Hasil untuk "Social sciences and state - Asia (Asian studies only)"

Roger T. Ames

In the last half of the nineteenth century, a Chinese-character language was created in East Asia to synchronize East Asian cultures with the “new knowledge” being pro­duced by Western modernity. Like Buddhism and other forms of Western learning that took root in China, this new vocabulary has been sinicized to express an indigenous worldview captured in the distinction between classical Greek ontological thinking as the science of being, and zoetological thinking as the art of living. While the language of Western modernity was being domesticated in East Asia, at the same time, beginning in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the Western philosophical narrative took a zoetological turn captured in Nietzsche’s proclamation that “God is dead”, and in different philosophical movements, has repudiated its own traditional commitment to onto-theological thinking. In this essay I use a holistic conception of justice as a specif­ic case to illustrate an incremental convergence between the contemporary Chinese and Western philosophical worldviews.

Sazzad Islam

This systematic review explores the role of participatory budgeting (PB) in enhancing public finance systems and improving policy effectiveness within local governance contexts. Drawing upon the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 framework, this study synthesizes findings from 92 peer-reviewed articles and high-quality institutional reports published between 2000 and 2024. The review investigates how PB contributes to fiscal decentralization, budget transparency, equitable public expenditure, service delivery, social inclusion, and civic engagement. Through a rigorous analysis of empirical and theoretical contributions, the review highlights the multidimensional value of PB in realigning public spending with local needs and promoting democratic accountability. Key findings indicate that PB strengthens the alignment between public resource allocation and community-defined priorities, reduces corruption through participatory oversight mechanisms, and fosters institutional trust by enhancing transparency and inclusiveness. The evidence shows that PB not only empowers marginalized populations—such as women, youth, and ethnic minorities—but also encourages sustained civic learning, social cohesion, and citizen-state collaboration. However, successful implementation of PB is contingent upon several enabling conditions, including strong political commitment, sufficient administrative capacity, legal frameworks that institutionalize participatory practices, and the presence of an active and organized civil society. Comparative analysis across Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America reveals that while PB principles are globally adaptable, their effectiveness varies depending on local political culture, institutional maturity, and infrastructural readiness. The review also underscores the potential of digital PB platforms in expanding access and participation, though challenges remain regarding inclusivity and the digital divide. Despite promising impacts, the review identifies notable research gaps, such as the absence of longitudinal impact assessments, limited integration of intersectional frameworks, and the underrepresentation of PB practices in fragile, post-conflict, or authoritarian contexts. Furthermore, most evaluations focus on output measures (e.g., number of projects funded) rather than long-term governance or developmental outcomes. By consolidating diverse strands of literature, this review underscores PB’s transformative potential as both a governance mechanism and a fiscal tool. It calls for more context-sensitive, interdisciplinary research to fully understand PB’s long-term contributions to inclusive development, democratic renewal, and sustainable public finance reform.

M. Latif

ABSTRACT The majority of countries in the globe have huge audiences for Hollywood films, and people in these nations look to these blockbusters for amusement. Hollywood film stills have the capacity and influence to elicit ideas, perspectives, and judgments from viewers about various social, political, or ideological matters. Islam, the second most popular religion in the world, and Muslims, who number over 1.5 billion, have frequently been the target of mockery and misrepresentation in the film industry. The goal of the current study was to investigate how different Muslim populations are portrayed in Hollywood films. For this study, a quantitative content analysis research approach was employed. Hollywood films from 2012 to 2024 were chosen for examination using the purposive sample approach. In the films released in 2012–2024, public figures, government employes, and law enforcement organizations were all portrayed negatively. With a few exceptions, the pattern of how Islamic nations were portrayed in Hollywood productions was discovered to be very consistent. From the South Asian nation of Pakistan, African state of Libya, Beirut state of Middle East, and Bangladesh etc, practically every Islamic nation had about the same representation; the only one with a positive representation was Turkey. The findings showed that all Muslim demographics were portrayed as anti-Western. The films also presented a bad image of each of the five Islamic nations. The findings also showed that individuals in Islamic countries were characterized as being less civilized than those in other countries and that life in these nations was obviously problematic rather than tranquil.

