Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Indian caste system'

Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses.
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2031-01-02

India has a population of 1, 2 billion people, and the country also has a great poor populationwhere 70 % still live in rural areas. The poorest are often Dalits, once called the untouchablesand they constitute one sixth, 167 million people, of India’s inhabitants. They are consideredoutside the caste system and are often on the bottom of the social ladder. Because of theircaste identity they are still discriminated. Since media has the power to influence this thesis focuses on how the Dalits arerepresented in three newspapers: Times of India, The Hindu and Indian Express. How dojournalists find their reporting about Dalits? The theories used are development journalism,the agenda setting theory and theory about minorities in media. A quantitative content analysis was done in Delhi during 17 days. 98 articles thatmentioned Dalits were found and coded. This was combined with a qualitative method: respondent research. Eight interviews withpolitical journalists were done. During the field work there was a legislative assembly electionin the state Uttar Pradesh, which affected the results since caste is closely related to politics inIndia. The results show that Dalits are mentioned quiet often in the newspapers, but the mainsubject is almost never Dalits and their situation in society. The most frequent topics were theelection, affirmative action, and crime and rape against Dalits. These subjects often have aconnection to sensation. The most quoted actors in the articles are the elite and not Dalits.Almost all respondents thought they could empower Dalits if they were reported about. Thisis a paradox since they almost never interview Dalits. There are no Dalit journalists at thethree newspapers, which can be one reason why they are not included in the news. There is little research done on this subject and therefore more research is needed.

Waiting time for non-emergency medical care in developing countries is rarely of immediate concern to policy makers that prioritize provision of basic health services. However, waiting time as a measure of health system responsiveness is important because longer waiting times worsen health outcomes and affect utilization of services. Studies that assess socioeconomic inequalities in waiting time provide evidence from developed countries such as England and the United States; evidence from developing countries is lacking. In this paper, we assess the relationship between social class i.e. caste of an individual and waiting time at health facilities - a client orientation dimension of responsiveness. We use household level data from two rounds of the Indian Human Development Survey with a sample size of 27,251 households in each wave (2005 and 2012) and find that lower social class is associated with higher waiting time. This relationship is significant for individuals that visited a male provider but not so for those that visited a female provider. Further, caste is positively related to higher waiting time only if visiting a private facility; for individuals visiting a government facility the relationship between waiting time and caste is not significant. In general, caste related inequality in waiting time has worsened over time. The results are robust to different specifications and the inclusion of several confounders.

This thesis analyzes the history of caste system and explains the theories of the birth of caste in Indian civilization. After defining the caste system in historical and cultural manner. examines the birth of and spreading of Dalit movement or low caste mass movement during the 19th and 20th century with the influence of British rule.

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, System Design and Management Program, Engineering and Management Program, 2016.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 65-67).
Emerging Markets are defined as nations with social or business activity in the process of rapid growth and industrialization. Market penetration of products across the country is an extremely difficult task due to poor infrastructure and prohibitive costs of infrastructure. The motivation for this thesis is to 1) develop a framework to reduce the complexity of the study by clustering a diverse pool of products into fewer major classes of products sharing similar features, 2) design a network optimization model to better serve the end consumer in two different states in India, and 3) assess and improve the scalability of the distribution network. The results of this research directly enhance the distribution models used to scale production and efficiently use supply chains in low to middle income countries, leveraging existing resources (retail outlets) to deliver goods in two Indian states and can be generalized to other states. The SKU classification methodology (clustering) can be generalized to other classes of products that logistics companies are currently delivering in rural India (food, pantry, commodities,'...). To the extent of our knowledge, this optimization network modeling has not been researched yet in developing economies. It was found that our methodology could help retailers get access to customers more efficiently. We finished by determining the optimal scalability strategy using cost effectiveness and service level effectiveness for two different Indian states, Maharashtra and Bihar. Keywords: scalability, supply chain, developing economy, case study, network design
by Zyad El Jebbari.
S.M. in Engineering and Management

This thesis examines the presence of community in Blackfoot Justice Circles through ethnographic, qualitative methods. Five Blackfoot Justice Circles, observed in 1996-1997, and an Innu Healing Justice Circle, are compared in structure, roles and content. The Innu circle data is found as a report and recorded as an appendix to R. v. Sellon (1996). Seven in depth interview held with circle leaders and prominant circle participants generated data used to describe and define current perceptions of traditional concepts among circle leaders on a Blackfoot reserve. Theoretically the work arrives at a principle of justice according to a concept of authentic morality expressed through problem-solving and care. The principle is collectively based on the ideas and works of Menno Boldt, Herman Bianchi, Elliot Studt, John McKnight, Carol Lepannen Montgomery, John Braithwaite, Howard Zehr, and Ruth Morris as well as peacemaking concepts. The study explores transformative justice, as differentiated from restorative and retributive justice.
xii, 258 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2015.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-143).
The objective of this project is to address the failure rate or "slipback" of rural water supply systems in India by analyzing performance of previous water projects using the national government database called IMIS. Data analysis and visualization tools are used on the IMIS in combination with the FIETS framework for sustainability enabling the categorization of variables into Financial, Institutional, Environmental, Technological, and Social factors. This analysis provides an evaluation of the IMIS database and how it can be used to meet the FIETS categories. It also provides quantitative metrics of slipback of water supply systems based on the available variables, helping identify correlations to problem areas and FIETS variables, enabling data-driven actions to promote sustainability. This assessment is designed based on the state of Gujarat - a generally successful model of water management projects in India - for the developing stage. The Jamnagar district was selected for the sub-district level analysis. Results show that IMIS database has data that satisfy FIETS factors at state and district levels. There are some limitations on data visibility between these two geographical levels but in both cases a complete analysis of FIETS factors is possible. A gap data analysis provides a detailed list of what are the available variables and which ones are missing from the database. In the case of Gujarat there is a high coverage of water supply in the rural areas, which makes challenging to find correlations with FIETS factors. Significant positive correlation was identified between low covered areas and districts with high Scheduled Tribal population. There was no correlation between expenditures and low coverage areas or built infrastructure. At sub-district level there are less variables available for analysis and correlations were found to be similar to the state findings. Field visits were made to several villages in Jamnagar that raised questions about the water quality data as well as coverage. The use of IMIS database to improve the rural water supply sector is very recent and further research is recommended to improve the data collection process, enabling decision-makers to understand better IMIS data, and pilot test this analysis to improve the annual planning of water supply systems at district and state levels.
by Marianna I. Novellino F.
S.M. in Engineering and Management

Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2015.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 182-191).
With increasing population and per-capita capita waste generation, cities in India and other developing countries are seeking alternative strategies to manage the organic fraction of municipal solid waste in an effort to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase environmental performance. This thesis aims to explore the tradeoffs of various organic waste management strategies in the urban Indian context, specifically using a case study analysis of the waste system in the city of Pune. Door-to-door, primary, and secondary collection and four technologies for treating organics (landfilling, composting, anaerobic digestion, and pelletization) are analyzed with regard to cost and environmental performance. Because decentralized waste system architectures minimize transportation and allows wastepickers to maintain jobs, particular emphasis is made in this thesis to understand the cost and environmental implications treatment at a range of scales. To determine the quantity and composition of waste, we conducted waste audits of MSW that was collected from 2,650 households during two different seasons. Per-capita MSW generation in Pune was found to be 134, 309, and 401 grams/day for the lower, middle, and upper income residents, respectively. Of these totals, 80%, 66%, and 69% of the MSW was biodegradable. Given that middle and upper income residents generate 2.3 to 3 times what lower income residents generate, India can expect to see a significant increase in waste volumes as its population becomes wealthier. By comparing the spatial footprints of the technologies at a range of scales, it was found that pelletization of organic MSW (although it is not a fully developed technology) has great potential to reduce the spatial footprint of organic waste management. Cost modeling is used to identify the drivers of cost for each process and to identify the leastcost options. The cost per ton of waste managed using anaerobic digestion, composting, and pelletization decreases significantly with larger scale of treatment. Alternative organics management technologies used at small scales (less than 0.5 TPD) are more expensive than landfilling; however, if a facility of at least 0.5 TPD is used, anaerobic digestion is less expensive than landfilling. Pelletization and composting become less expensive than landfilling at the scale of 5 TPD and 200 TPD, respectively. Although the average cost of centralized organic waste systems is lower, the difference in cost between the lowest-cost decentralized systems and lowest-cost centralized systems was relatively small. A review of the relevant literature is used to identify the global warming impacts of organic waste processing. The global warming potential (GWP) of anaerobic digestion, pelletization, composting, and landfilling is estimated to be -51, -42, 38, and 510 kg CO-eq/ton, respectively. A city looking to minimize its contribution to global warming could achieve significant reductions in emissions by biodigesting food waste and peltetizing yard waste. Such systems would have a net greenhouse gas emissions savings of over 750 tons CO2-eq each year. Of the technologies assessed, anaerobic digestion (at scales of 5 TPD or larger) has the best combination of cost and GWP performance. However, because woody material cannot be digested, pelletization (at 10 TPD plants) has the best combination of cost and GWP performance specifically for handling yard waste. These findings suggest that for handling organic MSW, anaerobic digestion in combination with pelletization produces the best combination of cost and GWP performance.
by Rachel Martha Katims Perlman.
S.M. in Technology and Policy

This thesis examines whether and how an enhancement can be effected in the depth and accuracy with which media systems theory meets its proclaimed objective of understanding and describing the behaviour of media systems. It draws upon critiques of the applicability of media systems theory to non-Western media systems to ask whether the grounded study of media systems reveals additional variables or approaches to enhance its descriptive and explanatory power. It answers these questions by conducting an exploratory case study of the complex and relatively unmapped Indian media system, focusing on the system-wide phenomenon of paid news, of which the most egregious form is political advertising masquerading as news at election time. The case study draws upon a thematic analysis of rich empirical data from 47 in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with top journalists, editors, owners, policy makers and heads of regulatory bodies, triangulated against a large variety of documents and statistical data. The study constructs a map of the Indian media system to establish its commercial, organisational and regulatory contours, and produces an analysis of the forces and relationships that define the systemic behaviour that is manifest as paid news. Its theoretical contribution includes the suggestion of candidate variables and approaches to supplement existing macro-level factors used by models and typologies of media systems theory. It also sets out seven theoretical propositions: 1) The wider applicability of media systems theory is hampered by the adoption of Western media as a pivotal reference point; 2) Normative beliefs and macro-level structures are inadequate descriptors of media systems; 3) Dimensions other than politics and economics can be critical to defining media systems; 4) Variables that account for forces and relationships within the media are important in characterising media systems; 5) Media systems are not passively shaped by political, economic and other structures; they have agency and can act independently; 6) Grounded case studies can yield variables and approaches that help characterise media systems; and 7) System-wide ethical or normative fault-lines such as paid news can reveal critical characteristics of a media system.

Today, many developing countries are embarking on ambitious programmes to develop large computer-based information systems within their public administration to promote socio-economic development. However, the overall objectives of these investments remain unfulfilled. Success and failures of information systems are largely determined by the performance of organizational members associated with the development and use of information systems. Performance of these members is primarily determined by individual competencies and the environment in which the activities of these members are taking place. Information systems related education and training to create competent individuals has always been a matter of great concern to almost all developing countries. However, public administration in developing countries is an intensely political affair. Organizational politics very often give birth to a number of macro and micro environmental conditions, which constrain certain courses of action of competent individuals. Therefore, individuals, however competent, cannot perform to the best of their abilities. This invariably results in information systems that are ineffective and inefficient. Systematic empirical studies that can increase our understanding of this domain are virtually non-existent. The current research aims to rectify this issue. The research methodology adopted for the current research assumes that organizational members, when involved in a particular activity in a particular context, interpret the situation, and act accordingly. Researchers, by immersing themselves in the members' world can understand their actions. Focusing on two cases within the public administration of India and adopting a hermeneutic approach, the study interprets the actions of different organizational members associated with the implementation of information systems. By relating the performance of these members to the strengths and weaknesses of the information systems, the study makes broad recommendations. Findings of the study reveal that Indian policy makers and implementers have always given significant consideration to information systems related education and training. However, on the other hand, the very factors that India has been trying to address through successive administrative reforms since national independence happen to be the same factors that constrain the performance of competent individuals.

In this thesis, the concept of the procedural aspect of the Rule of Law will be distinguished from what I argue are conceptions that are falsely promulgated as concept. The different aspects of the Rule of Law—form, substance, and procedure— are helpful in making the distinction between concept and conception. Examining procedure within the Rule of Law is particularly important, and I define a broader set of requirements of the concept of the procedural aspect of the Rule of Law. This concept is applied to understand the Indian conception of the Rule of Law, a particularly interesting case that brings out questions about culture and economic capacity. Ultimately, I argue that this broader set of requirements is better suited to evaluate the realization of the Rule of Law in all contexts.

Mestrado em Desenvolvimento e Cooperação Internacional
Nas últimas décadas, a gestão dos recursos hídricos tornou-se um elemento central no desenvolvimento devido às suas progressivas escassez e degradação da qualidade. Como esperado, tal é particularmente sensível nos países em desenvolvimento, onde se encontra o maior número de pessoas sem acesso a água potável. Neste trabalho procuramos realçar a importância da consideração de factores culturais e sociais na gestão dos recursos hídricos, de forma a se poder atingir uma melhor eficiência na implementação de projectos de melhoria das condições de abastecimento de água. Assim sendo, optámos por nos centrar na análise da sociedade indiana enquanto exemplo de um contexto socio-cultural particularmente complexo no que concerne à gestão da água. Na Índia predominam ainda grandes níveis de desigualdade social, em grande parte devidos ao sistema de castas e às grandes assimetrias de género. No seu quadro, a água detém um valor simbólico importante, sendo a sua gestão, por aqueles, fortemente influenciada. Precisamente, o principal objectivo deste trabalho consiste em demonstrar como na Índia as representações culturais da água, bem como a própria organização social desse país devem ser seriamente consideradas de forma a garantir o sucesso dos seus programas de gestão da água.
In the past decades, water resource management has become a main development issue due to its progressive scarcity and quality degradation. This is particularly true for the developing countries, where most of the population without access to drinking water lives. In this work, we intend to highlight the need to consider social and cultural factors in water management in order to attain better efficiency in implementing projects that aim to improve water supply conditions. Therefore, we decided to focus on the analyses of the Indian society as an example of a particularly complex social and cultural context when regarding water management. In India there still exist great levels of social inequality, mainly due to the caste system and gender asymmetries. In its framework, water has an important symbolic role and its management is by those highly influenced. Thus, the main purpose of this work is to demonstrate how in India cultural representations of water, as well as its social organization should be seriously considered in order to assure the success of its water management programmes.

