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.
Buddhist Normativity as Emancipatory Praxis: Anti-Caste Cultural Assertion and Social Justice in Contemporary India
Section: Articles Categories: Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: Buddhism, Social justice, normativity, anticaste, social action, India Buddhism, beyond its outlook as a religion and philosophy, has multiple dimensions and meanings, particularly in the form of social action with a universal and egalitarian appeal. The social justice movements in India, primarily based on anti-caste ideals, seek to employ Buddhism as a means to escape caste hierarchy. This article examines the role of Buddhist normativity in building a resistance movement for social transformation in the theoretical realm and explores its praxis, especially in the form of the creation of alternative cultural spaces through neo-Buddhist mobilisation in contemporary India. While analysing the instrumentality of Buddhist philosophy in achieving freedom and equality in a caste-bound society with a special focus on anti-caste cultural assertion in India, the study seeks to redefine the idea and operationalisation of the concept of social justice from the vantage point of Buddhist principles. The article further substantiates the theoretical proposition of Buddhism's instrumentality in reclaiming a just social order, drawing on in-depth interviews with people from marginalised castes who primarily engage with Buddhism as a social action.
Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies
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Trends in Digital Supply Chain Finance for MSME in India: Evidence from India’s TReDS Platforms
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Digital Supply Chain Finance, MSMEs, TReDS, Factoring, Digital Finance, India Digital financial infrastructure has increasingly become a critical instrument for addressing credit constraints faced by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in emerging economies. This study examines the growth and structural dynamics of digital supply chain finance in India using transaction-level indicators from the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS). Secondary data covering the period 2022–2025 are analysed using descriptive statistics, compound annual growth rate estimation, linear regression trend analysis, and correlation analysis. The findings reveal a strong upward trajectory in both the number and value of factoring transactions on TReDS platforms. Notably, transaction value grows faster than transaction volume, suggesting an increase in the average financing size for MSMEs. Regression-based trend estimates confirm statistically significant temporal growth in digital receivables financing activity. Platform-level comparisons reveal heterogeneity in performance and market participation across TReDS operators. Correlation analysis further demonstrates a strong positive relationship between transaction volume and transaction value, indicating complementary growth in scale and financial depth. The study contributes empirical evidence to the literature on digital finance and MSME development and highlights the role of platform-based financial intermediation in improving working capital access for small enterprises in emerging economies.
Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management
Demographic Transition and Household Finance: Optimal Consumption Growth and Asset Accumulation Under Household Fission in India
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Household Fission, Nuclearization of Families, Inter-Temporal Utility Maximisation, Consumption Smoothing, Household Savings and Asset Accumulation The Indian family has changed significantly from joint to nuclear structures due to demographic shifts, urban growth, increased education, job mobility, and changing socio-economic norms. This shift affects household spending, saving habits, and long-term asset building. This study develops a utility-maximization framework to examine how households transitioning from joint families to unequal nuclear families affect welfare, spending growth, and saving outcomes. Utility is measured on a per-capita basis to enable an equitable welfare comparison in households of different sizes whereas income is randomly growing. The model specifies a utility with constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) leading to an equation which determines optimal growth in spending. The numerical simulations are implemented on a horizon of ten period and various income conditions: higher family size with lower income, higher family size with higher income and equal income among the family. The results show that it is true that smoothing consumption is valid in any situation, consistent with inter-temporal optimization, despite strong income variations. The findings indicate that individuals keep their spending consistent across all scenarios, as their expenditure habits align with their long-term financial plans that stay steady despite fluctuations in income. The family size structure determines how families perform economically according to this research. Smaller family units generally experience improved individual spending, more efficient savings, and quicker accumulation of assets than bigger families, regardless of income level. The consumption habits of both families diminish slowly over time, leading individuals to feel a reduction in their welfare as they set aside funds for emergencies. Families maintain their total utility after separation, but their different family sizes cause them to follow different saving and asset development trajectories. The research shows that nuclear family structures help households achieve their financial goals, but these changes create problems for long-term financial stability and capital generation because of demographic restrictions, which make it necessary to include family structure when creating savings and welfare dynamic models.
Household Savings and Asset Accumulation
A Comparative Study of Western Development Programme of China and India’s Act East Policy – Contradictions and Convergences
Section: Articles Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Act east policy, Northeast India, Regional Connectivity, Western Development Programme, Yunnan Province Subjects: International Relations, REGIONAL COOPERATION This paper compares the Western Development Programme (WDP) of China in Yunnan Province and the Act East Policy (AEP) of India. These two initiatives are formulated to integrate borderland regions with Southeast Asia. Accordingly, the centre-periphery theory, border studies scholarship, and securitisation form the analytical framework. The study explains that Yunnan’s transformation under the WDP is an example of sustained infrastructure investment, policy continuity, and cross-border economic integration. In concurrence, WDP has helped bring about transformation in the historically marginalised and ethnically diverse Yunnan province. On the contrary, India’s AEP is beset with implementation loopholes. The AEP has made comparatively less progress than WDP due to a lack of infrastructure and security concerns, compounded by bureaucratic inefficiencies in northeast India. Thus, northeast India attracts less investment. The paper concludes by proposing lessons for India in the light of WDP. As a result, the paper contributes to understanding borderland development strategies and regional integration processes in India and China.
Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations
Food Inflation in Kerala: Exploring Interlinkages among Southern States in India
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Food inflation, Regional price linkages, Kerala, Southern India Subjects: Food inflation, Southern India, Kerala, E31, C22 Food inflation remains a critical economic concern, particularly in developing economies where price volatility affects both consumers and producers. This study examines the regional dynamics of food inflation in Kerala in relation to other southern Indian states, namely Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, using monthly data from 2016 to 2024. Employing Johansen Cointegration test and Granger causality tests, the study uncovered significant long-run co-movement among food inflation rates across these states. The results indicated that Tamil Nadu’s food inflation has a significant short-term influence on Kerala, while Telangana exerts a dominant long-term impact, suggesting structural linkages in food supply chains. The corresponding Impulse Response Analysis reveals that inflation shocks from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana generate positive spillover effects on Kerala’s food inflation rates. Moreover, Granger causality tests confirm a unidirectional influence from all other southern states to Kerala, highlighting the predictive power of regional inflation trends. These findings emphasize the need for coordinated food inflation control policies and supply chain improvements to mitigate inflationary pressures in Kerala. The study provides key policy recommendations, including enhanced regional price monitoring, trade facilitation, and inflation forecasting mechanisms, to strengthen food price stability.
From Inclusive Development to Forceful Eviction: Tamilnadu’s Slum Policy under Neoliberal Agenda
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology Keywords: Dispossession, urban slum, development induced displacement, Dravidian Model, Ghettoization, World Bank Subjects: Dispossession, Dravidian Model This paper problematizes the concepts of urbanization and urban resettlement, focusing on Chennai. The way urbanization and development are conceived underwent a paradigm shift after India adopted the 1991 economic reforms. The economic reforms shifted the state's role from service provider to facilitator, and this phenomenon is explored in this paper. This study seeks to interpret the negotiation between the state and the market and its larger impact on the state's policy. By drawing on these discussions, the paper seeks to unveil a perspective towards social justice aimed at inclusive policy frameworks in the future.
Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology
Something is rotten in the state of the State: Kaushik Sen’s Macbeth and contemporary Bengal
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology, Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations, Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science Keywords: Adaptation, Authority, Politics, Sexuality, Surveillance, Violence The paper examines Koushik Sen's theatrical adaptation of Macbeth as a politically charged reinterpretation of Shakespeare's tragedy within the socio-historical context of contemporary West Bengal. Drawing on Linda Hutcheon's theory of adaptation and the conceptual frameworks of power articulated by Louis Althusser and Michel Foucault, the study analyses how Sen recontextualizes Shakespeare's narrative of ambition and tyranny to critique modern structures of state authority. Through visual symbols, gendered performance, and the use of militarized state imagery, Sen's production foregrounds the operation of repressive and ideological state apparatuses, surveillance, and political violence. The play is further read against specific political events such as the Singur land acquisition movement and broader debates on governance, repression, and public dissent in Bengal. The paper argues that Sen's Macbeth transforms Shakespeare's tragedy into a cultural document that exposes the cyclical nature of power and the persistence of authoritarian impulses across historical contexts.
Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science
Women at the Crossroads of Tradition and Change: Gendered Power and Agency in Biate Village Community of Northeast India
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology, Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: Biate Women, Gendered Power, Negotiated Agency, Invisible Labour, Customary Institutions, Cultural Continuity, Northeast India This paper investigates the mechanisms of gendered power and agency within the Biate society of Northeast India, positioning Biate women at the crossroads of tradition and social transformation. Although the community is frequently characterized as culturally unified and comparatively egalitarian, empirical realities disclose enduring gender hierarchies rooted in customary institutions, religious observances, and economic arrangements. Utilizing historical analysis, ethnography, and feminist theory, the study emphasizes routine social practices—including subsistence labour, weaving, oral tradition, caregiving, and religious involvement—as key arenas for the maintenance of cultural continuity. The paper reframes agency, not solely as open resistance, but as strategies of negotiation and relational engagement enacted within patriarchal contexts. Additionally, it assesses the impact of Christianity, educational attainment, and participation in the modern economy on the evolution of gender roles, revealing both emergent opportunities and persistent systemic limitations. By privileging lived experiences, this study engages broader discourses on gender, power, and indigeneity in Northeast India and interrogates longstanding institutional biases that perpetuate the marginalization of women’s contributions in academic research and communal leadership.
