Satellite Castes and Dependent Relations


Book Description

Mala masti is a satellite dalit community that traditionally depends on the central Mala caste for its survival and sustenance. It is surprising to notice the paucity of works on such satellite-dependent castes in the Indian caste system. While the system itself is founded on structured inequalities drawn in to hierarchized and stratified arrangement, interestingly, the castes at the bottom too exhibit such a hierarchy. These satellite dalit communities are insulted, abused with derogatory terms by the central castes that are themselves much discriminated, and excluded from the mainstream. Such a situation generated much confusion as to their position in the caste hierarchy, bringing into focus mutual claims and counterclaims for superior position. This study brings to light the fact that the ambiguous position of these dalit satellite castes keeps the entire system intact without being critically questioned by those at the bottom, as they are always at loggerheads with other castes at the bottom for a claim of superiority. In this background examination of the position of Mala masti, vis--vis the central Mala caste and others in the system, would certainly bring out facts that are not given full focus in the earlier studies.







Kriti Rakshana


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Rivalry and Tribute


Book Description

Presents The Story Of Tamil Literature - 6 Parts - Ancient Literature - The Age Of Buddhists And Jains - The Age Of Religious Revival - The Age Of Literary Revival - The Age Of Mutts - The Age Of European Culture (1700-1726) - Appendices - Index - Tables - Charts - Maps - 16 Plates In B&W. Condition Good.







Recovering from Earthquakes


Book Description

Earthquakes come without warming, and often cause massive devastation, resulting not only in the loss of property but also of lives. Many of the survivors suffer from intense and lasting psychological trauma. This book covers the experience of recent earthquakes in India, and what has been learnt (and what we have failed to learn) in the process of managing the aftermath in each case. This includes immediate medical attention, long-term mental health care, and the reconstruction of housing and infrastructure in both rural and urban areas. The experiences of the contributors, many of whom have actively contributed their expertise to disaster management and recovery, help us understand what problems require a swift response and which aspects should be based on detailed analyses keeping in mind local conditions. Reconstruction is seen as offering an opportunity to rebuild society such that all sections of the population are empowered and brought into the community’s decision-making process. It is also an opportunity to develop construction techniques that are suited to local materials and skills but are also more earthquake-resistant than the old. And finally, there is the realisation that the best first responders are local community groups which need to be nurtured, and trained in crisis management and risk mitigation.




Proceedings


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Strategies in Development Planning


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Human Rights in Development, Volume 8


Book Description

The Human Rights in Development Yearbook series takes its starting point in a development perspective and aims to be topical, comprehensive and multidisciplinary, exemplifying the “cross-fertilisation” of theoretical and practical approaches.




The Media Were American


Book Description

In 1977, Jeremy Tunstall published the landmark The Media Are American. In it, he argued that while much of the mass media originated in Europe and elsewhere, the United States dominated global media because nearly every mass medium became industrialized within the United States. With this provocative follow-up, Tunstall chronicles the massive changes that have taken place in the media over the past forty years--changes that have significantly altered the "balance of power" within the global media landscape. The Media Were American demonstrates that both the United States and its mass media have lost their previous moral leadership. Instead of sole American control of the world news flow, we now see a world media structure comprised of interlocking national, regional, and cultural systems. From a relentlessly global point of view, Tunstall looks closely at China and India--and at their rapidly burgeoning populations--and also at the rise of the mass media in the Muslim world. He considers the role of the media in the collapse of the Soviet Union, the ascendance of the Brazilian and Mexican soap opera, the increasing strength of "Bollywood"--the national cinema output of India--and the relative decline in influence of U.S. media. Reconsidering the very notion of "global media," the book posits a reemergence of stronger national cultures and national media systems.




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