 1990s . Media ownership thus became embedded within caste-political patronage networks, transforming news channels into instruments of ideological consolidation rather than autonomous watchdog institutions. Through detailed institutional mapping, the study highlights ownership structures, party alignments, and patterns of vertical and horizontal integration that reinforce media capture. The book further contends that sensationalism, polarized debates, and personality-centric programming are not merely products of commercial competition but serve partisan and caste interests. By tracing the shift from Doordarshan’s monopoly to competitive satellite broadcasting, Panthukala connects broader transformations in Indian media to the consolidation of regional bourgeois power. Although limited by its temporal scope, which ends around 2014, the study offers a foundational regional political economy framework. It demonstrates how television news in the Telugu states functions as a hegemonic apparatus reproducing caste dominance, political legitimacy, and capitalist accumulation.
Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations
Copyright (c) 2026 South India Journal of Social Sciences https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The Green Turn and Sustainable Shift: Examining Consumer Awareness and Motivation Towards Organic Food in Tiruchirappalli
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Sustainable Agriculture, Organic Farming, Organic Food, Awareness, Purchasing Habits Organic food refers to naturally grown and processed products that completely avoid the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or artificial substances. These items are also free from genetically modified ingredients, aiming to encourage a sustainable agricultural system. Public awareness of Rising concern for health and the environment has resulted in a continual growth in the demand for organic food. Organic farming has long been a part of India’s agricultural heritage. Long before the arrival of chemical-based farming, Indian cultivators practiced natural methods using resources from plants and animals, which preserved soil fertility and ecological balance. Farming practices based on organic principles were once the foundation of India’s economy and played a vital role in its overall growth and prosperity. Although organically grown products are available today, their supply remains limited. However, rising consciousness about health and sustainability has led to a notable shift in consumer preference towards organic goods. Increasing awareness of the harmful effects of chemically processed food has led consumers to prefer more natural and organic alternatives. In recent years, the Indian organic market has grown rapidly, particularly among educated and health-conscious consumers. Retailers catering to niche segments are promoting organic items to meet this demand. The present study therefore focuses on examining consumer awareness and perceptions towards organic products in Tiruchirappalli, identifying key factors influencing their buying behaviour
Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management
Competing Narratives in Indian Politics: A Study of the Congress Party’s Strategies in the 2024 General Elections
Section: Articles Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Hindutva, Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Secularism, 2024 General Election Subjects: INDIAN POLITICS This paper examines the ideological and electoral confrontation between the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 General Elections, focusing on Congress's challenge to the BJP's Hindutva-driven political strategy. The Congress Party, traditionally a proponent of secularism and inclusivity, mounted a significant challenge to the BJP, preventing it from securing a majority. The paper analyzes Congress’s key campaign strategies, including the Bharat Jodo Yatra, advocacy for a caste census, and the emphasis on constitutional values, which collectively generated public discourse on national unity, economic stability, and social welfare. Drawing on primary sources, such as campaign speeches, the party manifesto, electoral outcomes, and expert interviews, this study assesses the effectiveness of Congress's response to Hindutva narratives. The findings offer insights into the party's future strategies for promoting secularism and countering identity-based politics, contributing to the understanding of the evolving dynamics of India's democratic and cultural politics.
Modelling Volatility in the Indian Bullion Market: An EGARCH Approach
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Indian Bullion Market, Volatility Modelling, GARCH (1,1), EGARCH (1,1), Asymmetric Volatility The volatility characteristics of the Indian bullion market are examined in this study utilizing monthly statistics from April 2000 to March 2024, with a focus on gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. For investors, legislators, and researchers working on risk management, market regulation, and portfolio optimization, volatility a crucial indicator of market risk is essential. Bullion return clustering, persistence, and asymmetry are captured by the study using the GARCH (1,1) and EGARCH (1,1) models. In addition to highlighting variations in mean, dispersion, skewness, and kurtosis among metals, descriptive statistics validate the data's stationarity using the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test. All markets show considerable volatility clustering, according to GARCH data, with silver showing the strongest persistence (α + β = 0.91), suggesting that shocks diminish over time. EGARCH studies reveal significant asymmetric effects in gold and silver, where positive shocks result in greater volatility than negative shocks, whereas platinum and palladium exhibit symmetric volatility patterns. The large persistence coefficients (β) of all metals show that past shocks have a significant influence on future volatility. These findings highlight the need of accounting for asymmetric volatility when modelling bullion prices and show that gold and silver require more thought when it comes to risk management and the creation of investment strategies. By providing the first EGARCH-based analysis of the Indian bullion market, the study contributes to the literature by illuminating market behaviour, risk mitigation, and investment strategy. In order to manage financial risk and comprehend price dynamics in the Indian bullion market, traders, investors, and policymakers can benefit from the findings.
Adoption of Generative AI Tools in Indian Higher Education: An Empirical Study on Faculty Readiness, Ethical Concerns, and Pedagogical Transformation
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management, Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science, Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies, Other Interdisciplinary Studies Keywords: Generative AI, Higher Education, Faculty Readiness, Ethics, Pedagogical Transformation, Technology Adoption The rapid integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into educational systems represents a significant turning point. This research aims to study the acceptance, benefits, ethical challenges, and pedagogical consequences of GenAI in Indian higher education. Employing a descriptive, cross-sectional approach, we distributed a structured questionnaire to 210 faculty members across multidisciplinary colleges and universities, ensuring the anonymity of respondents and the authenticity of data. The study used descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and regression modeling to understand the dimensions of faculty readiness, perceived advantages, ethical issues, and pedagogical impacts in adopting GenAI. The results reveal a high level of awareness and moderate adoption, influenced by the perception of academic efficiency but restrained by ethical concerns, skills gap, and lack of institutional policy clarity. The findings emphasize the need for policy formulation, training, and ethical guidelines as India endeavors to achieve digitally empowered education. This study offers recent empirical evidence to the ongoing conversation on technology acceptance in academia, enriching the literature and informing the stakeholders of higher education institutions about the GenAI wave.
Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science
Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies
Spirituality & Social Work: A Bibliometric Analysis of SCOPUS Publications using VOSviewer
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology Keywords: Spirituality , Social Work, Bibliometric Analysis , VOSviewer Subjects: spiritulaity, Social Work, Bibliometric analysis, VOSviewer Spirituality and social work have traditionally been associated with advancing social justice, moral principles, and human development. To advance the research and the practice, it is essential to look at the major players, trends, and theme advances in the social work profession. Therefore, a bibliometric analysis of the Scopus database was used to study global literature on social work and spirituality in the period between 1992 and 2025. The final analysis was done on 283 documents and the indicators of analysis included co-occurrence of keywords, co-authorship, citations, and bibliographic coupling. VOSviewer software version 1.6.20 was used to analyse data for visualising networks and research trends. Among the 283 documents examined, 83.39% were original research papers, and most of them were published in English. The top contributor was the “United States”, followed by “Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.” "Spirituality" & "Social Work" were the most recurring keywords, and recent trends are centred on professional practice and social workers' roles. The key contributors were David R. Hodge and Edward R. Canda, with the most cited journals being “Social Work” and “The British Journal of Social Work”. Although increased research trends were reported, few collaborations between institutions and nations were seen, which meant a necessity for more robust global research networks. The bibliometric analysis in this study shows the growing importance and relevance of spirituality in social work practice, with major contributions from Western countries. Further, research in the field must aim to explore ideas and topics from different cultural settings, promoting international collaborations, interdisciplinary practice, and addressing emerging issues in the incorporation of spirituality in the social work profession. This will foster the expansion of the social work field, encouraging complete and inclusive social work intervention practice globally.
Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology
Reimagining Development, Toward Sustainability and Inclusion
Section: Editor's Note Keywords: Sustainability, Inclusion, SGD, ESG The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) declared by the UNO have strengthened the need for academic reflection. Along with sustainability, the ideal of inclusion in a diversified society like India makes the objectives of development very focused. We have 17 research papers written on the above theme. As we navigate the complexities of 21 Century development, two imperatives have emerged as inseparable: environmental sustainability and social inclusion. This special edition covers diverse aspects examining how these twin goals manifest across India’s economic landscape. What strikes me most powerfully in reviewing these contributions is not merely the empirical evidence they provide, but the fundamental questions they raise about our development model itself. THE SUSTAINABILITY IMPERATIVE: RHETORIC VERSUS REALITY The ESG Paradox Much has been proclaimed about Environmental, Social, and Governance principles transforming corporate India. Yet the evidence presented here compels uncomfortable honesty: we remain trapped between aspiration and achievement. Whether examining petroleum giants pursuing net-zero commitments, banks claiming sustainable finance credentials, or agricultural enterprises adopting green practices, a consistent pattern emerges, ESG integration remains superficial, driven more by regulatory compliance and international market pressures than genuine transformation. What particularly concerns me is the disconnect between ESG scores and actual outcomes. When major corporations achieve only moderate sustainability ratings that correlate minimally with financial performance, we must ask whether we are measuring what matters or merely what is convenient to measure. The banking sector analysis reveals an even more troubling reality: sustainability efforts sometimes inversely correlate with market valuation, suggesting that investors remain unconvinced or that implementation costs outweigh perceived benefits. This is not sustainability, it is performative compliance. The agricultural research offers a more nuanced perspective. Farm size determines who can afford sustainability, creating a two-tiered system where large producers comply while small farmers struggle. This observation crystallizes a broader truth: without deliberate inclusion strategies, sustainability mandates risk becoming another mechanism of marginalization, rewarding those already privileged while penalizing those operating at subsistence margins. Climate Change: No Longer a Future Threat The climate research presented here moves beyond apocalyptic projections to document present-day impacts. Agricultural productivity already responds measurably to climate variability, with nearly half of rice yield fluctuations attributable to temperature and rainfall patterns. For a nation where agriculture sustains hundreds of millions, this is not an environmental issue it is an existential livelihood crisis unfolding in slow motion. What demands our attention is not whether climate change will affect India, but how unequally distribute its impacts. The political economy analysis of water scarcity forces us to confront an uncomfortable reality: environmental crises are not natural disasters but socially constructed outcomes reflecting power asymmetries. When 163 million Indians lack clean drinking water in a country with abundant water resources, the crisis stems not from absolute scarcity but from governance failures, privatization dynamics, and systematic exclusion of marginalized communities from decision-making processes. Alternative