Folklore as Location of Protest and Resistance: A Critical Study of the North Indian Folktale “Bavan Gagna”
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology Keywords: Folklore, Social Protest, Contestation, Caste, Hegemony Subjects: Sociology, , Folklore Folklore, as generally understood, is related to common people and is construed in relation to higher/literate culture. This relation with popular culture gives a dimension of resistance and critique to the folk culture where stories, proverbs, sayings, etc, apart from being condensed wisdom also become an expression of resistance and protests against the dominant/hegemonic culture. Folklore records the real life of the common people with uncomfortable fidelity which also reflects their protest against authority or existing social structures sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly. This paper, through a critical and careful analysis of a folktale titled ‘Bavan Gagna’ will try to identify central themes on the subject of caste and gender and correlate them with similar ideas and concepts found in religious/philosophical movements, especially with the Bhakti Movement in north India.
Negotiating Identity in the Context of Development: A Sociological Study of the Baiga Tribe in Sonbhadra
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management, Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology, Geography, Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development & Area Studies, Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science Keywords: Baiga Tribe, Identity, Development, Sonbhadra, Tribal Marginalisation Subjects: Baiga Tribe, Development, Tribal Marginalisation This paper is an attempt to examine how the Baiga tribe of Sonbhadra district negotiates its social - cultural identity in the context of state - led development processes. Tribal communities in India have historically maintained distinct ways of life closely connected with forests, land, and collective social institutions; although, contemporary development interventions have significantly altered these foundations. This study aims to understand the impact of development policies and changing livelihood patterns on the identity of the Baiga community. The study adopts a descriptive and qualitative research design drawing on primary data collected through interviews, participant observations, and selected case studies from Baiga - inhabited villages of Sonbhadra supplemented by relevant secondary sources. The findings reveal that development initiatives related to education, health, forest governance, and welfare schemes have produced contradictory outcomes. While they have created limited opportunities for social mobility, they have simultaneously weakened traditional economic practices, cultural institutions, and community autonomy. The Baiga identity is neither entirely eroded nor rigidly preserved; instead of, it is continuously negotiated through everyday interactions with the state, market forces, and dominant social groups etc. The study highlights that identity among the Baiga tribe is shaped by adaptation and resistance with selective acceptance of change rather than by complete assimilation into the mainstream. The paper concludes that development policies must be sensitive to tribal social realities and cultural values, as exclusionary or top-down approaches risk deepening marginalization rather than promoting inclusive growth.
Geography, Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development & Area Studies
Testing Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory: A Study of Household Solar Adoption under the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana in Assam
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Rooftop solar, Household, Adoption, Diffusion, Assam, Case study Rooftop solar is a key component of India’s renewable energy transition and its broader commitments to mitigate climate change. To accelerate its adoption, the government of India has launched PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGY), which provides subsidised rooftop solar PV installations. However, the uneven uptake of rooftop solar across regions highlights the need for a deeper understanding of household adoption patterns, supporting factors, and barriers, particularly in states lagging behind in adoption. In this context, Assam presents an important case for analysing adoption dynamics, as despite having the highest installed solar capacity in northeastern India, rooftop solar adoption at the household level remains relatively low. Drawing on the framework of Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovations, this study examines households’ rooftop solar adoption patterns using a qualitative case study. The findings indicate that adoption of rooftop solar under PMSGY in Guwahati, Assam, is limited and at an early stage, with adoption predominantly concentrated among late adopters. This can be attributed to the small size of the early adopter and the prolonged innovation–decision phase among late adopters. Theoretically, laggards delay adoption due to their traditional and risk-averse tendencies, but this study indicates that their adoption decision is constrained by awareness, structural, financial, utility, and environmental barriers. Therefore, targeted policy interventions to address these barriers are needed. Furthermore, financial incentives such as subsidised installation can facilitate adoption, raising awareness, and communicating adopters' experiences are essential for accelerating rooftop solar diffusion.
