Re-Inscribing the Indian Courtesan: A Genealogical Approach

Women historiography has been one of the major concerns of the feminist movement particularly since 1960s. Looking at the figure of the courtesan in India–its histories, representations, repression and re-emergence, the paper seeks to problematize discourses of both Universalist and minority history writing that have been built around these women. In the context of Post-Colonial theory, and in the light of the dynamic nature of the categories of Truth, Power, Knowledge, and Discourse, the paper seeks to salvage Foucault’s methodology of writing a genealogical history as opening new avenues within the history of the courtesan in India in particular and women’s history writing in general

Globalisation and Women’s Work in the Beedi Industry

The present paper views globalisation and women’s work and exploitation in a micro enterprise in India, the beedi (indigenous cigarette) industry with a case study from one of the states in India. Rural occupational structures and employment patterns in India have undergone a transition in the last few decades due to globalisation. Newer forms of employment like construction work, domestic services and beedi making have become alternatives to agricultural labour for women. Beedi is an indigenous cigarette, in which tobacco is rolled in a tendu leaf and tied with a cotton thread. This is smaller and less expensive than a cigarette and in the popular imagination it stands for the working class. This work is done sitting at home and mostly women and girls do it. This is a very gendered industry, for only women and girls that too from low-income groups make beedis. There is a lot of exploitation in this industry and this has only increased with the advent of globalisation but this is generally ignored by data gathering systems, policy makers and administrators. There is an occupational health hazard too for many of these workers suffer from various health hazards not because they are smoking these beedis but because they are making them

Women, Aging, Health and Quality of Life: A framework for action and policy formulations

The population of the elderly in the world will double from 2015 to 2050, reaching nearly 2.1 billion. The ageing population suffers from physical, mental health, and psychological well-being. There such customized policy that caters to helping the ageing population. The current examination studies ageing women, their health, and their quality of life () in India. The study tried to capture the two major and vast diversified areas. Respondents were randomly selected from four south and north Indian states. The present investigation covered 64 cities in these four states and collected 1,100 samples. The data analysis revealed that QoL has a significant difference with different demographic factors as well as health status, Literacy level, marital status, socioeconomic status, and health status of elderly women. Most of them suffer from diabetes, hypertension, and digestive system issues, so they need regular medical care and attention. Further data analysis unearthed that most ageing women belong to middle and lower socio-economic backgrounds. The government should focus more on their financial assistance and food security and arrange proper counselling therapy for their mental health to improve their QoL. The study contributes to the constructive and reflective handling of the health and well-being of the ageing female population. Policymakers must look into the health issues of the elderly population and make customised policies and actions that can assist the elderly population

Gender, Poverty and Globalization in India

Rekha Pande argues that globalization in India has produced a very uneven distribution of resources along caste, gender and tribal lines. Poor women in rural areas and in the informal sector have been the worst hit by recent economic transformations. Yet, there is very little realization that developmental policies in general and structural adjustment in particular is not gender neutral. Development (2007) 50, 134–140. doi:10.1057/palgrave.development.1100367

An epidemiological study of dengue in Delhi, India

International audienceDelhi, the capital of India, is an important metropolitan hub for major financial and sociocultural exchanges, offering challenging threats to current public health infrastructure. In recent past, an upsurge of dengue cases in Delhi posed a significant menace to the existing dengue control policies. To reform the control strategies and take timely intervention to prevent future epidemics, an epidemiological study on the proportion of both asymptomatic and symptomatic dengue infections in selected population was conducted. The aim of the study was to investigate and assess the epidemiology of dengue infection and to estimate the proportion of asymptomatic and symptomatic dengue infections in Delhi. In this study, around 50 confirmed dengue cases, a total of 2125 individuals as household and neighbourhood contacts, with or without dengue febrile illness, were finger pricked and serologically detected as dengue positive or negative using SD Duo Bioline Rapid Diagnostic Test (SD Inc, Korea) with NS1, IgM & IgG combo test, which detected dengue virus antigen and antibodies to dengue virus in human blood. Out of 2125 individuals , 768 (36.1%) individuals showed positive dengue test with past (25.5%), primary (1.88%) or secondary (8.8%) dengue infections. Higher percentage of IgG was found in age groups 15–24 years and 25–50 years (36% each). Infants (<1 year) presented higher incidence of new infections (22% of NS1 + IgM positives) as compared to adults. Further analysis revealed that out of the 226 newly infected cases (including NS1 and IgM positives), 142 (63%) were asymptomatic and 84 (37%) were symptomatic, as per WHO guidelines. Our findings also suggest that out of the total population screened, 10.6% dengue infection was either primary or secondary. On the basis of these results, it may be hypothesized that there are large number of asymptomatic dengue infections in the community as compared to reported symptomatic cases in Delhi. For the effective control of dengue transmission in such community like Delhi where dengue epidemics have frequently been encountered, it is essential to ascertain the proportion of asymptomatic dengue infections which may act as a reservoir for dengue transmission, as well as threat for developing dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF)