Earning and education among ethnic groups in rural India

In rural India access to education could act as a catalyst to change. Persons acquiring education could break through some of the social and cultural norms associated with certain occupations. However, access to education and the capacity to use it for economic betterment could differ by caste and religion. In independent India, social policies such as the reservation of seats in higher education and jobs in the public sector were intended to help break some of these entry barriers for communities facing centuries of social exclusion and discrimination. The focus of this paper is on the premium on income associated with educational investment and how this varies with ethnic groups. The probit regressions indicated that education, even at the primary level, increased the probability of obtaining a highly coveted salaried job. A ‘circle of contacts’, through other family members engaged in such jobs, also increased access to a salaried job. Educational attainment, even at very low levels, was a definite route out of poverty for the Scheduled Caste and Tribe households. Aided by the reservation policy, these communities were able to obtain salaried jobs and reap high returns to education. However, when forced to undertake self-employed activities in non-agriculture they did not fare well.EducationHousehold IncomeBelow Poverty LinePoverty Eradication

Social and Ethical Aspects [of Organic Food Provisioning]

This paper indicates the character of social and ethical concerns of consumers with respect to the production, distribution and marketing of organic food, discusses the extent to which these concerns can be addressed within the framework of risk analysis with reference to 'Critical Control Points'(CCPs), and presents examples of control measures with regard to particular risks. Four types of marketing risk, as seen from the standpoint of suppliers, are distinguished. It is shown that risks arising from the fact that some suppliers fail to live up to existing standards can be addressed within a CCP framework, providing particular conditions (regarding, for example, traceability) are met. Other kinds of risk, however, call for the introduction of quite different measures that cannot be successfully addressed by introducing controls at specific critical points of production and distribution

European consumers' conceptions of the safety and quality of organic food

This paper summarizes some of the research on consumers in different European countries in order to identify consumer expectations, criteria and concerns with respect to the quality and safety og organic foods. Reasons why consumer conceptions differ between countries are considered in relation to differences regarding the institutional settings of consumption. Limitations of the existing research are pointed out and focal points for future research are identified

European consumers' conceptions of organic food: A review of available research

This report is a publication from the project entitled 'Recommendations for Improved Procedures for Securing Consumer Oriented Food Safety and Quality of Certified Organic Foods from a Consumer Perspective' (acronym: 'Organic HACCP'), supported by the European Commission, Fifth Framework Programme, Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources, and co-ordinated by Dr. Kirsten Brandt. The report includes a summary and 9 chapters, which respectively regard a statement of objectives and methods (Chapter 1), critical considerations regarding current approaches to consumer studies (Chapter 2), an overview of factors related to the production, distribution and regulation of organic foods, which differentially affect patterns of consumption in European countries (Chapter 3), 4 case studies regarding the consumption of organic foods and the contextual features influencing consumption patterns in Denmark (Chapter 4), United kingdom (Chapter 5), Italy (Chapter 6) and Hungary (Chapter 7). These case studies are followed by a summary review of trends in Europe with regard to consumer characteristics, buying behaviour and consumer concerns (Chapter 8), as well as a series of recommendations with regard to future research regarding the consumption of organic foods within the European region (Chapter 9)

Internet Service Provider\u27s Liability for Copyright Infringement- How to Clear the Misty Indian Perspective

Only a fool would question the role and relevance of Internet Service Providers in promoting the Internet. But, unfortunately, Internet Service Providers ( ISPs ) are at the receiving end of many disputes involving Intellectual Property violations. The difficulty in pinpointing the real culprit has resulted in a piquant situation where the Internet Service Provider is often taken to court. United States\u27 courts and courts of other advanced countries have confronted this issue since 1993 and have finally enacted specific legislation to solve this mind-boggling issue. The Indian Information Technology Act 2000 ( The Act ), enacted with much hype, is almost silent on this issue. Although it includes a sentence or two about ISP liability, the picture on this issue is a vague one. This paper attempts to evaluate the ISP picture in the U.S. before the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and passage of The Act. The position in Australia, including the most recent Act is also examined. The situation in Canada, (yet to enact a specific act), and that in Singapore, (the first country in Asia to enact such a law), are briefly mentioned. Finally, the latent defects in the latest Indian Law are analyzed, and some suggestions are made

Direct conversion of methane-to-methanol: transition-metal dimer sites in small-pore zeolites: First-principles calculations and microkinetic modeling