Rifki Maulana Iqbal Taufik, Tri Kurnia Revul Andina

This research aims to examine the impact of automation on future work in Indonesia's agriculture sector. Internet and digital platforms have altered many aspects of life and resulted in automation in several fields, including agriculture. The emergence of new technologies is often perceived as a threat and a challenge for this sector and its workers. Using a desk study method, however, the result shows that the automation of agriculture is beneficial to Indonesia’s economy. This is not only in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) but also in terms of enhancing the quality of smallholder employment and the interest of youth in working in this sector. Farmers' use of the internet and smartphones have become catalysts in adopting automation in the present and emerging. Digital technology has become an important intermediate factor that helps farmers improve their productivity. This has become the mainstream of the adoption of the technology in agriculture rather than mechanization. Job replacement due to automation will possibly not happen in Indonesia due to labour market conditions, disparity of land ownership, and the high cost of implementing automation. Furthermore, this research addresses aspects that deserve attention, including job quality, social protection, industrial relations, inequality, gender, and participation.

Manahil Siddiqi, Margaret E. Greene, Alexandra Stoppel et al.

This review concludes that little research and programmatic attention is paid to the needs and vulnerabilities of married girls as if it were too late to reach them, and limited effort is made to address relationship dynamics and other conditions within marriage other than sexual and reproductive health. Key Findings Despite awareness of the harmful health and social consequences of child marriage, married girls and boys remain an overlooked population in programming. The limited interventions targeting married adolescents are geographically concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, implemented at a small scale, focus on sexual and reproductive health or maternal health to the neglect of other areas, including voice and agency, violence prevention, economic livelihoods, schooling, and rights and access to legal support. There is a lack of programmatic attention to boys and men in the context of child marriage response. Key Implications Program designers and implementers must identify and address the needs of married adolescents through targeted evidence-based interventions that encompass timely identification and referral of adolescents affected by child marriage; collaboration between child protection, education and social protection sectors; and employ evidence-based design and delivery. Policymakers should invest in and scale up programs and services that not only prevent child marriage but also mitigate the harmful consequences faced by survivors of child marriage, particularly girls who remain disproportionately affected by the harmful effects of child marriage. ABSTRACT Child marriage, defined by the United Nations as marriage before the age of 18 years, is a widespread practice with serious health and social consequences. We systematically reviewed academic and gray literature to learn what is known about the current state of the evidence for interventions to respond to the needs of married adolescents. Our analysis of the 29 included intervention studies identified variability across sectors, with most programs focusing on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and maternal health. We found that interventions occur mostly at a small scale, are geographically concentrated, and focus on SRH to the neglect of other sectors. There is a need for programs to focus on improving educational and economic outcomes among married girls, as well as increased efforts to support equitable marital relations and engage men and boys. The emphasis on preventing child marriage must be matched by efforts to mitigate and respond to the practice.