Pathways: Permaculture and Systemic Redesign The permaculture contribution offers conceptual relief an articulation of agriculture as ecosystem design rather than extractive industry. What appeals to me about this framework is its refusal to accept industrial agriculture’s assumptions. Rather than optimizing existing systems, permaculture proposes fundamentally different relationships between humans and natural systems, emphasizing regeneration over extraction, diversity over monoculture, and long-term resilience over short-term yield maximization. However, as an editor, I must note the challenge: such alternative frameworks remain marginal in policy discourse and investment priorities. Mainstreaming permaculture requires not just governmental recognition but transformation of agricultural extension systems, credit mechanisms, and market structures currently designed for industrial agriculture. The gap between conceptual elegance and implementation reality remains vast. INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT: BEYOND WELFARISM Employment Guarantees: Promise and Fragility The MGNREGA analysis offers both hope and caution. When effectively implemented, employment guarantees demonstrably reach marginalized communities, with women and tribal populations securing dignified work at critical moments. This is inclusion in its most tangible form guaranteed livelihood access regardless of caste, gender, or market position. Yet what troubles me deeply is the program’s vulnerability to administrative disruption. Participation collapses following bureaucratic reorganizations; completion rates plummet when political will wanes. This fragility exposes the limitation of welfare-based inclusion: benefits remain contingent on state capacity and political commitment rather than being structurally embedded in economic systems. Marginalized communities cycle between temporary relief and renewed vulnerability, never achieving the economic security that would constitute genuine inclusion. Livelihood Diversification: Adaptation or Dispossession? The tribal livelihood research reveals communities adapting to constrained circumstances diversifying income sources as traditional practices become untenable under conservation policies and climate pressures. Development discourse often celebrates such diversification as resilience. Yet we must ask are we witnessing adaptive innovation or gradual dispossession? When forest-dependent communities abandon traditional practices due to policy restrictions rather than choice, calling this “livelihood diversification” obscures coercion beneath neutral terminology. Education emerges as the critical variable enabling successful diversification. This finding underscores that inclusion requires capability investments schools, skills training, information access not merely income transfers. However, it also reveals how decades of educational neglect have constrained current adaptive capacity, leaving communities vulnerable precisely when adaptation becomes most critical. The Financial Exclusion Trap Multiple contributions examine financial systems banking access, credit availability, digital payment adoption. What becomes evident is that financial inclusion initiatives have expanded access without necessarily building capability. Women possess bank accounts but lack financial literacy to leverage them effectively; rural populations own smartphones but cannot access digital banking due to connectivity, interface complexity, and trust deficits. The comparison between urban and rural women’s financial capability reveals disparities that cannot be addressed through account-opening campaigns alone. Meaningful financial inclusion requires infrastructure investment, culturally appropriate education, vernacular interfaces, and perhaps most fundamentally, transformation of attitudes viewing financial services as urban, educated domains rather than universal entitlements. Workers in traditional industries coir, cashew processing exemplify the limits of current inclusion approaches. Predominantly women from marginalized backgrounds, they access employment but remain trapped in informal arrangements without contracts, social security, or occupational safety protections. Three-quarters carry debt burdens; over half suffer chronic health conditions directly attributable to working conditions. This is not inclusion it is exploitation with a paycheck. Labor Markets: Informality as Structural Violence Perhaps the most damning evidence concerns employment contracts or their absence. When nearly 70% of regular wage workers lack written contracts, vulnerability becomes normalized rather than exceptional. The research documenting wage differentials demonstrates that contract status determines not just income but access to social security, job stability, and basic dignity. Only 2-3% of India’s workforce enjoys genuinely secure employment. This is not a market failure requiring marginal adjustments but a structural feature of India’s economic model. Informality serves capital accumulation by externalizing social reproduction costs onto workers and their communities. Addressing this requires not skill development programs or entrepreneurship training though both have value but fundamental labor market reforms establishing universal contracts, minimum wage enforcement, and social security as rights rather than privileges. SYNTHESIS: TOWARD INTEGRATED TRANSFORMATION Reviewing these contributions, I am struck by the interconnectedness repeatedly emerging. Sustainability mandates that exclude small farmers or informal workers inevitably fail; inclusion initiatives ignoring environmental degradation undermine their own foundations. Marginalized communities bear disproportionate environmental burdens while possessing least adaptive capacity. Water privatization creates scarcity for the poor while enabling corporate profit. Climate change devastates rain-dependent agriculture even as conservation policies restrict traditional adaptive practices. What emerges is not a call for better policy coordination but recognition that our dominant development model generates these contradictions systematically. We pursue GDP growth that degrades ecosystems, industrialization that informalizes labor, urbanization that displaces rural livelihoods, and liberalization that concentrates wealth. Sustainability and inclusion initiatives operate as correctives to a fundamentally extractive, unequal system rather than transforming its underlying logic. The research assembled here provides rigorous evidence of these dynamics. It also, collectively, points toward alternatives: participatory governance over technocratic management, justice frameworks over efficiency calculations, capability building over welfarism, systemic redesign over incremental adjustment. Whether examining permaculture, employment guarantees, or water justice movements, the most compelling contributions envision development not as maximizing output but as enabling dignified, sustainable livelihoods within ecological limits. As Guest Editor, I offer this collection not as definitive answers but as evidence demanding uncomfortable questions. Can ESG frameworks drive transformation or merely legitimize existing power structures? Do inclusion programs empower marginalized communities or manage their exclusion more efficiently? Can we achieve sustainability without confronting inequality, or inclusion without challenging unsustainable accumulation? These articles suggest that meaningful progress requires moving beyond technical solutions toward fundamental transformations in resource distribution, decision-making authority, and institutional arrangements. The path forward demands not just better policies but different politics guided by principles of equity, participation, and ecological integrity that place human dignity and environmental health before abstract growth metrics.
Copyright (c) 2025 South India Journal of Social Sciences https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
A Study of Talent Management Practices Influence on Private Sector Commercial Banks Human Resource Management
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management, Other Interdisciplinary Studies Keywords: Talent Management Practices, Talent Acquisition , Talent Development , Talent Engagement , Banking Performance Subjects: Commerce & Management, Human Resource Management (HRM), Banking Performance TM is a dynamic idea that comes from strategic human resource management. It is constantly being evolved to manage employees in a business. Additionally, the goal of TM is to improve team performance, the organization overall, and individual engagement, satisfaction, and commitment. Talent management is described as a set of systematic activities such as systematic attraction, identification, development, engagement, and retention of talented employees who add value to the organization and create sustainable success or competitive advantage. Since the world has shifted to more technologically advanced concepts, banks must expect competent individuals to oversee financial operations. This idea carries some risk, but banking operations require the suitable person in the right role to do the task fast. As a result, the talent management practices notion is incorporated, which naturally improves banking performance. Thus, this idea has a favorable link with banking performance for talent management. "By clearly defining the talent management activities and their role in the level of commitment, the study contributes to the consistent research paradigm of the topic."
Psychological Underpinnings of Online Trolling: The Interplay of Ambivalent Sexism and Dark Triad Personality Traits
Section: Articles Categories: Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies, Other Interdisciplinary Studies Keywords: Online trolling, Ambivalent sexism, Dark triad, Significant, Psychopathy Subjects: Criminal Psychology, Cybercrime Online trolling is an act, which may include deception, aggression and abuse against individuals online. It results in emotional distress to the victim and can lead to extreme consequences like withdrawing or quitting social media, mental health difficulties and others. This study was conducted to understand the relationship between online trolling, ambivalent sexism towards women and dark triad personality traits (machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism). Cross-Sectional Design was followed and purposive sampling was done. A total of 42 individuals from the 18 to 25 years age group were taken in the sample with 22 female participants and 20 male participants. Ambivalent Sexism Inventory-Short Form (ASI-SF), Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (DTDD) scale and a 7-items scale developed by authors for online trolling, were employed for collecting the data. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Correlation, Independent Samples t Test and Simple Linear Regression using the Jamovi software. Correlational analysis revealed significant relationships between online trolling and ambivalent sexism, machiavellianism and psychopathy. There were significant gender differences on online trolling and ambivalent sexism, with males scoring higher than females. Lastly, it was found that dark triad personality traits and ambivalent sexism significantly predicted online trolling. Future implications and limitations of this study are discussed.
Identity, Memory, and the Bildungsroman in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Memory of Departure
Section: Articles Categories: Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science Keywords: identity, Trauma, Memory, refugee, Bildungsroman, Abdulrazak Gurnah Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Memory of Departure (1987) inaugurates one of the most distinctive voices in postcolonial fiction, tracing the psychological and historical fractures that define post-independence East Africa. Through the protagonist Hassan, the novel explores the crisis of identity that arises from the collision between inherited cultural structures and modern aspirations. Unlike the classical European Bildungsroman, which culminates in integration and maturity, Gurnah’s novel stages self-development as disillusionment the painful awakening of a subject denied both belonging and mobility. This paper argues that Memory of Departure transforms the Bildungsroman into a postcolonial allegory of stagnation, where memory, shame, and silence replace progress, and exile becomes the only viable form of consciousness. Drawing upon theories from Homi Bhabha, Frantz Fanon, Cathy Caruth, and Marianne Hirsch, this paper examines how trauma, displacement, and collective amnesia structure Gurnah’s early novel as both a psychological and political narrative of survival.
Between Reverence and Reduction: The Complexities of Female Identity in Sarah Elizabeth Holmes’ and Margaret Atwood’s Writings
Section: Articles Categories: Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science Keywords: Autonomy, Individuality, Reduction, Reverence This study explores the intricate dynamics between Reverence and Reduction in the context of women’s individuality, examining the works of 19th-century thinker Sarah Elizabeth Holmes and contemporary author Margaret Atwood. Through a comparative analysis of their perspectives, this research highlights the persistent struggle for autonomy and self–definition that women face. Sarah’s advocacy for individual rights and natural law is juxtaposed with Atwood’s literary explorations of women’s experiences, revealing a complex interplay between societal expectations, personal identity, and the quest for independence. By investigating the tensions between Reverence and Reduction, this paper argues that the erosion of individuality can lead to a power vacuum. The study concludes that the pursuit of autonomy and self-determination remains a fundamental challenge for women, underscoring the ongoing relevance of Holmes and Atwood‘s insights into the human experience.
