Contract Farming, Ecological Change and the Transformations of Reciprocal Gendered Social Relations in Eastern India

Debates on gender and the commodification of land highlight the loss of land rights, intensification of demands on women’s labour, and decline in their decision-making control. Supported by ‘extra-economic forces’ of religious nationalism (Hindutva), such neoliberal interventions are producing new gender ideologies involving a subtle shift from relations of reciprocity to those of subordination. Using data from fine grained fieldwork in Koraput district, Odisha, we analyse the tensions and transformations created jointly by corporate interventions (contract farming of eucalyptus by the paper industry) and religious nationalism in the local landscape. We examine how these phenomena are reshaping relations of asymmetric mutuality between nature and society, and between men and women

An intimate and imperial feminism: Meliscent Shephard and the regulation of prostitution in colonial India

This paper seeks to construct an antinostalgic portrait of an imperial feminist. As the representative of the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene (AMSH) in India between 1928 and 1947, Meliscent Shephard was an embodiment not only of the feminist urge to challenge patriarchal gender relations, but also of the imperialist urge to classify and fathom the world through a series of racist typologies. Despite an earlier belief that blame for the exploitation of prostitutes lay with the colonial state and economy, she later fell back on explanations based on notions of Indian society and religion. Operating in a period of heightened anticolonial nationalism, these latter views thwarted any hope of her forging successful connections with emergent Indian social reform groups. This failure to cultivate intimate relations with Indian colleagues marks a failure at the level of national and racial politics. Shephard did, however, cultivate an intimate relationship with correspondents at the AMSH in London, while her experiences of the sexual geographies of Indian cities provided a form of intimate interaction that would inspire her mission to close down tolerated brothels. As such, this paper marks an empirical engagement with the intimate frontiers at which the affective grid of colonial politics was marked out

Dental aesthetic index: Applicability in Indian population: A retrospective study

A variety of indices have been developed to assist professionals in categorizing malocclusion according to treatment needs. Dental aesthetic index (DAI) is one such index. DAI quantifies the normal variations usually seen and the dentofacial anomalies. A retrospective study on hundred available and treated cases was carried out on the casts. This survey was mainly carried out to determine the role of pedodontist in early identification of dental anomalies using DAI and sound referral of the patient to the orthodontist for better comprehensive care during the growth period in children. The materials used to collect data included periodontal probe with millimeter markings, ruler, calipers, pencil, and eraser. The results showed that when grouped according to various malocclusion severity levels by DAI, 3% had no or minor malocclusion indicating no or slight need of treatment, 15% had definite malocclusion and the treatment needed was elective, 27% had severe malocclusion and treatment was highly desirable, and remaining 55% of the casts had very severe or handicapping malocclusion and the treatment was mandatory. This study shows that DAI can be effectively used to evaluate and recognize the orthodontic needs of Indian children with permanent dentition and treated at an early stage so that the treatment is more effective

Management of early loss of first permanent molar: A new technique

The loss of a permanent first molar in adolescent patient creates a need for early space maintenance and restoration of function. To ascertain function and esthetics, immediate treatments include interim restorative approaches. This paper describes a conservative, functional and cost-effective bridge as an interim restoration after the loss of permanent first molar in an early adolescent dentition

Knowledge and attitude in regards to physical child abuse amongst medical and dental residents of central Gujarat: A cross-sectional survey

Context: Child abuse is a state of emotional, physical, economic, and sexual maltreatment met out to a person below the age of 18 and is a globally prevalent phenomenon. However, in India, there has been no understanding of the extent, magnitude, and trends of the problem. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and attitudes of medical and dental residents with regards to physical child abuse of central Gujarat. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the medical and dental residents of central Gujarat. Data were collected from a self-administered questionnaire for a total of 130 residents, in which 89 medical and 41 dental residents responded. Results: Knowledge regarding the social indicator of child abuse was found to be poor in 27.7% (n = 36), average in 68.5% (n = 89), and good in 3.8% (n = 5); and for physical indicator it was found to be poor in 10.8% (n = 14), average 66.9% (n = 87), and good 22.3% (n = 29). Forty-nine percent (n = 64) of the respondents reported having formal training in recognizing child abuse, and 32% (n = 42) had read literature on the topic. Fifty-five percent (n = 72) stated that education regarding child abuse is extremely important. Conclusions: Result of the present study found that medical and dental residents are not sufficiently prepared to endure their role in protection of child from abuse. A significant gap existed between recognizing signs of physical child abuse and responding effectively. Improvements in child abuse education and continuing education courses are advised to provide adequate knowledge