Saim Karabulut

The concept of economic development, which is based on sustaining a welfare worthy of human dignity, has an important place in academic studies. In short, development economics, a branch of science that examines the processes of increasing the economic welfare of low and middle income countries, focuses on some fundamental questions. It focuses on basic problems such as the disparity in levels of development between countries or the state's role in development processes. This discipline has become even more important in the last hundred years. In other words, it no longer focuses only on increasing the level of welfare, but also on how to achieve and sustain environmentally sound growth. But can social welfare be increased without harming the environment, can major growth imbalances between countries be brought to a more equitable position, as well as promoting a way of life worthy of human dignity? Environmentally sensitive development has now moved from theory to practice. These practices have gone beyond voluntary efforts and continue to evolve into mandatory regulations day by day. The best example of this is the gradual transition to carbon emissions management by mandatory mechanisms based on the idea that voluntary mechanisms are insufficient. Sustainable economic policies are becoming increasingly important within these limits, revealing the necessity of development without conflicting with nature. Industrial policies are considered as an important instrument of economic development. Countries in transition from an agricultural to a postindustrial economy have implemented selective government policies. The importance of these policies was realized especially after the Second World War where they were used to repair war damages. Dani Rodrik argues that the government's support for certain economic activities more than others indicates the implementation of industrial policies. Yülek (1998), on the other hand, defines these policies as incentives applied in countries' priority industrial areas. In the 1980s, with the rise of neo liberal economics, state intervention was tried to be reduced, but in the 1990s, the mainstream economy again turned towards industrial policies. During this period, general effective horizontal industrial policies were preferred. However, further research has revealed the importance of extensive state intervention in the success of East Asian countries. In 2000s, the need for active industrial policies for late industrializing countries was highlighted. Nowadays, the issue of how to design and implement industrial policy has become important.The global economy is experiencing a transformation with the paradigm of sustainability and green growth emerging. The transformation brings significant opportunities alongside its challenges for countries. At this point, the study examines Singapore as a case study, which is an excellent lesson for countries at all stages of development that take advantage of the opportunities of green economic transformation. Singapore's development journey serves as a significant example in development economics. Despite limited natural resources and geographic constraints, Singapore has achieved notable success through innovative industrial policies and green growth strategies. By analyzing Singapore's economic development, policies, and strategies, this study aims to provide valuable insights for other economies. Singapore's experience highlights key lessons for achieving sustainable growth and implementing green industrial policies, focusing on leadership, state involvement, and adherence to national and international commitments.Through both quantitative and qualitative analysis, the study illustrates Singapore's successful development since its independence in the 1960s, highlighting its management of green policies within the context of green growth. The analysis is based on a case study, compiled and evaluated through literature studies and key indicators included in the scope. This article is extracted from my master's thesis entitled "Industrial Policy and Green Growth in a Small Island Economy: The Case of Singapore," supervised by Prof. Dr. Murat Ali Yülek, completed in 2024 (Master’s Thesis, OSTIM Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 2024).

Masashi Nara

This study examines how Hui Muslims have attempted to become pious Muslims under the influence of rapid social change and the Islamic revival in the post-Mao era, focusing on their practices of piety in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. In the post-Mao era, the Islamic revival among Hui Muslims increased through the abatement of anti-religious policies. Accordingly, rigid religious discourse became more influential among Hui Muslims during the Islamic revival, leading to emphasis on piety among Hui Muslims. However, the soucial foundation of Hui religious life has been simultaneously undermined through rapid social change, notably the decline of traditional Hui communities and intensified connections between Hui and Han Chinese in daily life. These contrasting trends made it more difficult for many Hui Muslims to maintain regular piety-oriented practices. In such a situation, Hui Muslims postpone their piety and seek religious care by establishing relationships with familiar piety-oriented Muslims, such as family members. Previous studies have focused on the practice of postponing piety. However, thestudies tended to treat piety as an “individual” attribute. Nevertheless, as mentioned above, Hui Muslim piety practices are not necessarily individualistic. Instead, they are embeded in relationships with others. Therefore, this study elucidates the modalities of piety among Hui Muslims in contemporary China.

E. V. Viziltir

Relevance. The war that began in 1914 met the growing needs of the bourgeoisie class, as it was a source of enormous profits. In the event of a victory, Russia would gain exclusive dominance over the Black Sea, Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula. The war was also supposed to serve as a lightning rod against the growing revolutionary movement and the impending revolution. On the eve of the war, the labor movement in Russia reached exceptional tension, in its scope it was comparable to the revolutionary year 1905. In such circumstances, the war was supposed to "extinguish" the growing discontent of the people. The study of the attitude of political parties in the Russian Empire to the war is of not only theoretical but also practical interest, since the possibilities of preventing a new world war are largely related to the position of various social forces, political parties, the state of civil society, and the ability to negotiate controversial issues.Purpose. To investigate the attitude of the political parties of the Russian Empire to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.Objectives: to analyze the political situation in the country by 1914 and characterize the positions of Russian political parties in their attitude to the war.Methodology. The author's methodology is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity. The methods of information synthesis and analysis, the method of generalization of the obtained data, and the ideographic method are also used.Results. In the study, the author shows the process of unification of Russian political parties in relation to the war with Austria-Hungary and Germany that began in 1914. At that moment, all party barriers fell, and representatives of political parties recognized the need for a war to a victorious end. But the Mensheviks and Trudoviks opposed war loans, and the Bolsheviks protested against the war.Conclusion. An analysis of the sources showed that the war consolidated Russian society. Representatives of all parties, except the Social Democrats, supported Russia's participation in the war, considering it defensive.

