Stolen citizenship, stolen freedoms

With the rise of capitalism in post-colonial India, initially as a subsidiary part of a mixed economy with the state occupying its ‘commanding heights’, and later, especially after 1991, in the context of a new hegemony of globalised neoliberal capital, it was widely assumed that unfree labour, especially feudal forms of slavery in debt bondage, would vanish into history. This, however, has not happened. Inter-generational bondage to a single household has indeed become rarer. But the spread of capitalism has not created conditions of ‘free’ labour in India; instead pre-capitalist relations of labour unfreedoms continue to persist in abundance in the modified form of neo-bondage. This paper looks closely at one category of Indian workers – namely circular labour migrants – who are particularly susceptible to these forms of neo-slavery.Avec le développement du capitalisme dans l’Inde post-coloniale, considéré à l’origine comme une partie subsidiaire d’une économie mixte dont l’État était censé occuper les « hauts commandements », et plus tard – spécialement après 1991–, dans le contexte de l’hégémonie nouvelle d’un capital néo-libéral globalisé, il était largement admis que le travail non-libre, en particulier les formes féodales de l’esclavage pour dettes appartiendraient à l’histoire. Ce n’est cependant pas arrivé. La dépendance intergénérationelle à une seule famille s’est sensiblement raréfiée. Mais la diffusion du capitalisme n’a pas créé les conditions du travail « libre » en Inde ; au contraire, les relations précapitalistes du travail non-libre ont changé et persistent aujourd’hui sous forme de néo-esclavage ou de néo-dépendance. Cet article examine avec précision une catégorie de travailleurs que l’on nomme les migrants circulaires en Inde, et qui sont particulièrement exposés à ces formes de néo-esclavage.Con el desarrollo del capitalismo en India post-colonial, considerado inicialmente como parte subsidiaria de una economía mixta de la que el Estado tomaría las riendas, y luego –especialmente desde 1991–, en el contexto de la nueva hegemonía de un capital neoliberal globalizado, se consideraba que el trabajo no-libre, en especial las formas feudales de la esclavitud por deudas pasarían a la historia. No fue así. Si bien la dependencia intergeneracional dentro de una misma familia es cada vez menos frecuente, la difusión del capitalismo no ha creado las condiciones del trabajo “libre” en India. Por el contrario, las relaciones pre-capitalistas del trabajo no-libre han dado paso a nuevas formas, sumamente persistentes, de neo-esclavitud y de neo-dependencia. Este artículo examina con precisión una categoría de trabajadores designados, en India, como migrantes circulares, particularmente expuestos a estas formas de neo-esclavitud.Com o desenvolvimento do capitalismo na Índia pós-colonial, primeiro como parte subsidiária de uma economia mista onde o Estado segurava as rédeas da economia e a seguir, sobretudo depois de 1991, com a nova hegemonia do capital neo-liberal globalizado, era geralmente suposto que o trabalho não-livre, e nomeadamente as formas feudais de escravidão por dívidas, sumiriam no passado. Porém, isso não aconteceu. Se bem que a servidão intergeracional numa mesma família tornou-se mais rara, a expansão do capitalismo não criou condições de trabalho « livre » na Índia. Em vez disso, as relações de trabalho não-livre pre-capitalistas persistem largamente como formas modificadas de neo-escravidão e neo-dependência. Este artigo examina mais detidamente uma categoria de trabalhadores, designados como migrantes circulares, particularmente sujeitos a estas formas de neo-escravidão

A national overview of paediatric and adolescent and young adult surgical neuro-oncology in Pakistan