Effect of Macro-economic Factors on the Trading Styles of Institutional Investors
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Macro-Economic Factors, Institutional Investors, Trading Style, Momentum-Contrarian, Buy Ratio, Logistic Regression Institutional investors, known for their professional expertise and high-volume trading, vary in their investment horizons and strategies, particularly in how they respond to macro-economic factors.This study investigates whether foreign institutional investors(FIIs) and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) in India adopt different trading styles in relation to macro-economic factors, with a particular focus on momentum and contrarian trading. The study uses the monthly aggregated investment flows of institutional investors in the equity market to measure the trading style from 1st April 2012 to 31st March 2024. The trading style of institutional investors is measured using the Buy Ratio. Further to determine which macro-economic factors increase the likelihood of institutional investors going momentum or contrarian is examined using the logistic regression model. The findings show institutional investors do not mimic each other trading style with respect to macro-economic announcements. The results reveal that there exist significant positive and negative relations between a few macro-economic factors and institutional investors. The study finds evidence that FIIs chase the market return and pursue a momentum trading style while DIIs adopt a contrarian trading style.
Voices of the People: Exploring the Praja Parishad Movement in Jammu and Kashmir
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology Keywords: Muslim Conference, Kashmir, National Conference, Sheikh Abdullah This paper aims to explore the Praja Parshad movement in Jammu and Kashmir, focusing on the voices of the people involved and affected by the movement. The Praja Parshad movement, which emerged in 1949, represented the aspirations and concerns of the specific section of the society in Jammu and Kashmir State. By examining historical records, primary sources, and scholarly analysis, this study sheds light on the origin, objectives, mobilization, and impact of the movement. By giving voice to the people who participated in or were influenced by the Praja Parshad movement, this research offers valuable insights into the socio-political context of Jammu and Kashmir during that time and the lasting significance of the movement in shaping the region’s history.
Impact of Consistent and Stable Dividend on Share Values: Insights from Indian Corporate Firms
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Consistent Dividend, Dividend Payout, Irregular Dividend Payers, Share Value, Stable Dividend Subjects: Finance, Financial economics The study undertakes to determine the impact of Dividend Decisions on the value of shares. For this purpose, the study attempts to know whether firms follow consistency in their dividend payments and if that consistency brings an effect on the value of the firm measured by shareprices. The firms listed on NSE 100 index has been taken as the sample and the firms are divided into three categories of Consistent Dividend Payers, Irregular Dividend Payers and Consistent as well as Stable Dividend Payers. Test results supported the use of Fixed Effects Method and Driscoll Kraay Robust Standard Errors are employed along to address the issues of multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation. The results under all the firms, Consistent Dividend Payers, consistent as well as Stable Payers are almost the same which showed that Dividend payout is not an influencing factor of share value aligning with the MM theory of Dividend. But in case of Irregular Payers, Dividend payout appeared to be statistically significant indicating that payment of Dividend signals positive information to the market thereby increasing the value of shares. The results are mixed supporting both the Relevancy and Irrelevancy theory of Dividends.
A Study on Customer Satisfaction of Compact SUV Cars: The Moderating Effect of Customer Expectations
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: customer satisfaction , Compact SUVs, Brand Image, Service Quality, Customer Expectations The automotive industry is characterized by rapid innovation and intense competition, particularly within the compact SUV segment, which has witnessed a surge in consumer interest over the past decade. As manufacturers strive to capture market share, understanding the factors that influence customer satisfaction has become paramount. This study investigates the intricate relationship between customer satisfaction and customer expectations specifically within the context of compact SUV cars. By examining how customer expectations act as a moderating variable in shaping satisfaction levels, this research aims to illuminate the underlying dynamics that drive consumer perceptions and experiences. The research employs a quantitative approach using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling to examine the relationships between key satisfaction drivers and Customer Satisfaction. A structured questionnaire was administered to compact SUV owners, producing 374 samples that reflect the distribution of major automobile brands. The findings reveal that Service Quality, Product Quality, Brand Image, and Value for Money significantly influence customer satisfaction, whereas User Experience does not have a statistically significant effect. Customer Expectations exhibit both a strong direct effect on satisfaction and a positive moderating influence on the relationship between Brand Image and Customer Satisfaction. The study underscores the importance of managing expectations and delivering consistent value to sustain satisfaction and loyalty in the competitive automobile market. These insights provide valuable implications for marketers, automobile dealers, and service managers seeking to enhance customer experience and retention.
Decoding the Rhetoric of Resistance in Barindra Ghose’s Prison Memoir The Tale of My Exile
Section: Articles Categories: Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science, Other Interdisciplinary Studies Keywords: Colonialism, Memoir, Metaphor, Prison, Resistance, Rhetoric Subjects: Indian English Literature , Language and Politics Resistance to oppression is critical to the progressive transformation of any unjust socio-political setup. Across the history of human civilization, resistance to hegemonic powers has taken various forms and dimensions such as revolutionary political and social organisations, acts and movements of civil disobedience, militant rebellions, as well as discursive resistance. Amongst these, discursive resistance, or the contestation of dominant narratives and value systems that undergird rule of oppression, is a less conspicuous yet potent weapon of opposition. The aim of the present paper is to identify the rhetoric of resistance in one such oppositional text, Barindra Kumar Ghose’s prison memoir, The Tale of My Exile: Twelve years in the Andamans (1922). Employing a qualitative methodology of close reading of the selected primary text, the paper decodes various literary strategies employed by the writer to delineate his experience of incarceration in the service of a political counter-narrative. These rhetorical tools are not just aesthetic embellishments, but function to spotlight key dimensions of colonial imprisonment which are strategically represented for the purpose of counter-hegemonic advocacy. In this way, the paper demonstrates that autobiographical storytelling employs language and narrative tools for particular discursive interests. Ultimately, the paper aims to contribute to the growing body of scholarship that locates literary and cultural texts as significant sites of cultural and political resistance.
Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy: The Influence of India in Malaysia
Section: Articles Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Bilateral Relations, Culture, Diplomacy, Indian Diaspora, Soft Power Subjects: Political Science India's use of soft power and cultural diplomacy has significantly influenced Malaysia, reflecting a strategic approach to strengthening bilateral relations and promoting cultural affinity. This abstract explores the mechanisms and impacts of India's soft power in Malaysia, focusing on cultural, educational and economic dimensions.India leverages its rich cultural heritage, including films, music, dance, cuisine, yoga, and festivals to build a positive image and foster a sense of cultural kinship with Malaysia. The Indian diaspora in Malaysia is one among the largest population outside India, plays a crucial role in sustaining and propagating Indian culture. Cultural festivals such as Diwali, Pongal andThaipoosam celebrated widely in Malaysia, serve as platforms for cultural exchange and mutual appreciation. This research paper focuses on few research enquires like how India's soft power and cultural diplomacy have successfully created a favorable and conducive environment for bilateral cooperation, promoting cultural understanding, and strengthening socio-economic ties between India and Malaysia. Further it explores the hidden soft power effect by which the strategic use of cultural assets and educational initiatives continues to shape a positive narrative and enhance India's influence in the region.
Factors Determining Professional Mutual Fund Investors’ Behaviour
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Investment, Investors’, Mutual Fund, Professional There are a plethora of avenues available for investment. Nowadays, investing money is not a big deal, but selecting the best alternative based on individual objectives, regardless of age, financial position, risk tolerance, and return expectations, is multifaceted and complicated. But shaping the behaviour towards investment is something fascinating to understand. The study attempts to understand whether the professional mutual fund investors' investment behaviour is rational or not, and it also looks at different factors that influence how these professionals make their investment decisions. Analyzing the sample of 100 professional investors from the state of Goa and using statistical techniques like T-test, Correlation, and ANOVA, the study concluded that professional investors’ behaviour is strongly influenced by their age, qualifications, and years of experience, emphasizing the importance of expertise and market exposure. The results also show that heuristics and emotions have very weak and statistically non-significant correlations with the behavior score. All investment strategies have positive correlations with Behaviour.
Beyond the Paycheck: Societal and Cultural Influences on Turnover Intention in Contemporary Workplaces - A Conceptual Review
Section: Articles Categories: Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: Societal and cultural determinants. , Contemporary workplace, Turnover Intention Turnover intention has traditionally been examined through organizational and individual lenses, emphasizing majorly job satisfaction, commitment, compensation, and leadership dynamics. However, this paper shifts the focus to broader societal determinants that subtly yet powerfully shape employees’ decisions to exit. Drawing on sociological and cultural frameworks, it explores how social norms, community expectations, and cultural pressures influence perceptions of loyalty, career mobility, and workplace disengagement. In collectivist contexts, family obligations, societal status, and normative conformity often override organizational incentives, creating a complex interplay between personal agency and communal influence. The study proposes a conceptual model integrating socio-cultural aspects with turnover intention, offering fresh insights for HR practitioners and organizational psychologists. By moving beyond the paycheck, this work invites a rethinking of retention strategies that account for the socio-cultural embeddedness of employee behavior, especially in emerging economies like India.
Negotiating Food Security and Trade Liberalisation: India’s Agricultural Policy in the Global Arena
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management, Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Agreement on Agriculture, , Food Security, Agricultural Policy Subjects: Agricultural Policy , Food Security, , World Trade Organization , Public Stock Holding This paper examines the prolonged conflict between India’s Public Stockholding (PSH) program and Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanisms for food security, and the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). It argues that this is not a mere technical dispute over subsidy calculations but a fundamental clash between two paradigms, the sovereign right of a nation to ensure food security for its population and a trade liberalisation framework that reflects the historical power asymmetries of the global economic order. The paper traces India's agricultural policy, beginning with the Green Revolution, which necessitated the creation of a domestic support mechanism, including the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the Minimum Support Price (MSP). This domestic framework, designed to achieve national self-sufficiency, now stands in direct opposition to the AoA's rules on domestic support. The paper deconstructs the technical core of the conflict, the WTO's Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) methodology and its outdated reference prices, and analyses the political stalemate at the WTO over a permanent solution for public stockholding (PSH). Ultimately, it contends that India's steadfast position is a defense of its foundational food security policies and a broader challenge to international trade regime that has historically failed to accommodate the development imperatives of the Global South.
Impact of SMM Factors on Consumer Attitude and Buying Behaviour of Baby Care Products
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Social Media , Platforms, Social Media Marketing, Buyer Behaviour, Baby Care Products Subjects: Commerce, Marketing Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and customer support forums have become attractive advertising venues for companies due to their quick development. This has evolved into a cultural phenomenon and a corporate trend, as customers are more often using social media to express their thoughts on goods and services. Businesses may use social media for developing communication and marketing strategies, achieving a competitive advantage, and enhancing buyer spending, cross-selling, profitability, and relationships. The COVID-19 epidemic has compelled several companies to use social media marketing(SMM), enabling consumers to engage with their preferred brands and share messages with their trusted acquaintances. Social media transforms customers from passive recipients of marketing messages into active creators and influencers, enhancing customer spending, cross-selling, profitability, and relationships. Studies indicate that user engagement in online environments will drive the growth of premium brands and stores. Fast-loading e-commerce websites are crucial for modern consumers, particularly millennials, who want captivating and stimulating social media engagement. This study analyzes the influence of social media marketing platforms on buyer buying behaviour for baby care products via a quantitative, descriptive, and deductive method.