Skill Mismatch and Professional Distress: A Study of Panchayat Account Clerical Employees in Jammu and Kashmir
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Job Dissatisfaction, Over Qualification, Skill Mismatch, Panchayat Account, Clerical Employes This study investigates the prevalence of overqualification and skill mismatch among panchayat account clerical employees in the Jammu region. Drawing from a sample of 204 employees, the research highlights a significant job-education misalignment, with over 60% of respondents being overqualified for their roles. Factors such as financial security and limited job opportunities aligned with qualifications contribute to this mismatch. The data was collected from May 2022 to July 2023 during training sessions approximately every two months at the Northern Zonal Accountancy Training Institute in Jammu. Statistical analysis reveals a strong correlation between overqualification, job dissatisfaction, and active job searching. Overqualified employees are more likely to be dissatisfied with their current roles and to seek alternative employment. The findings underscore the need for policy reforms to better align educational outcomes with labour market demands, create jobs that match employee qualifications, and enhance career development opportunities, especially in the public sector, to improve employee retention and satisfaction in Jammu's panchayat account clerical workforce.
Muslim Subalterns in Hindi Films: A Comparative Study of Saudagar and Gaman
Section: Articles Categories: Language Studies, Cultural Studies, Media and Communication & Library Science Keywords: Hindi Cinema, Saudagar, Gaman, Muslim Subalterns The representation of Muslim subalterns in Hindi films offers a nuanced perspective on the portrayal of marginalised communities in Hindi cinema. Films like "Mughal-e-Azam"(1960) showcased grandeur and nobility, often focusing on the Mughal aristocracy. However, these depictions were far detached from the everyday lives of ordinary Muslims. The presence of Muslim characters, especially from lower socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, remains limited in mainstream cinema, with many stories still untold. Hindi films like Saudagar and Gaman play a critical role in Hindi cinema as they were among the few films which portrayed non-elite Muslim or Muslim Subalterns in the decade of 1970. Muslim subalterns are also known as the Pasmanda community among Muslims. The research study explores the representation of Muslim subalterns in the late twentieth- century of post-colonial India and traces its trajectories in contemporary public culture in India. It does so by analysing the national and gender politics of Hindi cinema in two Hindi films, Saudagar (Merchant, 1973), directed by Sudhendu Roy, based on the Bengali story Ras by Narendernath Mitra and Gaman (Departure, 1978), directed by Muzaffar Ali and written by Hriday Lani. The article emphasises the gendered biases, female in subaltern households and politics of urban migration in Post-colonial India.
Techno-Pedagogical Competency of Senior Secondary School Teachers in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Assam
Section: Articles Categories: Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: Techno-Pedagogical Competency, ICT in Education, Senior Secondary School Teacher Subjects: Techno-Pedagogical Competency, ICT in Education, Secondary School Teacher The current study assesses the techno-pedagogical competence of senior secondary teachers in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Assam. The sample of the study consisted of 100 senior secondary teachers who were chosen by using the purposive sampling technique. In order to test the null hypotheses, data was collected using the Teachers’ Techno-pedagogical Competence Scale (S. Rajasekar and K. Sathiyaraj, 2013). The collected data were scored, tabulated, and evaluated using mean, percentage, SD, Z-score, t-test, and p-value to conclude. Results of the present study are as follows: i) Regarding the level of teachers’ techno-pedagogical competency, it is found that 1% is extremely high, 9% is high, 19% is above average, 45% is average, 10% is below average, 9% is low, and 7% is very low. ii) No statistically significant differences were found in techno-pedagogical competency between arts and science senior secondary teachers. iii) No statistically significant differences were found in techno-pedagogical competency between male and female teachers. iv) A significant variation was found between urban and rural senior secondary teachers in techno-pedagogical competency. Practically, the study results indicated the importance of ICT training for their pedagogical improvement and bridging the techno-pedagogical competence gap among teachers in Kokrajhar, Assam, particularly in addressing the disparities observed between urban and rural senior secondary teachers.
An Effect of Demographic Factors on Overconfidence Bias in Investment Decisions
Section: Research Notes Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Demographic Factors, Overconfidence Bias, Behavioural Finance, Investment Decisions, ANOVA Subjects: Overconfidence, Behavioural Finance, Behavioral biases, Investment decision This study analyses the impact of demographic profile on overconfidence bias of individual investment decision-making. Overconfidence is a behavioural trait biases where individuals overestimate their knowledge and forecasting the future, often leads to unexpectable financial outcomes. To examine this study, used primary data were collected through a well-structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 105 respondents in the Sivakasi region. The study utilized judgmental sampling techniques to ensure the inclusion of active investors capable of providing relevant insights into behavioural attention. Statistical analysis was performed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and independent sample t-tests to evaluate the significance of demographic variables and test the formulated hypotheses. The empirical results reveal a statistically significant relationship between age and overconfidence bias, suggesting that an investor's stage of life or years of experience may notably impact their perceived competence and subsequent risk-taking behaviour. These findings contribute to the growing body of behavioural finance literature by highlighting how specific personal factors can deviate an investor from purely rational economic models.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sustainable Finance and Green Banking
Section: Research Notes Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Sustainable Finance, Green Banking, ESG Integration, Climate Risk Analytics, Sustainable Financial Governance The global financial system is experiencing a structural transformation driven by climate change risks, environmental degradation, and heightened demands for corporate accountability. Sustainable finance and green banking have evolved from voluntary ethical initiatives into regulatory and systemic necessities aimed at aligning capital flows with long-term environmental and social objectives. However, traditional financial risk assessment models remain ill-equipped to integrate fragmented Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosures, forward-looking climate uncertainties, and sustainability-linked systemic risks. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technological catalyst capable of redefining sustainable financial intermediation through advanced data analytics, predictive modeling, natural language processing, and automated decision-making. This study critically examines the structural role of AI in enhancing ESG integration, climate risk analytics, green credit allocation, and sustainable portfolio management. Using a descriptive-analytical research design grounded in secondary data, institutional sustainability reports, regulatory frameworks, and peer-reviewed literature, the paper develops an integrated conceptual model linking AI capabilities to sustainable finance outcomes. The findings reveal that AI improves predictive precision, strengthens climate stress testing, reduces information asymmetry, enhances transparency in ESG scoring, and increases operational efficiency in green banking systems. Nevertheless, significant governance challenges remain, including algorithmic bias, model opacity, data quality limitations, cybersecurity risks, and regulatory fragmentation. The study concludes that AI-enabled sustainable finance represents not merely technological enhancement but a systemic reconfiguration of financial intermediation aligned with climate transition goals and long-term economic resilience. Policy implications emphasize ethical AI governance, harmonized ESG taxonomies, regulatory coordination, and institutional capacity building to ensure responsible, transparent, and inclusive deployment of AI technologies in sustainable finance.
Revisiting the Composite Culture of Seventeenth Century Bengal C. 1659-1707 as Cultural Syncretism
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology Keywords: Bengal, Mughal, nobles, composite culture, syncretism Subjects: History, Bengal The expansion of the Mughal rule into Bengal coincided with the changing courses of rivers. This culminated in the migration of the population from the west to the east witnessing an expansion of settlement from West Bengal to East Bengal (present Bangladesh). With Mughals, came socio-political and economic and cultural changes which were seen in their royal courts and in Bengal province as well. Even the local masses showed signs of syncretism. Thus, the topographical history of medieval Bengal assumed a different position from the rest of the provinces in the country. Besides contributing significantly to the royal purse, Bengal also synchronised different cultures and its practices, and promoted composite cultures. This diffusion can be seen in their lifestyles, foods and literary works giving an identity to a person and community living in the society. The seventeenth century Bengal society represented itself as a milieu of composite cultures. This paper traces how Mughal nobles and native population in Bengal assimilated each other’s cultures. The aim of the article is not to tread the beaten track but to revisit the cultures of seventeenth century Bengal with the intention to witness the changes or continuity. This study includes the study of the primary sources including the Bengali literature and foreign travelers’ accounts, besides existing modern works.
Polygyny and Intimate Partner Violence: Comparing Family Structures in India
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology Keywords: Polygyny, Violence, Intimate Partner Polygyny has been deemed a “harmful cultural practice” because of its injurious effects on women, including violence. Most research on this topic has been conducted in Africa where polygyny is relatively common. However, 1.4 percent of marriages in India are polygynous, and because polygyny is not considered a normative Indian custom, little research on violence in these marriages has been conducted. The present study explored the association between polygyny and violence in India and found that women in polygynous marriages are just over two times more likely to experience IPV than other women. In addition, IPV occurs in polygynous marriages independently of other factors associated with gendered violence in relationships. The study concludes that polygyny itself presents as a cause of violence. Conceptualizing polygyny solely as an element of culture limits our ability to see the power differentials inherent in polygyny and to observe the means in which this marital form contributes to gender inequality
Lived Realities Beyond Media Narratives: Examining Violence Against Kashmiri Shawl Sellers in Mainland India
Section: Articles Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Violence , Migrant workers, Identity, Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Seasonal mobility and informal trade constitute a significant yet insufficiently examined aspect of India's internal social and economic dynamics. Kashmiri shawl sellers have a unique place in this landscape because they travel every year to towns and cities all over mainland India. In recent years, there has been more than enough media lens on incidents that involved these traders. And the media often paints them as proof that people in Kashmir are hostile to them. This study investigates the disparity between media driven representations and the actual experiences that the shawl sellers from Kashmir face. The study utilizes multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Delhi, relying on participant observation, informal group discussions, and in-depth interviews with sixty shawl sellers from various occupational roles. The findings from the study show that the daily interactions are mostly routine, collaborative, and rooted in social and economic relationships. Although participants spoke about instances of harassment, however these occurrences were rare, unevenly distributed, and mostly ascribed to individual perpetrators rather than to larger communities. Local responses to these types of events often included comfort, reassurance and support system, which made it harder to tell a story of widespread hostility. The study differentiates between actual violence and reported violence, illustrating how episodic events are often exaggerated through media reportage and are often disconnected from the day-to-day social realities. The findings contribute to the debates on nationalism, migration, and belonging by providing an empirically grounded narrative of how insecurity is navigated in practice.