Objective: To build a comprehensive brain tumour database that will allow us to analyse in detail the prevalence, demographics, and outcomes of the disease in paediatric, adolescent, and young adult age groups. Method: A national cross-sectional study was conducted at 32 centres, and data regarding patient demographics and brain tumours were collected. This data was then stratified based on age groups, healthcare sectors, socioeconomic status, tumour types, and surgical outcomes. Result: Most of the patients who were diagnosed with brain tumours belonged to a lower socioeconomic background and went to public sector hospitals. More males were diagnosed with and treated for brain tumours in the paediatric, adolescent, and young adult populations. The most common tumour in the paediatric population was medulloblastoma (23.7%) and the most common tumour in the adolescent (27.8%) and young adult population (34.7%) was glioma. Significant improvement in KPS scores were seen for: craniopharyngioma (p = 0.001), meningioma (p < 0.0005) and pituitary adenoma (p < 0.0005) Conclusion: This study shows that in all three age groups, there was a greater prevalence in males. Most of the patients belonged to a lower-middle-income class background and most patients presented to public sector hospitals. Greater knowledge of these parameters unique to each age group is the key to understanding and alleviating the burden of disease. Cancer registries, specifically brain tumour registries that keep up-to-date records of these patients, are essential to identify and keep track of these unique parameters to advance medical research and treatment strategies, ultimately lowering the disease burden. Keywords:  Pediatric, Neuro-oncology, Adolescent and young adult, AYA, Medulloblastoma, Craniopharyngioma, Epidemiology

Conducting the Pakistan brain tumour epidemiology study - report on the methodology

Objective: To combat the lack of brain tumour registries, the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study (PBTES) was conducted without any funding from an external source. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patient data, including patients of all age groups diagnosed with all histopathological types of brain tumours from all over Pakistan, was performed. For this, Pakistan Brain Tumour Consortium (PBTC) was established, including 32 neurosurgical centres from around the country. Data was collected online through a proforma that included variables such as patient demographics, clinical characteristics, operative details, postoperative complications, survival indices, and current functional status. The data collection and analysis team included principal investigators, core leads, regional leads, regional associates, and student facilitators. Despite logistical concerns and lack of resources, the PBTES was conducted successfully, and a formal brain tumour surveillance database was formed without any external funding, which remains unheard of. Conclusion: The methods applied in this study are reproducible and can be employed not just to develop more robust brain tumour and other cancer registries but also to study the epidemiology of communicable and non-communicable diseases in resource-limited settings, both locally and globally.  Keywords: brain neoplasms, retrospective study, epidemiology, noncommunicable diseases. Continue..

The Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study

Objective: To provide information about brain tumour epidemiology in Pakistan and potential associated risk factors due to family, medical and social characteristics. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional nationwide study was designed by the Pakistan Society of Neuro-oncology, to include patients diagnosed with brain tumours in Pakistan retrospectively, from January 1, 2019- December 31, 2019. The study intended to involve data from all age groups for all brain tumour cases, irrespective of histopathology which would determine the national prevalence and incidence of these tumours. Results: A total of 2750 brain tumour cases were recorded, of which 1897 (69%) were diagnosed in the public sector. MRIs were a more common radiological study compared to CT scans. Gliomas were the most common tumours 778 (28.29%), while pineal tumours were the least common 19 (0.69%). The median age at diagnosis for males was 36 (24-49), while the median age at diagnosis for females was 37 (24-48). Hypertension was the most common co-morbidity in patients diagnosed with a brain tumour, 524 (51.89%), and smoking was the most frequent social behaviour, 355 (62.02%). Findings indicate a low metastasis frequency and few females seeking care. Conclusion: The PBTES and the PBTC have presented an opportunity and platform for hospitals and health professionals to work together to strengthen cancer care health systems, ensure implementation of treatment guidelines and conduct regular cancer registration. Keywords: brain neoplasms, registries, retrospective studies, epidemiology, Neuro-oncological surgery. Continue..

Citoyenneté & contre-citoyenneté

Ce premier numéro intitulé « Citoyenneté & contre-citoyenneté » est issu d’une réflexion sur les modalités concrètes et les empêchements explicites d’une citoyenneté pour toutes et tous, sans esclavage. This first issue entitled « Citizenship & counter-citizenship » is the fruit of a reflection on the concrete modalities through which citizenship is either guaranteed for all, in a society without slavery, or explicitly denied