The study of e-governance in developing nations is informed by the idea that new technologies, reshaping the very nature of public services, can generate better outcomes in their provision. Beyond objective changes in governance infrastructures, the subjective perception of the state, as it is constructed by service recipients, is exposed to a parallel process of change, whose study has generated a novel research domain in the field of egovernance for development. With a view of contributing to this domain, this thesis studies the role of ICTs in processes of image formation on the state, as experienced by citizens in a developing country context. The theory on which the thesis is developed views technology as embedded in its sociopolitical context, and conceives e-governance as implicated in the reconstruction of images of the state. This vision is applied to the computerization of the main food security programme in India, the Public Distribution System (PDS), as it has been devised and implemented in the state of Kerala. Through an interpretive case study of the object at the core of computerization, known as the Electronic Public Distribution System or e-PDS, the thesis investigates the ICT-led processes of image construction by the state, and the ways in which citizens, confronted with new images, structure their perception of these. Through inclusion of front-end PDS services in existing infrastructure, and through the inscription of a clear problem-solution nexus in e-PDS, the state is found, as expected, to be using e-governance as a means to reconstruct its own image. At the same time, though, the loci of image formation that are found in citizens (direct experience, social networks, and political circuits) systematically escape control by governmental action, and seem to be, in fact, only marginally touched by the ICT-induced reinvention of governance. The thesis results, therefore, in an extension of existing theory in this respect: the capability of the state to reconstruct its image, through the usage of new technologies, is limited by the spaces of image formation which citizens experience in their daily lives.

Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2018.
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2018.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 108-119).
The objective of this project is to improve the responsiveness of District Planning to rural water scarcity in India. Through engagements with the Groundwater Survey Development Agency, and Maharashtra State Government Water Supply and Sanitation Department, we selected Aurangabad District to conduct field visits and develop a model that can spatially represent risk of villages to water scarcity. Within Aurangabad District, Vaijapur block was selected as a case study due to its drought effects and high water tanker usage in the past five years. This thesis develops a disaster risk metric for water scarcity, using an analysis of potential hazards, socioeconomic vulnerability, and policy responses to assign a "disaster risk score" to each village. Risk is seen as a function of hazard, vulnerability, and government capacity, so all three factors of risk are addressed. Villages are assigned a risk score in Vaijapur block of Aurangabad District By providing a risk score a season in advance of drought, planners are able to select an alternative capacity measures rather than the quickest tanker option. The aim of this research is to assist district governments in Maharashtra state in predicting, between one season to two years in advance, the risk of villages to drinking water scarcity in order to respond before incurring a drinking water crisis. Secondly, this model is used to prioritize infrastructure projects over the coming two years in order to best use limited financial resources to alleviate the burden of water scarcity at the village level. This research could ultimately be integrated into the existing state website for statewide planning and allocation of resources.
by Paige K. Midstokke.
S.M. in Technology and Policy
S.M.

Agriculture accounts for 50% of India's gross national product and irrigated agriculture for two thirds of the nation's crop output. The energization of agricultural pumpsets is one of the main goals of India's rural electrification program but the economics of these long power line extensions for small power loads are often unfavourable. Other options for satisfying India's need for remote irrigation water supply systems include the use of photovoltaic (PV) pumps. In this study an attempt was made to determine suitable applications for PV pumping systems in the irrigation sector. Drip irrigation was considered the most appropriate method of irrigation for use with a PV pump. Grapes were considered a suitable crop due high water savings under drip irrigation, the perennial nature of the crop, and high economic returns. Insolation, evapotranspiration, and effective precipitation were determined for a number of stations across India. This information was used to calculate irrigation water requirements for grapes and size a suitable PV pumpset. The cost of irrigating with a PV pump was compared to costs for other remote water pumping options and the net present worth of all costs and benefits for grape cultivation were calculated from both an economic and financial perspective. PV pumping systems did not prove to be the least cost option for irrigation due to the exceptionally low cost of diesel pumpsets in India. In spite of this, the net present worth of grape cultivation with a PV drip irrigation system was found tc be positive as was the incremental benefit of PV drip irrigation over surface irrigation with a diesel pump.

Waste management is a global environmental issue which concerns about a very significant problem in today’s world. There is a considerable amount of disposal of waste without proper segregation which has lead to both economic and environment sufferings. It is still practiced in many cities. There is a tremendous amount of loss in terms of environmental degradation, health hazards and economic descend due to direct disposal of waste. It is better to segregate the waste at the initial stages where it is generated, rather than going for a later option which is inconvenient and expensive. There has to be appropriate planning for proper waste management by means of analysis of the waste situation of the area.

This paper would deal with, how Geographical Information System can be used as a decision support tool for planning waste management. A model is designed for the case study area in an Indian city for the purpose of planning waste management. The suggestions for amendments in the system through GIS based model would reduce the waste management workload to some extent and exhibit remedies for some of the SWM problems in the case study area. The waste management issues are considered to solve some of the present situation problems like proper allocation and relocation of waste bins, check for unsuitability and proximity convenience due to waste bin to the users, proposal of recyclable waste bins for the required areas and future suggestions. The model will be implemented on the Aurangabad city’s case study area data for the analysis and the results will suggest some modification in the existing system which is expected to reduce the waste management workload to a certain extent.

Thesis (M.S.V.)--University of Toledo, 2004.
Typescript. "A thesis [submitted] as partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering." Bibliography: leaves 116-121.

This dissertation thesis details an interdisciplinary research project, which combines the strengths of resilience theory, the sustainable livelihood framework, complex systems theory, and modeling. These approaches are integrated to develop a tool that can help policy-makers make decisions under conditions of uncertainty, with the goals of reducing poverty and increasing environmental sustainability.

Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, including reducing poverty and hunger, and increasing environmental sustainability, has been hampered due to global resource degradation and fluctuations in natural, social, political and financial systems. Climate change further impedes these goals, especially in developing countries. The resilience approach has been proposed to help populations adapt to climate change, but this abstract concept has been difficult to operationalize.

The sustainable livelihood framework has been used as a tool by development agencies to evaluate and eradicate poverty by finding linkages between livelihood and environment. However, critiques highlight its inability to handle large and cross-scale issues, like global climate change and environmental degradation.

Combining the sustainable livelihood framework and resilience theory will enhance the ability to simultaneously tackle the challenges of poverty eradication and climate change. However, real-life systems are difficult to understand and measure. A complex-systems approach enables improved understanding of real-life systems by recognizing nonlinearity, emergence, and self-organization. Nonetheless, this approach needs a framework to incorporate multiple dimensions, and an analytical technique.

This research project attempts to transform the concept of resilience into a measurable and operationally useful tool. It integrates resilience theory with the sustainable livelihood framework by using systems modeling techniques. As a case-study, it explores the resilience of household livelihoods within a local village Panchayat in central India.

This method integrated the 4-step cross-scale resilience approach with the sustainable livelihood framework through the use of a system dynamics modeling technique. Qualitative and quantitative data on social, economic and ecological variables was collected to construct a four-year panel at the panchayat scale. Socio-economic data was collected through questionnaires, focus group discussions, participant observation, and literature review. Ecological data on forest regeneration, degradation and growth rates was collected through sample plots, literature review of the region's forest management plans, and expert opinions, in the absence of data.

Using these data, a conceptual, bottom-up model, sensitive to local variability, was created and parameterized. The resultant model (tool), called the Livelihood Management System, is the first of its kind to use the system dynamics technique to model livelihood resilience.

Model simulations suggest that the current extraction rates of forest resources (non-timber forest produce, fuelwood and timber) are unsustainable. If continued, these will lead to increased forest degradation and decline in household income. Forest fires and grazing also have severe impacts on local forests, principally by retarding regeneration. The model suggests that protection from grazing and forest fires alone may significantly improve forest quality. Examining the dynamics of government-sponsored labor, model simulation suggests that it will be difficult to achieve the Government of India's goal of providing 100 days' wage labor per household through the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Based on vulnerability analysis under the sustainable livelihood framework, eight risks to livelihoods were identified based on which six scenarios were created. One scenario was simulated to understand the resilience of local livelihoods to external shocks. Through these simulations, it was found that while climate change is a threat to local livelihoods, government policy changes have comparatively much larger impacts on local communities. The simulation demonstrates that reduced access to natural resources has significant impacts on local livelihoods. The simulation also demonstrates that reduced access drives forced migration, which increases the vulnerability of already risk-prone populations.

