One of the greatest dangers to the growth of developing countries is the middle income trap, where crony capitalism creates oligarchies that slow down growth. If the debate during the elections is any pointer, this is a very real concern of the public in India today. To avoid this trap, and to...

The murder of Narendra Dabholkar is emblematic of the deep fear of knowledge and its democratization.

FDI in the defence sector, with lower or higher caps, will not result in the massive inflow of investments as are being touted. Nor will it bring in advanced technologies. These would happen, if at all, only if and when India fully surrenders the domestic defence manufacturing space to...

This paper discusses and comments on the legal and policy dimension and the obstacles it poses to a sustainable and effective response to HIV/AIDS as many do not come forward to obtain medical services for fear of violence, stigma and discrimination. The paper highlights that low prevalence...

If the Union Budget 2014 is anything to go by , the fiscal policy of the new government shows no change. In fact, there is an amazing continuity with the previous few Budgets. Significantly however, there are signs that the Union government appears to be abdicating its responsibility towards the...

The first of a series of eSSays dossiers on issues of public concern. Guest editor: M.H. Suryanarayana. Contents: Poverty Line: Pursuit of an Elusive Minimum by M.H. Suryanarayana Fixing Poverty vs. Fixing the Poverty Line by Anirudh Krishna Agriculture: Is it a Destination for the Poor? by R S...

All too often blinded by the dazzle of development people and planners do not see the trail of destruction that accompanies new initiatives. It need not be that way. As the case of Adani Ports and SEZ in Mundra, Gujarat shows it is possible for a vigilant environmental movement backing popular...

This paper suggests a new tariff reduction formula using the declaration adopted at the Honk Kong ministerial conference.

The mapping of the social and political constraints that marginalized communities and individuals encounter in their interface with e-governance projects, perhaps, has implications for the optimistic political vision of new media technologies as a decolonizing force facilitating development of...

Review of Anthropologists Inside Organisations: South Asian Case Studies Edited by Devi Sridhar, Sage India , New Delhi; 2008, 184 pp., Rs 585.