S. Suri, A. Khuraseva

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea and mittelschmerz syndrome represent significant gynecological challenges associated with the menstrual cycle, causing pain during menstruation and ovulation, respectively. These conditions not only cause physical discomfort but also psychological and social disturbances, impacting the quality of life of affected individuals. Understanding the prevalence and impact of these conditions among female students at Kursk State Medical University provides critical insights into their management. Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional study involved 100 female students who were not pregnant and were of reproductive age. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire that included the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale to assess pain levels and documented their menstrual characteristics, pain symptoms, and associated lifestyle factors. Results: The majority (76%) of participants experienced a regular menstrual cycle length of 21-35 days, while 21% reported irregular cycles. Of those surveyed, 58% of American and 35% of African descent reported moderate pain due to dysmenorrhea, whereas a significant portion (38.5%) of Asian participants experienced severe pain. Mittelschmerz syndrome was generally less severe, with 88% reporting mild pain. The study also highlighted the influence of external factors such as stress, weather, and lifestyle on symptom severity. Conclusion: Primary dysmenorrhea and mittelschmerz syndrome are prevalent among the studied population, with significant variations in symptom intensity influenced by ethnic and lifestyle factors. The data underscore the necessity for tailored educational and medical interventions to alleviate the burden of these conditions. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to track symptom progression and the effectiveness of different management strategies.

R. Giridharan, R. Emmanuel

Abstract The importance of studying tropical urban climate was recognised by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) as early as in 1981 but substantial improvements were seen only in the last two decades. However specific knowledge of tropical urban climate still lags behind that of temperate climate. In this paper, authors review the state of the art in tropical heat island intensity, its influence on building energy consumption and the effect of urban compactness in the tropics. The review is limited to peer-reviewed journal publications found on four databases: Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and Science Direct. The review indicates that although the tropical belt has large variations in topography, forest cover, land mass and development patterns, much of the current work is confined largely to Far East Asia, South Asia and South America. Future studies should focus on protocol for parameterisation and standardisation of measurement, in depth and scientific understanding of the influence of vegetation, water and topography, survey and monitoring of the context specific relationship between UHI and energy consumption, development of database for numerical model validation and improvement, and the context specific development of LCZ based institutional framework to integrate UHI mitigation strategies with environmental design guidelines.

Khizar Nazir, S. W. Hassan, M. I. Khan et al.

Erna Setijaningrum, Asiyah Kassim, Rochyati Triana et al.

Driven by a wide range of social and cultural forces, circular migration has become a prominent phenomenon in the contemporary world, and it is especially common among Indonesian migrant workers. The research delved into what pushes Indonesian migrant workers to going back to host countries for employment after returning to their home country. A case study approach was employed by which a total of 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indonesian migrant workers from Blitar, Malang, Ponorogo, and Tulungagung in East Java, Indonesia. The research reveals that non-monetary incentives such as supportive and amicable workplace environments, including the possibility of career advancements and adequate accommodations, as well as productive and family-oriented communities, act as important motivators for Indonesian migrant workers to go back to host countries. Furthermore, the research adds to the widening topography of migration studies by which it provides a broader picture in painting the “human” rationality behind circular migration in Global South.

D. Srivastava

In 1985 South Asian Association for regional Cooperation was established with the intention of improving regional collaboration in the fields of economics, social sciences, cultural practices, and scientific research. The existing membership of SAARC comprises of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, besides Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives are all members of this group. In 1998, the SAARCFINANCE Network was founded with the purpose of fostering dialogue on the macroeconomic policies of the region and facilitating the exchange of ideas and experiences among members, all within the context of a larger framework. It was agreed that the study would be carried out by utilizing data gathered from a survey in order to record the typical Monetary Policy operations and acquire information from first-hand sources. A initial draft of this research was presented at a SAARC FINANCE meeting that took place in Islamabad, Pakistan. The comments and suggestions made by the central banks of all SAARC nations were compiled. In this evaluation, the operational and legal aspects of the mechanisms for formulating Monetary Policy and making decisions that are established in the central banks of SAARC states are analyzed and discussed. On the other hand, in order to broaden the scope of the investigation, extra data was collected not only from official websites but also from other sources, such as the central bank. Because the completion of this study was dependent on the accessibility of source data as well as the comments from the central banks of the SAARC countries, it took a considerable amount of time to finish.