Through the development and simulation of the livelihood model, the research has been able to demonstrate a new methodology to operationalize resilience, indicating many promising next steps. Future undertakings in resilience analysis can allow for finding leverage points, thresholds and tipping points to help shift complex systems to desirable pathways and outcomes. Modeling resilience can help in identifying and prioritizing areas of intervention, and providing ways to monitor implementation progress, thus furthering the goals of reducing extreme poverty and hunger, and environmental sustainability.

Many challenges, such as high costs of data collection and the introduction of uncertainties, make model development and simulation harder. However, such challenges should be embraced as an integral part of complex analysis. In the long run, such analysis should become cost- and time-effective, contributing to data-driven decision-making processes, thus helping policy-makers take informed decisions under complex and uncertain conditions.

Poverty reduction and Education for All (EFA) are important policy issues in many developing countries as they are both Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As the existing literature suggests, education positively influences poverty reduction, while poverty, or low income, adversely affects the quality and quantity of education. Accordingly, if education fails to facilitate poverty reduction, the following generation's schooling is likely to be adversely affected, thus perpetuating a vicious education–poverty circle. It was against such a background, and employing a mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis, that this study investigated the relationship between education and multidimensional poverty at an individual as well as household level, and the influence of deprivation on children's education, in the context of the slum in Delhi, India. The thesis reveals that education – particularly primary and middle schooling – enhances the earnings of male slum dwellers in particular, the overwhelming majority of whom suffer from informality and instability of employment. It also emerges that education plays an important role in the ability to participate with confidence in the public sphere. At the household level, education proves to have a positive association with monetary poverty, but a higher level of education per se does not necessarily facilitate escape from non-monetary poverty. In such a nexus of poverty and education, the thesis found that household wealth in association with social group and migration status tends to be positively correlated with child schooling, education expenditure, and basic learning. There may be a chance of escaping poverty through education, but such a likelihood is limited for those households that are underprivileged in terms of caste and religion owing to slow progress in basic learning, as well as migrant households due to lack of access to schooling. The thesis concludes by proposing some education policies drawn from the major findings of the study that may be implemented in the Indian slum context.

The processes of globalisation have led to a world which is more closely connected and interdependent than ever before. The use of information technology has been instrumental in facilitating these interconnections and as the processes of globalisation have unfolded, whole industries have developed which are not dependent upon location to trade with their customers across the globe. There is no industry more seemingly suited to the notion of time and place independence than software development and the relative labour costs have meant that some developing countries have become popular locations for the outsourcing of information systems development. There is no country more involved in the outsourcing of software than India which has rapidly emerged as a world leader in the provision of outsourced software development. There have been few studies which have holistically and longitudinally examined this form of software development as a process. This thesis is the result of such a study. The aim of this research is to investigate the process of information systems development across time and space involving teams located in different countries. The research is undertaken with an interpretivist approach and methodology derived from Context Process analysis. The analysis of data is informed by the sociologist Anthony Giddens's later writings on globalisation as well as theory derived from the study of culture and power in organisations. The data collection was undertaken using a range of qualitative techniques. The outcomes of the research include an improved understanding of the implications for information systems development involving teams located in different countries collaborating with information technology across time and space, with relevance to the context of Indian outsourcing. Theoretical outcomes include an improved understanding of the methodological, social and political dimensions of information systems development using teams separated by time and space. The implications for management include an exposition of the issues involved in undertaking projects where teams are separated by time and space and guidance for moves to global software outsourcing.

The tension between the leadership of technology and technology as a means of school improvement are still issues of debate. Researchers have argued that education management technology has yet to make a significant contribution to school improvement, while others have experienced small pockets of success. This study seeks to contribute to the debate by exploring the tension associated with the implementation of an education management information system (EMIS) in The Bahamas from the experiences of school leaders. More specifically, this thesis explores EMIS from the understanding of six principals in their schools and its contributions to their schools. This study develops a social constructivist view and relies on the case study approach. Among the major findings of the study was that EMIS was often perceived by principals to be associated with conflict and the primary uses of the technology were for generating report cards, facilitating school administrative tasks and monitoring. Principals' expressed concern for the lack of support from senior management and the impact of using the technology on their role as leader. As conflicts hindered the implementation of EMIS, principals adopted a shared leadership approach. This study offers pertinent information concerning the reasons why EMIS is underutilized and the important contributions of leadership to the successful implementation of the technology. Such information can be useful for understanding EMIS in education organizations.

Realisation d'une carte sismotectonique (echelle 1:1 000 000) fondee sur la sismicite historique et instrumentale, la tectonique active, le volcanisme et les aspects geophysiques. Cette carte, concue sur support numerique, est evolutive et modifiable en temps reel. Les premiers mecanismes focaux de la zone du golfe d'aquaba et des failles du carmel sont proposes, accompagnes des relocalisations des trois crises recentes dans cette zone. Une distribution epicentrale en anneau de sismicite est mise en evidence dans la partie centrale de la vallee du jourdain. Les taux de recurrence pour les segments de la faille du jourdain sont calcules. On met l'accent sur les erreurs chronologiques, de localisation et d'interpretation de la sismicite

Thesis: M. Fin., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, Master of Finance Program, 2015.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 70-76).
This thesis introduces a new framework for establishing waste systems in developing countries. The functional perspective is a stand-alone extension of integrated sustainable waste management. In January 2015 the functional perspective was applied to analyze the waste system of Muzaffarnagar, India, and to propose solutions to existing problems. The functional perspective was found to be helpful as a theoretical framework guiding waste system design processes for decision makers both in the public as well as private sector.
by Julius Danek.
M. Fin.

South Asia is analysed under the conceptual framework of a subordinate international system. Although there have been a number of studies on South Asia, the evolution of war and conflict within the region from 1947 to 1989 has not yet been fully analysed historically. A historical approach, therefore, is used in conjunction with the conceptual framework of a subordinate international system to trace and account for the main patterns of change within South Asia. Finally, there is a discussion on how it may develop in the future. The thesis basically involves three levels of analysis: interacting domestic dimensions; intra-regional conflicts; and the impact of the global system. The history of war and conflict in the region involves both internal and external participants. The Partition which was followed by the first Indo-Pakistan war of 1947 affected the intra- and inter-state relations of both countries. The defeat of India in the Sino-Indian war of 1962 considerably changed India's security perception and policy. The stalemate in the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965 and the defeat of Pakistan in its third war with India led to the creation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear explosion in 1974 added a nuclear dimension to the conventional arms race. In 1985, a regional forum for South Asia began to be institutionalised. India had intervened in Sri Lanka in 1987. Having analysed the evolution of war and conflict between the South Asian states over forty-two years conclusions are drawn about the relative autonomy of South Asia's regional politics and the varying influence of internal and international forces. Sources and interviews drawn from Indian analysts and officials are used to demonstrate these arguments.

This research examines the effect of a nation's IP environment on the IP management (IPM) strategies of foreign innovative firms. It introduces the conc;ept of a national institutional system of intellectual property protection and enforcement (ISI) to capture the characteristics of a country's IP system. The ISI comprises: (i) formal (de jure) substantive and subordinate laws (including supranational, national and sub-national laws, infrastructure and systems) and (ii) informal (de facto) rules of behaviour of institutional and economic actors. This research reveals that a national ISI can have a significant determinant effect on the IPM strategies of firms at both a macro-level (i.e. expansion decisions and entry-mode choice) and a micro-level (i.e. decisions taken in the host country to manage IPRs). This study identifies and compares the IS Is of two developing countries, namely, India and China, which provide only weak IP protection and enforcement and yet are significant sources of infringing activity. We examine how the ISI of each country impacts on firm strategy, with a focus on three high-technology industries, namely, biosciences, advanced engineering and software-electronics. In-depth interviews were conducted with managers of foreign innovative firms that have operations in India or China, or both. Interview data provide insights into their perceptions and experiences of the ISI of each country and the IPM strategies they deploy to protect and enforce their IPRs. This study reveals strong similarities and differences between the ISIs of both countries, and that this has a varying effect on the IPM strategies of firms depending on the industry context. In particular, we find that the informal rules of behaviour have a greater effect on firm strategy than do formal characteristics of the ISI. We explain why firms from the three focal industries adopt different IPM strategies in response to the ISI of each country, and how these vary in their effectiveness by industry and between the two countries.

This paper focuses on the foreign policy behavior and strategy of weak and small states in the international system. Further, it explains the behavior and strategies employed by those states by examining several concepts and theories and applying them on the case of Nepal. In a realist world and among states that are most interested in their own integrity and survival, and partly in maximizing their power, weak and small states like Nepal try to keep a neutral position between all actors, try to maintain and extend bilateral relations to the immediate neighbors and other actors in the international system, and further integrate themselves into regional and international frameworks to secure their survival. Because they are the most vulnerable actors, the study of those states and their behavior and strategies is both interesting and compelling. Methodologically, this paper employs interviews as the main source of data and additionally peruses the foreign policy reports of Nepal from the last five years (2015-2019). The data is being analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. After studying the case and its implications, the author suggests that especially geographic patterns are important to understand the foreign policy of weak and small states, and further neutrality and bilateral as well as multilateral relations are indispensable for those actors to secure their integrity and survival in the international system.

During the last decades, a Hindi Dalit literary movement has emerged in North India. This essay is a study and comparison on character portrayals in short stories by two authors from this movement, Jayprakash Kardam and Ajay Navaria. The aim of this essay is to explore the implications of these portrayals considering these authors’ views on social change, their literary affiliations and a theoretical discussion on Dalit literature. The methodical basis for this study is a detailed character analysis of these short stories’ protagonists, antagonists and other relevant characters, supported by narrative- and conceptual analyses. This essay argues that the theoretical abstraction of Dalit consciousness [cetnā] has a mainstreaming effect on the Dalit experience [anubhūti] when it is portrayed in literature. These dynamics are visible in Kardam’s stories, in which his portrayals of the Dalit protagonist follow the conventional Dalit character template, a forthright and innocent archetype juxtaposed against an evil Brahmin. The pivoting moment in Kardam’s stories is when consciousness awakens in the Dalit protagonist and he joins the corporate resistance against a casteist society. In comparison, Navaria makes the individual the site for change in his stories—reflecting the Gandhian notion of hṛday parivartan (“change of heart”). Navaria foregrounds alternative perspectives to Dalit cetnā in his stories and seeks to understand his characters from a broader human experience. I further argue that Navaria’s stories are suggestive of an expansion of the binary discussion on anubhūti (“experience”) and sahānubhūti (“sympathy”) by the term samānubhūti (“empathy”) since Navaria, by his more complex, nuanced and personalised characterisation of both Dalits and Brahmins, provides a common ground that invites to reconciliation. This study concludes that while Kardam could be designated as a conventional Dalit author, Navaria should rather be situated in the boundaries between the Dalit and the mainstream Hindi literary field. It further concludes that more research is needed on theoretical concepts used in the Dalit literary discourse.

Kandidatuppsats i indologi

Abstract: Road traffic accidents claim more than 1,500 lives each year in Canada and affect society adversely, so transport authorities must reduce their impact. This is a major concern in Quebec, where the traffic-accident risks increase year by year proportionally to provincial population growth. In reality, the occurrence of traffic crashes is rarely random in space-time; they tend to cluster in specific areas such as intersections, ramps, and work zones. Moreover, weather stands out as an environmental risk factor that affects the crash rate. Therefore, traffic-safety engineers need to accurately identify the location and time of traffic accidents. The occurrence of such accidents actually is determined by some important factors, including traffic volume, weather conditions, and geometric design. This study aimed at identifying hotspot locations based on a historical crash data set and spatiotemporal patterns of traffic accidents with a view to improving road safety. This thesis proposes two new methods for identifying hotspot locations on a road network. The first method could be used to identify and rank hotspot locations in cases in which the value of traffic volume is available, while the second method is useful in cases in which the value of traffic volume is not. These methods were examined with three years of traffic-accident data (2011–2013) in Sherbrooke. The first method proposes a two-step integrated approach for identifying traffic-accident hotspots on a road network. The first step included a spatial-analysis method called network kernel-density estimation. The second step involved a network-screening method using the critical crash rate, which is described in the Highway Safety Manual. Once the traffic-accident density had been estimated using the network kernel-density estimation method, the selected potential hotspot locations were then tested with the critical-crash-rate method. The second method offers an integrated approach to analyzing spatial and temporal (spatiotemporal) patterns of traffic accidents and organizes them according to their level of significance. The spatiotemporal seasonal patterns of traffic accidents were analyzed using the kernel-density estimation; it was then applied as the attribute for a significance test using the local Moran’s I index value. The results of the first method demonstrated that over 90% of hotspot locations in Sherbrooke were located at intersections and in a downtown area with significant conflicts between road users. It also showed that signalized intersections were more dangerous than unsignalized ones; over half (58%) of the hotspot locations were located at four-leg signalized intersections. The results of the second method show that crash patterns varied according to season and during certain time periods. Total seasonal patterns revealed denser trends and patterns during the summer, fall, and winter, then a steady trend and pattern during the spring. Our findings also illustrated that crash patterns that applied accident severity were denser than the results that only involved the observed crash counts. The results clearly show that the proposed methods could assist transport authorities in quickly identifying the most hazardous sites in a road network, prioritizing hotspot locations in a decreasing order more efficiently, and assessing the relationship between traffic accidents and seasons.
Les accidents de la route sont responsables de plus de 1500 décès par année au Canada et ont des effets néfastes sur la société. Aux yeux des autorités en transport, il devient impératif d’en réduire les impacts. Il s’agit d’une préoccupation majeure au Québec depuis que les risques d’accidents augmentent chaque année au rythme de la population. En réalité, les accidents routiers se produisent rarement de façon aléatoire dans l’espace-temps. Ils surviennent généralement à des endroits spécifiques notamment aux intersections, dans les bretelles d’accès, sur les chantiers routiers, etc. De plus, les conditions climatiques associées aux saisons constituent l’un des facteurs environnementaux à risque affectant les taux d’accidents. Par conséquent, il devient impératif pour les ingénieurs en sécurité routière de localiser ces accidents de façon plus précise dans le temps (moment) et dans l’espace (endroit). Cependant, les accidents routiers sont influencés par d’importants facteurs comme le volume de circulation, les conditions climatiques, la géométrie de la route, etc. Le but de cette étude consiste donc à identifier les points chauds au moyen d’un historique des données d’accidents et de leurs répartitions spatiotemporelles en vue d’améliorer la sécurité routière. Cette thèse propose deux nouvelles méthodes permettant d’identifier les points chauds à l’intérieur d’un réseau routier. La première méthode peut être utilisée afin d’identifier et de prioriser les points chauds dans les cas où les données sur le volume de circulation sont disponibles alors que la deuxième méthode est utile dans les cas où ces informations sont absentes. Ces méthodes ont été conçues en utilisant des données d’accidents sur trois ans (2011-2013) survenus à Sherbrooke. La première méthode propose une approche intégrée en deux étapes afin d’identifier les points chauds au sein du réseau routier. La première étape s’appuie sur une méthode d’analyse spatiale connue sous le nom d’estimation par noyau. La deuxième étape repose sur une méthode de balayage du réseau routier en utilisant les taux critiques d’accidents, une démarche éprouvée et décrite dans le manuel de sécurité routière. Lorsque la densité des accidents routiers a été calculée au moyen de l’estimation par noyau, les points chauds potentiels sont ensuite testés à l’aide des taux critiques. La seconde méthode propose une approche intégrée destinée à analyser les distributions spatiales et temporelles des accidents et à les classer selon leur niveau de signification. La répartition des accidents selon les saisons a été analysée à l’aide de l’estimation par noyau, puis ces valeurs ont été assignées comme attributs dans le test de signification de Moran. Les résultats de la première méthode démontrent que plus de 90 % des points chauds à Sherbrooke sont concentrés aux intersections et au centre-ville où les conflits entre les usagers de la route sont élevés. Ils révèlent aussi que les intersections contrôlées sont plus à risque par comparaison aux intersections non contrôlées et que plus de la moitié des points chauds (58 %) sont situés aux intersections à quatre branches (en croix). Les résultats de la deuxième méthode montrent que les distributions d’accidents varient selon les saisons et à certains moments de l’année. Les répartitions saisonnières montrent des tendances à la densification durant l’été, l’automne et l’hiver alors que les distributions sont plus dispersées au cours du printemps. Nos observations indiquent aussi que les répartitions ayant considéré la sévérité des accidents sont plus denses que les résultats ayant recours au simple cumul des accidents. Les résultats démontrent clairement que les méthodes proposées peuvent: premièrement, aider les autorités en transport en identifiant rapidement les sites les plus à risque à l’intérieur du réseau routier; deuxièmement, prioriser les points chauds en ordre décroissant plus efficacement et de manière significative; troisièmement, estimer l’interrelation entre les accidents routiers et les saisons.

The thesis deals with dalit literature and its role in the dalit movement. In the preface it summarizes information about indian caste system, untouchability and outlines the history of the dalit movement. It tries to highlight certain important points within the history of dalit movement that were significant for the evolvement and development of the dalit literature. Then it goes onto the dalit literature itself. The brief historical depiction is devided into parts based on geographic and lingual regions (Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Gujarati). Further the author deals with classification of dalit literature and its relation with afro- american literature. She poses and tries to answer the question of who in fact is the dalit writer, how is dalit literature received by literature critics and briefly also mentions its language specificities. In the analysis of dalit literature motives the author describes significant and frequent storylines and shows the connection of literature and dalit movement. Specific examples taken from dalit works point out particular motives and nicely illustrate the character of this literature. Separate chapter deals with recently current theme of women in dalit literature. In conclusion author offers summary of the whole theme, emphasizes its most important points...

Evangelicals have an unquestionable heritage for involvement in the world and its social problems and the Bible provides a basis for a liberative gospel. For the God of the Bible is not only a God of love and peace, but also of justice and he is therefore on the side of the poor, oppressed and suffering. he has given us a spirit of engagement with the world as salt and light and not escapism. As we give serious consideration to the challenges of liberation theologies, we need to hear the voice who calls his people in every age to go out into the lost and lonely world (as he did), in order to live and love, to witness and serve like him and for him and that is what African Evangelicalism is all about.
Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics
M. Th. (Religious Studies)

We have dealt with the problem arising from the incongruity between the evolution of the electricity system for meeting the objectives of economic growth, and the human/societal requirements of inclusive and affordable development, and environmental compliance, within the purview of sustainability. We conceive and define the concept of sustainability in the context of national electricity system and adopt an indicator-based hierarchical framework to assess, measure and track its sustainability. The approach necessitates prioritization, quantification and aggregation of multi-dimensional indicators of sustainability. We evaluate the Indian electricity system using this framework by benchmarking the actual dimensional indicator values against upper and lower threshold levels to compute a national electricity system sustainability index (NESSI) for India. The estimated NESSI value for India in 2013 is a low 0.377 (benchmark value is 1), which suggest that India has a substantial sustainability gap to bridge. The approach and the results imply that India or any other emerging/developing country needs to have a serious relook at (i) the goals and targets set for the electricity system, (ii) the set of prioritized technology and policy interventions, and (iii) the models and approaches adopted for strategic electricity planning. The findings from our research clearly indicate that countries like India need to adopt “minimizing sustainability gap” rather than “increasing GDP growth” as the sole criterion for deciding about the challenges raised above for the electricity system. We strongly believe that this approach will not only meet the economic development objective set for the electricity system but also help achieving the societal aspirations as well as environmental compliance. We establish that Indian electricity system is poised for an imminent transition into a sustainable system. What constitutes the inputs, the processes and the outcomes of this transition are of immense interest and have been widely debated in the literature. We motivate and implement an electricity system generation expansion model with multi-attribute technology characterization to model the sustainability transition of electricity system and understand the feasibility, cost and carbon emission implications of generation augmentation. We build on the state of the art resource and technology characterization. We obtain the expansion planning requirements for Indian electricity system by superimposing the projected incremental increase in demand with the retirement schedule. Further, building on the recent advances in power system modelling, we formulate the electricity system transition problem as a grouped integer generation scheduling and generation expansion planning model. This formulation accounts for plant startups, minimum loads, operating reserves, ramping limits and plant life. We run multiple experiments by varying the system configurations for a planning horizon of 18 years till 2032 and characterize the system on select indicators under three dimensions of sustainability for each year. Within the select scenarios, NESSI value in the terminal year varies from 0.481 to 0.51 relative to the base year value of 0.377.We throw some light on how the important questions concerning technology pathways for electricity system sustainability transition can be queried. The approach adopted for this research is two pronged. First is to formulate and subsequently answer the question: What is and what should be the electricity system of India? The second is to answer: what are the prospects for transition of electricity system into a sustainable state? How do probable technology pathways manifest in terms of national electricity system? Can renewable energy deliver? Our proposition –which we validate through this research – is to formulate and subsequently answer the questions in two phases. The two phases are briefly detailed below: In the first phase, the question we have attempted to first formulate and subsequently answer is: what is and what should be the electricity system for India? We propose to employ an indicator based approach for this part of the research, which attempts to evaluate India’s electricity system using the sustainability framework. The analysis of the indicators belonging to economic, social, environmental and institutional dimensions of sustainability will provide a deeper understanding of the system, identify and quantify the prevailing sustainability gaps and develop specific targets for interventions. We begin with a survey of literature in the domain of sustainability assessment. We identify and briefly discuss the essential concepts, ideas and methods used in sustainability assessment. We observe the emergence of electricity related concerns in the wider sustainability discourse. Next, we survey the literature on electricity systems and discuss the intersection of energy systems with development. Than we define the sustainable national electricity system and bring out the synergies between measurement of sustainable development and assessment of objectives of electricity systems. We observe cross country variations in electricity system planning objectives. While focus for developed nations has historically been economic and has subsequently included environmental concerns of climate change and pollution. In addition to economic and environmental aspects, the low levels of access as well as consumption are a reality for India and other developing nations. This adds another dimension to the status assessment and subsequent planning of national electricity system of India. Synthesis of sustainability assessment and objectives of electricity system planning in this phase culminates with conception and evaluation of National Electricity System Sustainability Index (NESSI) for India. The underlying theme throughout this phase is our attempt to first formulate and subsequently answer: What is and what should be the electricity system for India? In the second phase, a modeling approach has been developed to optimally prioritize the interventions (energy-technology supply chains) in response to the specific targets (from Phase 1) for planning a sustainable electricity system for India. All the possible supply chain interventions tracking the transitions from energy resources to electricity in the bus bar on grid (as modeled by a Reference Energy System) form the inputs for the mathematical model. The output is the optimal set of interventions as trade-off solutions, which meet the targets set by the sustainability goal. The criteria like cost, efficiency of transformation, emission coefficients and energy resource availability form the basis for developing the optimal plan. We begin this phase with survey of literature on power system modelling. Electricity system planning has been undertaken in academic and planning domains for several decades. It is only recent that, driven by the imminent challenges of de-carbonization, affordability, equity and security- which has resulted in coevolution of several possible technological, behavioral and policy intervention proposals-there is demand for coherent assessment of these propositions for electricity system transition. In our work, we have focused on supply side technology interventions. Supply side technology intervention propositions for electricity system transition more often than not involve variable renewable energy, i.e., solar and wind. Variable renewable energy technologies pose significant modelling challenges because of their characteristic intermittency which induces complex dynamics in the complimentary system, i.e., electricity generating technologies other than renewable energy. We identify tremendous activity in the domain of electricity system modelling with focus on model representation of electricity system constituents which has significant implications for the outcomes of the planning exercises undertaken with these models. Literature synthesis in this phase culminates with our attempt at mathematical modelling of generation technology pathways for electricity system in transition. Undertaking this exercise has involved preparation of model feeds: energy resource supply profiles, generation technology specifications and demand projections. We have done a series of numerical experiments to establish validity of the model. Subsequently we have validated various scenarios for Indian electricity system representing different levels of transitions, which provides insights which we expect will be useful for the stakeholders. The underlying theme throughout this phase is our attempt to answer the questions: How does one understand electricity system transition? How do electricity generating technologies interact amongst each other to yield certain set of system outputs? Can renewable energy deliver? In our pursuit of finding answers to several questions raised at various points in this thesis and alluded to above, we have done a systematic systemic diagnosis of Indian electricity system. We have developed a multi-dimensional and multi-hierarchical indicator based framework to measure national electricity system sustainability. We have assessed Indian electricity system with this framework, to understand if Indian electricity system is sustainable and how it can transition towards a more sustainable state. Based on this understanding, we have investigated electricity generation technology pathways for a transitioning electricity system. We have modelled India as a single region with aggregate temporal profiles of resource availability and hourly loads. Building on the recent literature on power system modelling and their application, this thesis is a systematic exposition of how the important questions of supply side technology portfolio concerning electricity system sustainability transition can be queried. The results are based on several instances of data inputs. Main contributions from our work are: 1. Introducing the concept of sustainability of national electricity system and defining it comprehensively for the first time. 2. Conceptualizing, developing and validating a multi-dimensional and multi-hierarchical indicator-based framework for assessing and benchmarking national electricity system sustainability. This framework is generalizable and applicable to the electricity systems of all the countries for assessing the sustainability status. 3. A composite measure of National Electricity System Sustainability Index (NESSI), which can be used to identify and quantify prevailing sustainability gaps in the national electricity system and provide a goal for sustainability transition of the electricity system through higher NESSI target values. The constituents (dimensions, themes and indicators) of NESSI can enable identification of interventions and fixing of targets for such a transition. 4. Conceptualized, developed and validated an integrated mathematical model of generation expansion planning (supply augmentation) and generation scheduling with extensive operational details for electricity system in transition. This included: Enumeration and characterization of reference electricity system (energy resources, electricity generating technologies and demand for electricity). Demand profiling which involved estimating annual peak demand and demand for electricity, consideration of annual retiring capacity and computation of representative demand profiles (load curves) for past and future years using time-series load data. Modelling variable renewable energy (wind, solar and hydro) by developing representative energy resource availability profiles using time-series data. Harmonizing the extracted temporal energy resource availability and load profiles to preserve the chronological correlations. Explicit modelling of capacity utilization by proposing and implementing unit profile inversion. Effectively, it implies that generation from the variable generation capacity, e.g., solar capacity is upper bounded by the representative profile corresponding to that capacity. Optimally selected generation technology interventions for planning sustainable electricity system for India under select scenarios. 5. Juxtaposition of indicator-based macro model of electricity system sustainability assessment with bottom-up mathematical model of generation expansion planning and generation scheduling to evaluate official Indian scenarios of electricity system planning for sustainability transition. In summary, we have developed and demonstrated an empirical instance of an integrated methodology, beginning from a systematic diagnosis of the national electricity system to a meaningful solution. Through this thesis, we have attempted to understand the alternate future electricity supply transitions, their implications for society and environment and how they are influenced by the planning decisions. In conclusion, there is substantial activity in all stakeholder domains: research activity, actions by NGOs and the government but given the long term nature of probable interventions, sustained efforts will be required to reach the desired outcomes. Future of grid is the biggest system level problem, which we believe we have illuminated to some extent and which could benefit from further research. While planning exercises using complex models are useful in their own right given the complexities of real world close monitoring and scrutiny of the evolving electricity system and timely course corrections will be critical