Herding and Noise Trading: Unraveling Market Anomalies in The Indian Stock Market
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Herding Behavior, Noise Trading, Market Sentiment, Herding Behavior, Noise Trading, Market Sentiment This study investigates how herding behavior and noise trading impact market anomalies in the Indian stock market, particularly amid rising retail participation through digital platforms. Herding arises when investors mimic the actions of others rather than relying on independent, fundamental analysis, leading to mispricing and market inefficiencies. Noise traders, influenced by speculation, misinformation, and behavioral biases, further amplify irrational market movements. Using behavioral finance theory and empirical data from BSE and NSE, we apply the Cross-Sectional Absolute Deviation (CSAD) model and rolling-window regressions to detect herding patterns. Additionally, trading volume volatility and return correlations are analyzed to assess the presence of noise trading. Our findings reveal that herding is more pronounced during periods of heightened volatility, while noise trading appears to play a limited role in persistent market inefficiencies. The study underscores the importance of regulatory attention to investor sentiment and proposes interventions to mitigate systemic risks posed by irrational trading behavior.
Herding Behavior, Noise Trading, Market Sentiment
The Relationships between Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction Among Bank Employees
Section: Research Notes Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology, Other Interdisciplinary Studies Keywords: Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, Affective Commitment, Normative Commitment This paper aim to examine the relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction among employees in the banking sector. The banking sector is vital to the economy, and understanding the determinants of employee behavior, including organizational commitment and job satisfaction, is imperative for enhancing productivity and minimizing turnover. The study sample comprised 300 employees from government and private banks across various districts of Haryana. The employees range in age from 30 to 45 years, have service experience ranging from 5 to 10 years, and may work in both service jobs and the same banks. The results indicate that Affective Commitment and Organisational Commitment exhibit stronger positive correlations with job satisfaction, whereas Normative Commitment and Continuance Commitment reveal weaker, albeit statistically significant, correlations. Hence these findings emphasise the significance of emotional attachment and overall commitment to the organisation in improving job satisfaction, revealing weaker correlations between job satisfaction and the sense of obligation or the costs associated with leaving the organisation.
Reconnecting India and Vietnam Through Cultural Heritage Tourism
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology, Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations, Other Interdisciplinary Studies Keywords: Tourism, Cultural Diplomacy, Cultural Heritage, Buddhism, India, Vietnam The relationship between India and Vietnam is characterised not only by its historical depth but also by a harmonious and peaceful history, with neither country perceiving a threat from the other. Building upon this affinity, the promotion of heritage and cultural ties between the two countries will improve mutual relations, people to people connections, and ensure strategic development. Cultural heritage tourism, as a subtle yet powerful form of diplomacy, has gained recognition for its potential to foster international relations. India and Vietnam can both promote mutual understanding and enhance diplomatic ties by recognising their cultural narratives and resources. Cultural heritage tourism in this aspect provides a significant opportunity to encourage interaction between the people of both countries. Thereby fostering a deeper understanding of both sides and, most importantly strengthening bilateral relations.
Rural Women Empowerment through Digital Financial Literacy in Virudhnagar, Tamilnadu
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Women Empowerment, Digital financial literacy, Rural Women, Fintech Adoption Subjects: Digital Financial Literacy, Women Empowerment, Rural Women In the present world, digitalization has become an integral part of everyday life. Especially, women are using fintech services for managing their finances. This study analyzed how exactly the rural women got empowered by using of financial transactions and banking operations conducted through digital platforms. Women Empowerment is considered as a dependent variable, while; Digital financial literacy is treated as independent variable. Respondents of this research were selected by using convenient technique sampling The researcher gathered data from 400 rural women from the district of Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu, through a well-structured questionnaire. SPSS and AMOS was used for analyze the data. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was utilized for confirming the factors of literacy and women empowerment. Finding from the Path Analysis shows that 50% of the Virudhunagar rural women got empowered via digital financial literacy, especially on economic empowerment.
