Category: Working Papers

Why Livelihoods Matter for Conservation: Socio-Ecological Dynamics in The Male Mahadeshwara Betta (MM Hills) Landscape, Karnataka Pruthvi M S and Sunil Nautiyal Abstract The creation of Protected Areas (PAs) has been acknowledged as essential for safeguarding biodiversity and maintaining ecological systems. However, exclusionary conservation models have often marginalised forest-fringe communities, leading to conflicts between ecological… Continue reading Why Livelihoods Matter for Conservation: Socio-Ecological Dynamics in The Male Mahadeshwara Betta (MM Hills) Landscape, Karnataka

Assessing Economic Participation of Transgender Communities:​ An Ethnographic Study in Bengaluru Swarupa Deb and Kala Seetharam Sridhar Abstract This paper examines the differential access to economic participation faced by transgender communities in Bengaluru, India. It endeavours to fill the conceptual gap with a granular-level understanding of entrenched stigma that perpetuates transgender economic exclusion, including labour… Continue reading Assessing Economic Participation of Transgender Communities:​ An Ethnographic Study in Bengaluru

Special Economic Zones and Federalisation – India’s Experience Malini L Tantri Abstract This paper, with a specific reference to SEZs, intends to examine in detail the federal dimension of trade policy making in India. While doing so, the study explores how federalisation has scripted the success stories of SEZs in the context of other countries,… Continue reading Special Economic Zones and Federalisation – India’s Experience

Income Inequality within the Indian Himalayan Region: An Analysis across Mountainous and Non-Mountainous Districts Subhendu Khan and Indrajit Bairagya Abstract Mountain environments are characterised by ecological diversity and fragility, making communities highly vulnerable to environmental and socioeconomic shocks. Economic disparities between mountain regions and lowland areas in developing countries persist, as development efforts have focused… Continue reading Income Inequality within the Indian Himalayan Region: An Analysis across Mountainous and Non-Mountainous Districts

Faith as Practice: Caste, Crisis and Continuity in the ​ Teyyam Field of BediraKottāram Meena J Panikker and Sobin George Abstract Teyyam performers are often described as powerless after they come out of their vēṣa (performance attire) but not so is the case at BediraKottāram, a past kaḷari, located in the Kasaragod district of Kerala.… Continue reading Faith as Practice: Caste, Crisis and Continuity in the Teyyam Field of BediraKottāram

Twin Engines of Urbanisation: Commercialisation and Consumerism in Bengaluru’s Development Pramod V and Ramappa K B Abstract It is widely accepted that urbanisation as a process is a natural outcome of development. However, its varying pace across cities calls for a theoretical explanation. While many researchers have empirically explored the development paths of different cities,… Continue reading Twin Engines of Urbanisation: Commercialisation and Consumerism in Bengaluru’s Development

Supply Response Analysis to Assess the Impact of Minimum Support Price Policy on Food Grain Production in Karnataka   Vilas Jadhav, Ramappa K B and Jayadeva Nayak Abstract The present paper explores the impact of the minimum support price [MSP] policy on food grain production in Karnataka based on the time series data covering the… Continue reading Supply Response Analysis to Assess the Impact of Minimum Support Price Policy on Food Grain Production in Karnataka

Governance and Service Delivery of Agrarian Electricity Subsidy in India: A Systematic Review   Mehul Kumar and K C Smitha Abstract This study examines the evolution, governance, and delivery of agrarian electricity subsidies across Indian states through a systematic review of literature. Adopting a multidisciplinary perspective and guided by the analytical framework of populism, it… Continue reading Governance and Service Delivery of Agrarian Electricity Subsidy in India: A Systematic Review

Socio-Economic Determinants of Housing Inequality in India   Shruthi Menon Abstract Housing inequality is a pressing concern for inclusive growth and social well-being. This study examines the nature of housing inequalities and their disparities, through the lens of categorical inequality. Building on Charles’ Tilly’s concept of Durable Inequality and Therborn’s notion of existential inequality, the… Continue reading Socio-Economic Determinants of Housing Inequality in India