碩士
東吳大學
人權碩士學位學程
103
The caste system – the study of India Honor Killing Abstract Since India’s Independence , the government implemented a serial of affirmative action program, and made a great impact on numerous people beyond the other countries of the world .On 1950, Nehru invited Ambedkar as the first law minister to draft the Indian Constitution , Article 17 of the Indian Constitution had been abolished the , and prohibit the use of the word in public. The government begun provided the fundamental protection of human rights for the Dalit and the low-level catse. And set the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. However, the Indian society has discrimination and violation of fundamental human rights yet since the Indian’s constitution hitherto been implemented, but women has been violent among others. The intention of this article is to probe ideology of Indian people while facing the ‘’honor killing’’ under the caste system. That is the homicide of a member of a family by other members as a result of people marrying without their family's acceptance, and sometimes for marrying outside their caste. It’s hard to broke the caste tradition even the government encourage the intermarriage by legislation. The research purpose is to find out the reason why Hindu is deeply affected by caste ideology and Indian women suffer discrimination as caste, and propose solutions on how to solve the honor killing. Keywords: Hinduism, The caste system, Dalits, Gandhi, Ambedkar, the plans of redress discrImination, Honor killings

The problems of social inequality has plagued the Indian society since the history known. The caste system and its intersection with other religions have compounded the situations even further. This study focuses on the issue of marginalization between the three religious communities of India, namely Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. Furthermore this investigation try to propose a solution to this ensuing problem of marginalization by involving the case of green energy sector and its components. The potential that green energy entails for the economy will be studied at close quarters and evidences will be portrayed to see the positive effects. The creation and realization of the fertile grounds for the intersection or the juxtaposition of green energy over marginalization will be studied by combining the two philosophies of complex equality and equality of condition. The investigation reveals that marginalization can be solved by introducing Green energy on a large scale. The proposed model under the architectures of the conceptual frameworks of Spheres of Justice and Development as Freedom creates Green Energy as an independent sphere of influence that shows positive effect in reducing Inequality by interacting with other spheres of influence. Keywords Social inequality,green energy,HDI,Capability...

abstract: In response to the rapid rise of emerging markets, shorter product lifecycles, increasing global exchange and worldwide competition, companies are implementing `sustainable development' as a mechanism by which to maintain competitive global advantage. Sustainable product development approaches used in industry focus mainly on environmental issues, and to a certain extent on social and economic aspects. Unfortunately, companies have often ignored or are unsure of how to deal with the cultural dimensions of sustainable product development. Multi-nationals expanding their business across international boundaries are agents of cultural change and should be cognizant of the impact their products have on local markets. Companies need to develop a deeper understanding of local cultures in order to design and deliver products that are not only economically viable but also culturally appropriate. To demonstrate applicability of cultural appropriate design, this research undertakes a case study of food systems in India specifically focusing on the exchange of fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV). This study focuses on understanding the entire supply chain of FFV exchange, which includes consumer experiences, distribution practices and production processes. This study also compares different distribution channels and exchange practices and analyzes the pattern of authority between different players within the distribution network. The ethnographic methods for data collection included a photo-journal assignment, shop-along visits, semi-structured interviews, a participatory design activity and focus group studies. The study revealed that traditional retail formats like pushcart vendors, street retailers and city retail markets are generally preferred over modern retail stores. For consumers, shopping is a non-choreographed activity often resulting in exercising, socializing and accidental purchases. Informal communication, personal relationships and openness to bargaining were important aspects of the consumer-retailer relationship. This study presents cultural insights into interactions, artifacts and contexts relevant to FFV systems in India. It also presents key implications for the field of design, design research, cultural studies, consumer research and sustainability. The insights gained from this study will act as guidelines for designers, researchers and corporations interested in designing products and services that are culturally appropriate to contexts of production, distribution and consumption.
Dissertation/Thesis
Ph.D. Design 2013

碩士
國立交通大學
企業管理碩士學程
106
Small medium enterprises are enhancing their efficiency to survive in the global market by implementing work flow procedures or Management Information Systems (MIS). The rapid development of technology has streamlined all areas of human activities in every functions of a business. We examine the implementation of MIS for a distribution and manufacturing company based in India and analyzes how MIS is adapted to achieve good decision making from the top to the lowest level in the organization. The study covers the organizations approach to the design of the system called Interface – Business Operating System (I-BOS). Besides other business related processes and proper interpretation of internal process interactions are in I-BOS, overtime I-BOS has been successfully adopted. There are various interpretations which that make the expansion of I-BOS problematic. The methodology addresses guidelines for the entire system from initial development to transferring the same system to the manufacturing division of the organization, customizable to the management’s specific needs.

This research examines the process of memorialisation around the Indian Residential School System in Canada to draw connections between the fields of transitional justice and professional urban planning. For over a century, government and churches in Canada operated a system of residential schools that removed Indigenous children from their families and communities. Today, many Indigenous communities struggle with the intergenerational impacts of this system, and as a society we are attempting to heal the damaged relationships that have resulted. This research presents a comparative case study of two processes of memorialisation surrounding the residential school system. Through site observations, interviews, and analyses of documents, this research examines the transformation and memorialisation of the Mohawk Institute, a former residential school, into the Woodland Cultural Centre, a First Nations-run centre located in Brantford, Ontario. I compare this example with the national Commemoration Fund, set out in the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (2006), which settled lawsuits filed by residential school survivors against the federal government of Canada and several church organisations. This research underlines some tensions inherent in memorialising the human rights abuses experienced in the residential schools. A significant difficulty is establishing balance between leaving ownership of stories of the residential school experiences with survivors, while acknowledging the responsibilities that the whole of society must carry if reconciliation is to be achieved. I conclude that the process established through the Commemoration Fund does not adequately reflect this balance, leaving a heavy burden on survivors and their communities without providing adequate support. I further argue that the timelines established through this fund do not allow for the longer-term evolution that may characterize effective memorialisation projects. These themes link to theories around collaborative planning, and considerations of social justice and procedural fairness. In recent decades, collaborative planning has been seen as a way to make planning practices more inclusive. However, in the context of planning with Indigenous Peoples, collaborative processes may not be a sufficient response to rights claims. This has important implications for professional planners, as we work towards decolonization, reconciliation, and establishing just-relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in Canada.
Thesis (Master, Urban & Regional Planning) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-08 13:19:55.027

博士
國立政治大學
公共行政研究所
96
Writing on the issue of global environmental security, the World Bank has noted that approximately “25 million square kilometers (about 19 percent of the Earth’s land area) and 3.4 billion people (more than half of the world’s population) are relatively highly exposed to at least one hazard.” With the coming of the globalization era, we .also live in a shared risk society. Since global environmental security is seen as a global public good, how to act for global crisis management under the logic of collective action has become a primary subject for global actors. Coping with the crises of SARS or Bird Flu through international cooperation has become a significant issue for these global actors. One of the main dilemmas of international cooperation for disaster reduction is the reconciliation of different individual actions. Interestingly, in spite of two decades efforts of international cooperation, the amount of damage caused by natural disasters and the total number if people affected have gradually increased since the 1960s. This research focuses on two questions in the present research: why do global actors cooperate in disaster reduction, and how does this cooperation operate? The frameworks of international cooperation in disaster reduction, rational choice and global social capital are employed here, to explore the issue of international cooperation. Several factors, such as awareness of risk, capacity, preferences, institutional constraints, information, credible commitment, and trust, are used to examine how an actor engages in decision-making and how cooperation occurs. Because of the tremendous damage that resulted from the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and the engagement of the global society in disaster recovery and reduction, the above issues will be explored through a case study of the development of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS). Twenty-two interviews were conducted in four countries and these constitute the qualitative data for this analysis. 591 questionnaires also have been sent to the participants in the IOTWS to collect the quantitative data. I analyzed the quantitative data from 59 returned questionnaires (10.32% returning rate) and the qualitative data from 22 interviewees in four countries. These analyses resulted in several suggestions to facilitate international cooperation for disaster reduction.

碩士
國立清華大學
國際專業管理碩士班
105
The role of innovation intermediaries or innovation brokers has been studied by scholars for more than two decades. This thesis will explore the roles of intermediary in regional innovation system of Bangalore, India. The main concepts of Regional Innovation system, Innovation Intermediaries and their roles are defined through Literature review. Practical research was aimed at observing and understanding the different roles performed by Innovation intermediaries in Bangalore regional innovation system. So it was not conducted on the basis of exhaustive statistical data, rather carried through in-depth case studies. Innovation Alchemy and Innomantra are two of the leading Innovation intermediary firms which were selected for case studies. Insights from these case studies reveals the significance of the role played by these intermediaries in Bangalore and effects of globalizations on the dynamics of Innovation systems. These findings also acknowledges the scope of further research in this area.

Inspiré par la réflexion épistémologique de l'anthropologue Michel Verdon, ce mémoire propose un cadre conceptuel pour l'étude de l'organisation sociale des castes en Inde. L'ethnographie de Jonathan Parry, Caste and Kinship in Kangra, est analysée et réinterprétée dans un langage dit « opérationnel ». Les différentes approches des castes oscillent entre deux pôles théoriques opposés : l'idéalisme, représenté notamment par la démarche structuraliste de Louis Dumont, et le substantialisme, jadis adopté par les dirigeants coloniaux et incarné plus récemment dans les travaux de Dipankar Gupta. Toutes deux holistes, ces options conduisent pourtant à une impasse dans l'étude comparative de l'organisation sociale, car elles rendent les groupes « ontologiquement variables » et, par conséquent, incomparables. En repensant les prémisses sur lesquelles repose la conception générale de l'organisation sociale, un cadre opérationnel confère à la notion de groupe une réalité binaire, discontinue, évitant ainsi la variabilité ontologique des groupes et favorisant le comparatisme. Il rend également possible l'étude des rapports entre groupes et réseaux. La relecture de l'ethnographie Caste and Kinship in Kangra montre la pertinence d'une telle approche dans l'étude des castes. Le caractère segmentaire de ces dernières est remis en cause et l'autonomie des foyers, qui forment des réseaux d'alliances en matière d'activités rituelles, est mise de l'avant. Cette nouvelle description incite enfin à de nouvelles comparaisons.
Inspired by Michel Verdon’s epistemological and anthropological work, this thesis presents a new conceptual grid to study the caste social organization in India. Jonathan Parry’s ethnography, Caste and Kinship in Kangra, is re-analyzed and re-interpreted with the “operational language”. The different approaches to caste's analysis oscillate between two theoretical poles: idealism on one side, notably represented by Louis Dumont’s structuralism, and substantialism on the other, formerly adopted by the colonial administrators and developed more recently in Dipankar Gupta’s work. Unfortunately, these two holistic options mislead the social organization comparative study, because they ultimately render group “ontologically variable” and, thus, not comparable. Rethinking the premises on which rely the mainstream of the theories on social organization, this conceptual grid confers a binary, dis-continued meaning to the group notion, therefore avoiding ontological variability and allowing comparisons. It also favors the study of the relationships between groups and social networks. The re-reading of Caste and Kinship in Kangra ethnography shows its relevance in the study of the caste organization. Instead, in this thesis, the autonomy of households, with their ritual activities alliance networks, is opposed to the segmented caste view. This new description finally calls for new comparisons.