Direct conversion of methane to methanol is a highly desired reaction. Partially oxidizing methane into a liquid fuel at ambient temperature and pressure would enable utilization of natural gas and biogas to a much larger extent than what is possible today. This is desirable since natural gas is the cleanest fossil energy source, and when in the form of biogas (or biomethane) has a net-zero carbon emission. The direct conversion of methane requires a catalyst; however, no material with high enough activity and selectivity towards methanol has been identified. Mimicking the enzyme methane monooxygenase (MMO), copper-exchanged zeolites are considered promising candidates. A plethora of different active sites have been suggested, but neither the detailed structure and composition of the active site, nor the mechanism for the reaction, are known.In this thesis, the catalytic properties of transition metal dimers in small-pore zeolites are studied using first-principles calculations, ab initio thermodynamics, and microkinetic modeling. As a first step, the stability of the Cu dimer structure in SSZ-13 is investigated under direct conversion conditions. The zeolite is found to be very humid, and the structure of the proposed active site is highly dependent on the temperature and partial pressure of relevant gases. The Cu2O and Cu2OH structures are found to be the energetically most preferred. The reaction over the sites is limited by a high free energy barrier of the C-H bond in methane and a slow methanol desorption rate. Adding water to the reaction facilitates desorption of the products, increasing the activity of the Cu2O site. The reaction mechanism for an entire reaction cycle over the Cu-dimer, including the formation of the active site, is investigated in dry and wet conditions. The oxidation of the Cu monomers, using molecular oxygen, is limited by the diffusion of the Cu species along the zeolite framework and the activity is increased when water is added to the reaction. To further investigate the composition of the active dimer site, transition-metal and transition-metal alloy configurations are investigated. The adsorption energy of atomic oxygen is identified as a descriptor for the activity of the dimer systems. Identified motifs showing activity towards direct methane to methanol conversion are the 2Cu, along with the AuPd and PdCu alloy dimer systems. The activity of these systems is comparable and, when excluding competing reactions, meets the high turn-over needed for a commercially viable catalyst

Hva kan arves? Om skyld, vold og seksualitet i to nordiske krigsminneromaner

During the last two decades, an increasing focus on perpetrators has emerged in Scandinavian literature. This so called perpetrator fiction, with an explicit intention of understanding evil, has portrayed the Nazis and their henchmen in detail. These are frequently described in familial relationships, and their stories are told from a second or third generational point of view. Interestingly, the perpetrators are regularly depicted as perverse persons and their deviant sexuality as part of the problem. In this article, I discuss two Scandinavian novels with the family as a narrative structure and the perpetrator as its main character. The novels Jeg har arvet en mørk skog (2012) by Morten Borgersen and Stormen. En berättelse (2016) by Steve Sem-Sandberg deal with wartime events seen from a present-day I-narrator’s point of view. Both novels incorporate mythology and perverse sexuality, and they ask provocative questions about the causes of wartime violence

Participation, retention and dropout of children and adolescents in club-based community tennis

Promoting participation in sport to achieve sporting excellence and health outcomes is a national policy of Australia. Organised, club-based sport at community level is important as it provides a pathway to elite sporting success and contributes to health and wellbeing of participants. Dropout from all forms of club-based sports including tennis occurs specifically during adolescence in Australia and internationally. Little is known about the factors that collectively influence this age group in their choice to continue playing club-sport or to drop out. This PhD program of research investigated the trends and determinants of retention and dropout among children and adolescents playing community level club-based tennis in the Australian state of Victoria. The program of research used the socio-ecological model underpinned by Leisure Constraint Theory and Fun Integration Theory to understand the different factors that influence retention. The mixed-methods explanatory sequential research design comprised of two consecutive phases of quantitative study that involved secondary data analysis of state-wide club-tennis participation and an on-line survey that examined the determinants of retention and dropout with a socio-ecological perspective. This was followed by an informed qualitative study to explore the key findings in depth. Players aged 10-18 years who were or had been registered players at tennis clubs in Victoria were invited to participate. Analysis of survey data and interviews identified a range of factors that influence and impact the decision of young players to continue playing club-based tennis or to drop out. The result from this program of research highlighted the two intrapersonal determinants ‘enjoyment’ and ‘competency’ as ‘core’ determinants of young players’ choice to be retained or to drop out. Many previous studies have listed enjoyment and competency and several other socio-ecological factors as determinants influencing retention. This research created new knowledge by explaining how each individual socio-ecological element influenced retention through enhancing or diminishing the two core determinants. Mapping of the interaction of multiple socio-ecological elements in leading to retention or dropout while presenting enjoyment and competency as core determinants is unique. Improving retention in club-based tennis during adolescence is important for maintaining participation as a habit into adulthood. As a practical way to achieve this, factors that are identified in this study as influencing enjoyment and competency can be targeted through interventions at various levels through policies and strategies in delivering club programs, coaching and competition. Competency and enjoyment are interconnected in promoting retention. Increasing access to affordable and good quality coaching promotes enjoyment through improving competency and hence should be prioritised to sustain children’s interest and passion for the game. The knowledge about interconnectivity of several apparently distinct elements reiterates the importance of a holistic approach in sport retention studies. It provides the theoretical backing for strategies aimed at retaining more children and adolescents in organised sport which is important for carrying regular physical activity habit into adulthood and ensuring sustainability of organised sports.Doctor of Philosoph