Beyond the Human: Posthuman Identity, AI Consciousness, and Techno-Evolution in Speculative Literature
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology, Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science, Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: AI consciousness, cyberpunk, Other, posthuman identity, posthumanism, symbiosis, echno-dystopia, transhumanism Biotechnology, artificial intelligence and immersive virtuality have arrived, and with them, a fundamental reconsideration of humanity has become essential. This shifting terrain is explored in posthuman literature, particularly in speculative fiction and cyberpunk fiction, which extensively deals with ideas of transhumanism, artificial intelligence consciousness, cyborg identity, synthetic life, body modification, fluid identity, and techno-evolution. These portrayals do not promote a remarkable path to a utopia or dystopia, but explore how technological enhancement, disembodied subjectivity and hybrid bodies deconstruct the humanist lineage and establish new replica of life. This study explores the extensive theoretical and imaginative landscape of the posthuman literature through the analysis of works that incorporate mind uploading, conscious transfer, and the development of human-machine symbiosis. These narratives question anthropocentrism and re-construct identity as contingent, distributed and modifiable. The figure of the cyborg, the sentient AI, and the digitized self function not as gimmicks but as philosophical probes into agency, ethics, and the fragility of consciousness. Drawing from the theories of Donna Haraway, N. Katherine Hayles, Rosi Braidotti, and others, the study constructs a layered analysis of how posthuman themes complicate questions of morality, embodiment, and autonomy. Through the fusion of narrative and theoretical frameworks, this analysis highlights how speculative fiction acts as a site for ethical speculation and ontological experimentation. Ultimately, the posthuman condition is proposed not as a destination but as a contested process in which becoming-other through technology is both a perilous and promising path toward redefining identity, agency, and existence itself.
Investment Behaviour and Decision Making Alternatives - A Study
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Behavioural Finance, Investors, Psychological Factors, Investment Decisions, Investment Alternatives Subjects: Commerce, Finance Behavioural finance, which integrates psychological and behavioural factors into investment decisions, contests conventional financial theories by analyzing investors' cognitive abilities and psychological phenomena. This research examines the investment behaviour of individual investors in Tiruchirappalli district city. The study aims to understand the impact of demographic and psychological characteristics on investment behaviour. The high savings rate in India emphasizes the importance of individual investors, who often lack comprehension and perception of various financial products. The study uses personality traits and demographic information to analyze investor behaviour. The initial survey used a well-organized questionnaire to analyze the investment situation, knowledge, perception, and investments of individual investors in Tiruchirappalli district. The data were examined using SPSS 26, and the frequency of demographic factors, investors' perception of various investment alternatives, and also using AMOS 24. Investors tend to choose traditional assets as they are more secure and easily converted into cash. Individual preferences can effectively satisfy both consumers and service providers, enhancing investor risk appetite through heightened awareness. This study encompasses the fields such as investor perception, preference, behaviour, demographic characteristics, and psychology.
Enhancing Resilience and Mental Well-Being Through AI Using WYSA Among Prospective Teachers
Section: Articles Categories: Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: AI, Mental Health, Resilience, Well-Being, WYSA, Experimental Study, College Students This experimental study explores the effectiveness of Wysa, an AI-powered mental health application, in enhancing resilience and mental well-being among prospective teachers. A total of 60 teacher trainees were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=30) or a control group (n=30). The experimental group engaged with the Wysa app daily for six weeks, while the control group received no digital mental health support during the same period. Standardized instruments—the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)—were administered pre- and post-intervention. The post-test analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in the experimental group’s resilience (M=72.4, SD=6.8) and mental well-being scores (M=59.8, SD=5.1) compared to the control group (Resilience: M=66.3, SD=7.2; Well-being: M=52.6, SD=6.3), with p-values < 0.01. These findings suggest that AI tools like Wysa can serve as effective, accessible mental health interventions for prospective teachers, supporting their emotional resilience and psychological well-being during their formative training period.
Assessing Entrepreneurial Growth, Prospects and Problems in the MSME Sector in Erode District
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: MSMEs, Entrepreneurial Prospects, Business Challenges, Resilience, Financial Access, Policy Support In our country like India, the MSME sector is being considered as the backbone of district economic growth and that helps in diversification, creating jobs and innovations of their industries. These businesses are still facing with a continuous challenge where it touches the facilities such as infrastructure, finance, skilled labour and regulatory compliance. The backdrop is against that the current study seeks to evaluate the opportunities which are existing to the MSME entrepreneurs. For the purpose, it is to investigate the nature of the problems that limit performance and also review the relationship that exists between the two dimensions. A sample of the entrepreneurs was surveyed using a structured questionnaire intended to assess the perception of growth opportunities and business issues from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Erode District, Tamil Nadu. The results explicitly brought out that the MSME entrepreneurs in the erode district believe strongly that there are excellent growth
Evaluating Strategic Performance and Financial Efficiency of TNPL, Karur, Tamil Nadu
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Financial Performance, Profitability Ratio, Debt Coverage Ratio, Sustainable Operation Practice The present article gives a detailed analysis of the financial performance of one of the prominent publicly-run companies in the Indian paper mill industry, Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL). The analysis of financial efficiency, profitability, liquidity, and solvency of the company is reviewed in relation to the financial period of five years, 2018 to 2022, based on the secondary data, according to the official annual reports and the official financial portals. The performance trend has been analyzed using the ratio analysis to find out the financial stability of the firm. The findings reveal that the profitability and the amount of the working capital change significantly and, in general, are contingent on the instability of the market environment, the increase in expenses, and the changes in the economy following the pandemic. Despite these strains, TNPL is financially strong because of its strength in asset efficiencies and good utilization of debt. The paper highlights the strategic importance of enhancing liquidity, cost structural alignment and the adoption of sustainable operation practices. Moreover, the financial management of TNPL is placed in the wider framework of the Indian industrial competitiveness and environmental responsibility that underlines the fact that long-term development of the company will be based on the logistics of profitability and the sustainability of value creation and strategic reinvestment in eco-efficient technologies
Continent-Wise Analysis of Research Productivity in Child Psychology : A Scientometric Study
Section: Articles Categories: Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: Child Psychology, Scientometric, Activity Index, VOSviewer, Web of Science The goal of this study is to examine how child psychology research has evolved and grown, as evidenced by the publications that the Web of Science online database has covered between 1989 and 2025.There are seven continents, but we have only listed six of them here because the last continent, Antarctica, has not contributed anything to this area's publishing. Among these 126 nations, China has generated 381 (29.44%) articles, ranking first on the Asian continent. Japan, India, and Iran have published over 100 documents in this topic. The United Kingdom has created 1253 (11.07%) articles, ranking first on the European continent. Russia and Spain have published about 400 documents in this region. The USA created 2399 (80.86%), the highest of all the North American countries, which contributed 2967 in total. This could be due to the impact of new and recent technologies and trends that were heavily used in the USA and adopted by some other countries, such as Canada and Mexico.
From Clicks to Commitments: Exploring Online Shoppers’ Buying Preferences and Post-purchase Trends
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Online Shopping Behaviour, Buying Preferences, Post-Purchase Behaviour, E-Commerce Consumer Trends, Market Analysis This study explores the key factors influencing online shopping preferences and post-purchase behaviour among consumers in Tiruchirappalli, a rapidly digitizing Tier-II city in Tamil Nadu. Adopting a quantitative approach supported by qualitative insights, the research focuses on four major determinants: Product Quality & Authenticity, Price & Discounts, Delivery Time & Logistics, and Return, Refund & Customer Support. Data were collected from 431 respondents through a structured questionnaire, and the proposed model was tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) via SPSS and AMOS Graphics. The findings reveal that all four factors have a significant positive impact on consumer buying preferences, with Return, Refund & Customer Support showing the strongest influence. Furthermore, buying preferences were found to significantly affect post-purchase behaviour, including repeat purchases, recommendations, and feedback. The model demonstrated good reliability, construct validity, and overall fit, confirming the robustness of the relationships among variables. This study offers practical insights for e-commerce platforms looking to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty in semi-urban markets. By understanding what drives consumer trust and behaviour, businesses can tailor their strategies to build lasting relationships. The research highlights the growing importance of digital experience quality in shaping long-term online shopping engagement in regional India
Hashtags, VPNs, and Youth Rage: Social Media in Nepal’s Gen Z Protest
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology Keywords: Social Media, Digital Tools, Hashtag Activism, Gen Z Protest Grounded on Karl Marx's conflict theory and Manuel Castell's networked age social movement, the present study is an attempt to examine the role of digital platforms as a tool to counter the media monopoly of the states, shape narratives, and foster collective consciousness in the Gen-Z-led protest mobilization in Nepal. By engaging in qualitative digital ethnography, we argue how social media and digital tools empowered the activists by enabling them to bypass the state censorship, helping them to coordinate and organize the movement. The Gen Z protest in Nepal also demonstrates how political instability and inefficiency failed the youth's aspirations, culminating in an uprising resulting in the collapse of the government.
Hurdles Handled by Women Entrepreneurs and Its Impact for the Growth of Business Development – An Empirical Analysis
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Hurdles Handled, Regression analysis, Business Development Subjects: Women entrepreneurs Entrepreneurship is an essential element for the growth of the global market. In India, Women face lot of hurdles to start-up their business. The researcher has analysed women entrepreneurs how to overcome their hurdles and its impact for their business development. The proportionate stratified random sampling technique is used to select 165 registered entrepreneurs as the sample size. The researcher has framed a null hypothesis for impact of business development is not dependent on hurdles handled by women entrepreneurs. For analytical purposes, linear regression analysis is employed. Hurdles handled by women entrepreneurs and Impact for business development is 0.897 and 0.886 and it indicates high-level reliability. The researcher identifies the lack of hurdles handled and found medium level of business development. Concluded that impact of self-confident, decision-making ability, to face more competition, to export their products, profit increase, creativity and more employment opportunities are important predictors for business development in order to increase sales as well as income aspect.