Neil Collins, G. Gafu, Aipara Berekeyeva et al.

ABSTRACT New regimes need to make crucial decisions about the continuity of public policy. The new incumbents will decide whether to continue the previous administration’s policies or make radical changes. The choice between continuity and change may favour the former in the early stages. However, the propensity to introduce new services or means of delivery may increase with time. In the Central Asian experience, the pattern of policy development reflects in part the process of gaining independence and the dominant autocratic regime type. The first change of leader presents a significant choice between continuity and change. This article examines Uzbekistan, focusing on a prominent area on the policy agenda: higher education. It investigates how the state and universities have faced issues in research ethics in the humanities and social sciences. The article examines the pattern of adoption, adaption and abstention in the policy process and demonstrates the predominance of the last option.

Frank N. Pieke

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is currently in the throes of redefining itself as not just China's ruling party, but also as the dominant political force of global China. Following the path of Chinese globalisation, this project overlaps with – but is different from – China's much maligned strategy of influencing and interfering in the society and politics of other countries. The principal aim of the CCP's global extension is not to meddle in the affairs of other countries, but tying Chinese people, goods, money, business, and institutions that have ventured abroad back into the strategy and domestic system of China and the CCP. The article shows that China's emerging superpower is informed both by China's unique pattern of globalisation and the CCP's own understanding of the nature, aims, and modalities of its rule, which can only partially be compared to those of earlier superpowers.

A. Anwar, D. Kee, Ahmad Salman et al.

PurposeThe study's objective is to examine the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) social media news (SMN) on work boredom (WB) and task performance (TP). The study proposes that psychological well-being (PWB) and depression mediate the relationship between COVID-19 SMN, WB and TP.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this research was collected from white-collar employees of two Asian countries, Pakistan (study 1, n = 167) and Malaysia (study 2, n = 118), was collected using an online survey during strict movement control order (MCO), work from home, at the beginning of the year 2020.FindingsIn both studies, the PWB of employees mediated the relationship between COVID-19 SMN and their WB. On the other hand, depression only mediated the relationship between COVID-19 SMN and WB in Pakistan. PWB only mediated the relationship between COVID-19 SMN and TP in study 2. Depression only mediated the relationship between COVID-19 SMN and TP in study 1.Research limitations/implicationsA couple of limitations worth noting are that the study adopted a cross-sectional approach. Thus, the sample size is not large in both counties. Because of the outbreak, limited employees agree to be part of an online survey. The scope of the study also restricts the authors to collect data during MCO, when employees were forced to work from home. In Pakistan, MCO began on 20th March and ended on 30th April, while in Malaysia, MCO started on 18th March and ended on 12th May. This also limits the study's claim of generalizability.Practical implicationsThe practical implication of the study is to guide practitioners of both Pakistan and Malaysia in developing strategies that help them understand that employees having PWB look for growth and challenging opportunities even during pandemic situations; employers can leverage it to deal with external threats like COVID-19 because improving the PWB can improve TP and reduce WB. The interesting results highlighted the fact that high TP not necessarily means everything is fine with employees, when the uncertainty level is high, employees may be performing well due to fear and depression instead of work motivation. Thus, employers should be more vigilant during a pandemic situation. This study also helps policymakers understand that the overall economic situation affects the individual employee’s state of mind and work behavior.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to scare literature on COVID-19 and SMN and illustrates employees' work behavior when forced to work from home during the MCO.