Household Income Gains from Livelihood Diversification in Rural Jammu and Kashmir: Evidence from Doda and Kishtwar
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: Household Income, Livelihood Diversification, Rural Livelihoods, Regression Analysis Subjects: Rural Livelihoods, Regression Analysis Livelihood diversification plays an important role in influencing rural household income, especially in regions where small landholdings, production risks, and limited employment opportunities constrain agriculture. This study examines the effect of livelihood diversification strategies on household income using primary data collected from rural areas of Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 396 households were selected using purposive, multistage sampling to capture diverse livelihood conditions. Households were categorized into different livelihood strategies based on their engagement in farm, non-farm, and off-farm activities. Descriptive results show that agriculture remains the dominant livelihood source, with 55% of households relying exclusively on on-farm activities. This is followed by households combining on-farm and non-farm activities (31%), while 11% engage in both on-farm and off-farm activities. Only a small proportion of households (1.52%) adopt highly diversified strategies involving on-farm, off-farm, and non-farm activities, indicating limited higher-order diversification in the study area. To assess income effects, a multiple linear regression model is employed with the natural logarithm of total household income as the dependent variable. Livelihood diversification strategies are included as key explanatory variables along with household, asset, and location-specific controls. The results reveal that diversification strategies involving non-farm activities significantly enhance household income compared to farm-only strategies. In contrast, diversification limited to off-farm activities alone does not yield significant income gains. Among the control variables, landholding size and livestock ownership are significant determinants of income, while demographic factors such as age and education have a limited influence. Overall, the findings highlight that income gains from diversification depend on the type and combination of activities adopted. Policy efforts should therefore move beyond agriculture-centric approaches and promote access to higher-return non-farm livelihood opportunities to strengthen rural income growth and resilience.
The Intersection of Realism, Democracy, and War A Comprehensive Analysis of Kenneth Waltz’s Perspective
Section: Articles Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Democracy , War, realism, Waltz, Conflict Subjects: Democracy , War, Realism This study explores Kenneth Waltz’s structural realist framework and its implications for understanding the relationship between democracy and war within international relations. While classical realism emphasizes unit-level factors, Waltz distinguishes his approach by focusing on systemic structures, power distribution, and relative capabilities. His five foundational propositions—anarchy, material capability distribution, polarity, relational capability, and relative gains—form the basis for analyzing state behavior. Waltz argues that democratic norms and institutions may influence foreign policy but remain constrained by the anarchic nature of the international system, where survival and security dominate decision-making. The analysis highlights the limitations of democratic peace theory, showing that democracies, like other regimes, are subject to systemic pressures that can lead to conflict. Furthermore, Waltz’s insights into nuclear proliferation and deterrence underscore the complexities of balancing democratic ideals with security imperatives. By integrating realism, democracy, and war into a unified framework, this work demonstrates that while democracy may shape alliance choices and accountability mechanisms, it does not eliminate the structural drivers of war. Ultimately, Waltz’s realist perspective provides a nuanced lens for examining how regime type interacts with systemic constraints, offering enduring relevance for contemporary debates on international security and conflict.
Religious Conversion and Kandhamal Riots: Examining the Gap between Media Portrayal and Local Realities
Section: Articles Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Christian Missionaries, Conversion, Kandhamal, Media, Riots, Sangha Parivar, Christian Missionaries, Conversion, Kandhamal, Media, Riots, Sangha Parivar This paper examines the role of mass media in reporting the Kandhamal riots, analyzing how narratives frequently prioritized sensationalized violence and politics of conversion over the actual, localized context of religious transformation. By investigating news articles, electronic media clippings, online reports and fact finding missions, this paper critiques the dominant media framing. Furthermore, based on the findings of intensive field work and interviews with converts (conducted by the author during his PhD days), this paper, by using content analysis as a method of data collection and data interpretation, reexamines the position of the Sangha Parivar regarding religious conversion in Kandhamal, offering a critical analysis of the dichotomy between media representation and ground realities.
