Impact of Technological Innovation and New Economic Policies on Traditional Industries: A study of Coir Industry in Alappuzha and Kayamkulam, Kerala, 2018
The neo-liberal, new economic policies which got implemented in 1991, can be classified as a clas... more The neo-liberal, new economic policies which got implemented in 1991, can be classified as a class project, representing the demands of the capitalist class. These policies had, thus, serious repercussions on the livelihood of the working class, as they transformed the modes of production by reinforcing the use of technology. State neglect of the rural areas and decreasing rural development expenditure further fuelled the issue. In this context, this study draws focus to the coir industry of Kerala. The research will be primarily an impact assessment of the new economic policies and its repercussions on the working class, with focus within the framework of coir industry of Kerala. This research is primarily a qualitative analysis but uses quantitative data to make and strengthen arguments. The study recognises the continued state intervention by the state through a co-operative framework even after the Indian scenario witnessed a decreased state intervention. The introduction of machines further strengthened the existing division of labour, wherein labourers were allotted different machineries on the basis of their age, gender and skill set possessed. It also deviates from the mainstream approach and argues that the technological change associated with the neo-liberal policies has improved the quality of life of the coir workers of Kerala rather than causing large-scale retrenchment of workers.
The South China Sea is one of the major Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and a very significant ... more The South China Sea is one of the major Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and a very significant trade route. The territorial dispute in the South China Sea (SCS) in which six nations have competing claims over the territory, has become an issue of concern at the global level. (As one-third of all the total maritime traffic worldwide passes through this route1) Maintaining peace and security in the South China Sea is important to India also, in the sense about 55% of India’s trade passes through these waters2 (Mostly 70% of India’s crude oil imports from Middle East and also from the fields of the SCS3). This paper will first attempt to illustrate the importance of SCS, portray a clear picture of the SCS dispute and then comment on India’s interests and the policies adopted towards the SCS so far. The paper also focuses on India’s interests and policies by casting light on India’s stance on the dispute, the nature of changes that took place when the Modi government came into power, if any, the reasons behind a sudden heightened attention towards the SCS, India’s interest in energy collaborations in the SCS and also on her proclaimed interest in freedom of navigation in the area. The paper presents India as a middle player and its role in stabilising the situation. It also comments on the nature of the relationship between India and ASEAN nations. The clashing maritime initiatives - India’s Act East Policy versus China’s ‘Maritime Silk Road’ in the context of the SCS conflict is also discussed. The paper concludes by pointing out the need for a greater collaboration and to explore options for bilateral as well as multilateral naval exercises with the south East Asian nations.
A legal awareness camp was organized at Pulpalli area of Wayanad district on 27 th November, 2016... more A legal awareness camp was organized at Pulpalli area of Wayanad district on 27 th November, 2016 jointly by the members of HRLN Wayanad, HRLN Kochi, NGO -Thumb and All Kerala Adivasi Forum. From HRLN Wayanad, Adv. Maria and two other members participated in the camp while Gopika Ma'am (Social worker), Mini Ma'am and two interns including me participated in the camp from HRLN, Kochi. This was one of the many legal aid campaigns organized by the HRLN team. The main objective of the camp was to make the tribal people aware of their rights and to understand their circumstantial problems in detail.
The paper sheds light on the importance of land to the Adivasis (indigenous tribal people), the u... more The paper sheds light on the importance of land to the Adivasis (indigenous tribal people), the underlying problems that paves way to the land to be alienated from the tribal people, the impact of land alienation and some suggestions to rectify the problem. The Adivasis greatly depend upon their land for their livelihood. So, the alienation from their lands literally means loss of their livelihood. The article examines the ways in which the government acquired tribal land in the name of "national interest. Despite having many laws that protects and safeguards the rights of the Adivasis, still the problem of land alienation is in full swing. The article argues that it is the lack of political will to implement these laws which allows the problem to persist today. It has been observed that even several laws such as the Indian Forest Act has been twisted to transfer the land from the original inhabitants to settlers. The paper concludes by giving out some suggestions to curb the problem of land alienation.
The paper presents two contradictory views accounting for the origin of the Aryans – The Standard... more The paper presents two contradictory views accounting for the origin of the Aryans – The Standard view - the immigrant Aryan position and the Alternative view - the Indigenous Aryan position. It carefully examines the ongoing debate by presenting all of the relevant philological, archaeological, linguistic, and historiographical data, and showing how they have been interpreted both to support the theory of Aryan migration and to challenge it. Most of the evidence that has been adduced to locate the geography of the Vedic people (Aryans) have come from two disciplines - linguistics and archaeology. The difficulty in settling this debate arises because there continues to remain irreconcilable contradictions between the linguistic and archaeological accounts. The paper tries to discuss the various interpretations of evidence by proponents of both sides and also mentions that the decipherment of the Indus script could shine fresh light on the contours of the Aryan debate. The paper also disproves "The Aryan Invasion Theory".
Impact of Technological Innovation and New Economic Policies on Traditional Industries: A study of Coir Industry in Alappuzha and Kayamkulam, Kerala, 2018
The neo-liberal, new economic policies which got implemented in 1991, can be classified as a clas... more The neo-liberal, new economic policies which got implemented in 1991, can be classified as a class project, representing the demands of the capitalist class. These policies had, thus, serious repercussions on the livelihood of the working class, as they transformed the modes of production by reinforcing the use of technology. State neglect of the rural areas and decreasing rural development expenditure further fuelled the issue. In this context, this study draws focus to the coir industry of Kerala. The research will be primarily an impact assessment of the new economic policies and its repercussions on the working class, with focus within the framework of coir industry of Kerala. This research is primarily a qualitative analysis but uses quantitative data to make and strengthen arguments. The study recognises the continued state intervention by the state through a co-operative framework even after the Indian scenario witnessed a decreased state intervention. The introduction of machines further strengthened the existing division of labour, wherein labourers were allotted different machineries on the basis of their age, gender and skill set possessed. It also deviates from the mainstream approach and argues that the technological change associated with the neo-liberal policies has improved the quality of life of the coir workers of Kerala rather than causing large-scale retrenchment of workers.
The South China Sea is one of the major Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and a very significant ... more The South China Sea is one of the major Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and a very significant trade route. The territorial dispute in the South China Sea (SCS) in which six nations have competing claims over the territory, has become an issue of concern at the global level. (As one-third of all the total maritime traffic worldwide passes through this route1) Maintaining peace and security in the South China Sea is important to India also, in the sense about 55% of India’s trade passes through these waters2 (Mostly 70% of India’s crude oil imports from Middle East and also from the fields of the SCS3). This paper will first attempt to illustrate the importance of SCS, portray a clear picture of the SCS dispute and then comment on India’s interests and the policies adopted towards the SCS so far. The paper also focuses on India’s interests and policies by casting light on India’s stance on the dispute, the nature of changes that took place when the Modi government came into power, if any, the reasons behind a sudden heightened attention towards the SCS, India’s interest in energy collaborations in the SCS and also on her proclaimed interest in freedom of navigation in the area. The paper presents India as a middle player and its role in stabilising the situation. It also comments on the nature of the relationship between India and ASEAN nations. The clashing maritime initiatives - India’s Act East Policy versus China’s ‘Maritime Silk Road’ in the context of the SCS conflict is also discussed. The paper concludes by pointing out the need for a greater collaboration and to explore options for bilateral as well as multilateral naval exercises with the south East Asian nations.
A legal awareness camp was organized at Pulpalli area of Wayanad district on 27 th November, 2016... more A legal awareness camp was organized at Pulpalli area of Wayanad district on 27 th November, 2016 jointly by the members of HRLN Wayanad, HRLN Kochi, NGO -Thumb and All Kerala Adivasi Forum. From HRLN Wayanad, Adv. Maria and two other members participated in the camp while Gopika Ma'am (Social worker), Mini Ma'am and two interns including me participated in the camp from HRLN, Kochi. This was one of the many legal aid campaigns organized by the HRLN team. The main objective of the camp was to make the tribal people aware of their rights and to understand their circumstantial problems in detail.
The paper sheds light on the importance of land to the Adivasis (indigenous tribal people), the u... more The paper sheds light on the importance of land to the Adivasis (indigenous tribal people), the underlying problems that paves way to the land to be alienated from the tribal people, the impact of land alienation and some suggestions to rectify the problem. The Adivasis greatly depend upon their land for their livelihood. So, the alienation from their lands literally means loss of their livelihood. The article examines the ways in which the government acquired tribal land in the name of "national interest. Despite having many laws that protects and safeguards the rights of the Adivasis, still the problem of land alienation is in full swing. The article argues that it is the lack of political will to implement these laws which allows the problem to persist today. It has been observed that even several laws such as the Indian Forest Act has been twisted to transfer the land from the original inhabitants to settlers. The paper concludes by giving out some suggestions to curb the problem of land alienation.
The paper presents two contradictory views accounting for the origin of the Aryans – The Standard... more The paper presents two contradictory views accounting for the origin of the Aryans – The Standard view - the immigrant Aryan position and the Alternative view - the Indigenous Aryan position. It carefully examines the ongoing debate by presenting all of the relevant philological, archaeological, linguistic, and historiographical data, and showing how they have been interpreted both to support the theory of Aryan migration and to challenge it. Most of the evidence that has been adduced to locate the geography of the Vedic people (Aryans) have come from two disciplines - linguistics and archaeology. The difficulty in settling this debate arises because there continues to remain irreconcilable contradictions between the linguistic and archaeological accounts. The paper tries to discuss the various interpretations of evidence by proponents of both sides and also mentions that the decipherment of the Indus script could shine fresh light on the contours of the Aryan debate. The paper also disproves "The Aryan Invasion Theory".
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Papers by Pranav Sujay
witnessed a decreased state intervention. The introduction of machines further strengthened the existing division of labour, wherein labourers were allotted different machineries on the basis of their age, gender and skill set possessed. It also deviates from the mainstream approach and argues that the technological change associated with the neo-liberal policies has improved the quality of life of the coir workers of Kerala rather than causing large-scale retrenchment of workers.
witnessed a decreased state intervention. The introduction of machines further strengthened the existing division of labour, wherein labourers were allotted different machineries on the basis of their age, gender and skill set possessed. It also deviates from the mainstream approach and argues that the technological change associated with the neo-liberal policies has improved the quality of life of the coir workers of Kerala rather than causing large-scale retrenchment of workers.