N. Rogozhina

The choice of the countries of Southeast Asia as an example for analyzing the nature of interaction between developing countries and China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative is not accidental. The very logic of China’s stated goals of gaining dominant positions in the world economy and politics makes it inevitable that the countries of Southeast Asia located in geographic proximity to it are included in its long-term economic and political plans. The question, however, is to what extent do they meet the interests of the Southeast Asian countries themselves? The solution to this question is the main subject of research in the article. There are objective prerequisites for mutually beneficial cooperation. The Belt and Road projects are viewed by China as a tool for economic expansion into the region with the prospect of taking a leading position there, using the interest of Southeast Asian countries in the inflow of foreign investment to create modern infrastructure, the lack of which narrows their opportunities for further economic growth, maintaining competitiveness and developing integration ties within ASEAN Community. Expert assessments made by international organizations confirm the positive impact of OBOR projects on the economic development of Southeast Asian countries and although today it is too early to draw any conclusions, since the initiative is only at the initial stage of its implementation in the region, nevertheless the case studies presented in the article indicate a mismatch in the positions of the parties on a number of issues related to the financing of projects, their lack of transparency. non-compliance with environmental and social requirements. The support of the initiative on the part of the Southeast Asian countries does not automatically mean their acceptance of the terms of the agreements proposed by China, which are far from always consistent with their national interests and give rise to fears in society about its expansionist intentions. Therefore, in many Southeast Asian countries, participation in OBOR projects is turning into a subject of political discourse, which reflects the presence of disagreements in society and confrontation of interests regarding the advisability of rapprochement with China, given the associated economic and political risks. The countries of Southeast Asia can be conditionally divided into two groups according to their relation to the Belt and Road initiative. The first group includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar, whose position can be described as national pragmatism. While supporting the Chinese initiative in general, they nevertheless assess the possible risks of their participation in projects and seek to reduce them. The second group is represented by Laos and Cambodia, whose leadership unconditionally supports the Chinese initiative, guided by the interests of their own survival, which largely depends on Chinese assistance. Therefore, the prospect of falling into a debt trap and increasing economic dependence on the PRC and even the threat of losing sovereignty does not deter them from participating in highly controversial projects from a commercial point of view. Based on the analysis made, the author comes to the conclusion that, given the existing alignment of political forces in Southeast Asia, China can count on promoting its initiative in the region, which, however, does not automatically lead to an increase in its political influence and to the creation of a China-centric model of regional order. Acknowledgements. The article was prepared within the project “Post-crisis world order: challenges and technologies, competition and cooperation” supported by the grant from Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation program for research projects in priority areas of scientific and technological development (agreement № 075-15-2020-783).

Takahiro Tomita

This study investigates the relationship between the socialist industrialization of pastoralism in Mongolia and the government’s perception of severe winter disasters (dzud), as well as the countermeasures taken against them. It aims to do so by focusing on pastoral production and dzud’s impact under pastoral cooperatives (negdel). During the collective period from the late 1950s to the early 1990s, the government regarded dzud as the greatest threat to the livestock sector and explored ways to prevent and mitigate the ensuing damage. In theory, public regulation and support for dzud prevention and mitigation could decrease the frequency and severity of a large-scale dzud that may affect the entire country. However, dzud occurred occasionally at the province (aimag) or district (sum) level and had a serious impact on pastoral production in rural areas. In addition to the positive aspects of local society and larger structures, such as rescue and recovery, there was also a negative side to the industrialization of pastoralism, such as decreased resilience to dzud damage. Along with the expansion of pastoral production for domestic and foreign urban consumers, the consistent demand for individuals and pastoral cooperatives to achieve strict production quotas, regardless of any conditions, has exacerbated the damage from dzud. That is, the slump in rural pastoral production during the collective period may have been caused by the interaction between the damage from dzud and the problems concerning the labor production system that was revised in response to the challenges of industrialization under pastoral cooperatives.

Takeshi Ito

Undeniably, one of the rare characteristics of James C. Scott's scholarship is that his analytical insights are widely recognized in many fields beyond political science and Asian studies. Scott's contributions to the vast literatures of agrarian and environmental studies, the theory of hegemony and resistance, development studies, postcolonial studies, state formation, and anarchism, to name just a few, are recognized by scholars of diverse disciplines as new standards that challenge widely accepted assumptions and theories and reveal underappreciated aspects and untold narratives of social history—particularly for those who, under normal conditions, do not raise their voice and did not have letters to leave records.

Devapriya Sanyal