Christian Missionaries, Conversion, Kandhamal, Media, Riots, Sangha Parivar
Comparative Performance of MGNREGA in Eastern and Western Uttar Pradesh
Section: Articles Categories: Economics, Political Economy, Commerce & Management Keywords: East Uttar Pradesh, Labour Market, MGNREGA, Social Inclusion, West Uttar Pradesh Eastern and Western parts of Uttar Pradesh plains have always showed different patterns and levels of development throughout the post-independence period whether it was adoption of new technology, public investment, irrigation or cropping pattern. In fact, such regional differences in these two regions existed even during the colonial period. It is in this historical context the present study evaluate the MGNREGA performance in Ballia and Meerut districts of eastern and western Uttar Pradesh. It brings out similarities and contrasts in the performance of the programme in terms of outreach, demand patterns, employment provision, persondays generated and social inclusion of disadvantaged groups such as women and scheduled caste/ scheduled Tribe. Official MGNREGA data has been used for the comparative analyses of two districts. Data has been analyses by computing the triennium averages for the three year period (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25). the study finds that in Ballia MGNREGA is an integral part of livelihood strategies of the labour households and functions as a core stabilising institution. On the other hand, in the west Uttar Pradesh districts such as Meerut, which is more diversified in terms of employment, the programme generally operates as supplementary and residual safety net to which the labour households resort in adverse times. In both the districts monthly demand pattern is synchronised with the rhythms of the agricultural production cycle.
Crisis without Collapse: Reproduction of Plantation Capitalism in the Dooars under Neoliberal Restructuring
Section: Articles Categories: Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, History & Archeology, Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Plantation Capitalism, Withdrawal of Capital, Social Reproduction, Crisis in Tea Plantation, Neoliberal Restructuring Subjects: Plantation Economy, Social Reproduction The paper examines how plantation relations persist even in the face of the withdrawal of capital from direct production and welfare provisioning. The crisis has destabilised the plantation as a relatively enclosed economic and social space. However, its hierarchical foundations remain intact. Relations of domination are reconstituted through informal and temporary institutional arrangements that involve trade unions, intermediaries, and local political actors. They regulate labour mobility and manage and mediate access to state welfare benefits. These arrangements enable capital to externalise costs. At the same time, the arrangements defer reinvestment, thereby sustaining the plantation economy in a suspended state. The paper conceptualises plantation closure as a crisis of social reproduction rather than mere economic collapse. The breakdown of earlier paternalistic arrangements has displaced the burden of reproduction onto workers. The state, on the other hand, is reshaping everyday labour relations and political claims of the workers. By situating the Dooars within broader transformations of contemporary capitalism, the study highlights how identities shaped by class, ethnicity, and gender are reworked amid prolonged uncertainty.
Ethics in Crisis: Understanding Moral Dilemma’s in Kashmir’s Political Landscape
Section: Articles Categories: Political Science, Public Policy, Law & International Relations Keywords: Political Violence, Frames of War, Morality The relation between morality and violence has been the subject of contentious debate over the last couple of decades. This debate has become more pressing in recent times as political violence has come to mark the lives of people across the globe. This paper uses a specific incident of Pahalgam attack on innocent tourists in Jammu and Kashmir (India) to analyze the moral reactions of the people in the face of colossal loss of lives and how that bears on the dominant moral frames in a political crisis of Kashmir. The paper engages Judith Butler’s concept of frames of war in order to understand the reaction of people in Kashmir in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. It posits that when political unrest leads to large-scale loss of life, like the Pahalgam attack, our deep moral instincts are awakened. This, in turn, destabilizes the interpretive and moral frameworks that usually organize our moral responses in a strife-ridden environment to begin with. The more specific argument this paper makes is that this moral reaction is not just a gut feeling but involves an implicit acknowledgment of the value of other people’s lives. In what follows, we shall explore how this specific moral reaction to the attack implicates the fundamental question of our status as human beings in a society shaped by enduring political strife; and how the rupture caused by the reaction to this tragic attack in the “frames of war” or moral frameworks can throw up possibilities for retrieving our universal moral sense of the recognition of the value of the other people’s lives; and thereby opening the pathways for reimagining politics in complex contexts like Kashmir.
Metacognitive Regulation in Higher Education: A Study of Undergraduate Learners
Section: Articles Categories: Education, Health, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Exclusion & Gender Studies Keywords: Metacognition, Undergraduate, Self-Regulated Learning, Planning, Monitoring Subjects: Education, Health, Psychology, Social Exclusion , Gender Studies Metacognition is significant in boosting academic success of students, self-regulated learning and problem-solving capacity. The current research addresses metacognitive ability of students of Dhanamanjuri University, Manipur, undergraduates. The quantitative and descriptive cross-sectional survey design was taken. A stratified random sampling was used to sample 300 undergraduate students (Arts, Science, and Commerce streams) out of 3000 students. Four dimensions of metacognition (planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluation) were measured with the help of the Metacognitive Skills Scale (Gupta and Suman, 2017). Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA. The results indicated that there was a moderate to high overall level of metacognitive skills by undergraduate students. There was no significant gender difference in the metacognitive skills. Nevertheless, there was a very large variation between academic streams. The paper explains the importance of incorporating metacognitive strategy teaching in the undergraduate curricula to enhance self-directed and life-long learning.