ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by B B MohantySubscribe to B B Mohanty

Remembering Partha Nath Mukherji

The great sociologist, Partha Nath Mukherjee, is fondly remembered for his eminent contributions to sociology ranging from indigenisation to social change as well as crystallised nation states.

 

Small Farmers’ Suicide in Odisha

The changes in Odisha’s agriculture made paddy production a losing proposition, especially for the small farmers who leased in land. Substantial decline in farm income caused by exploitative land lease arrangements, denial of access to a regulated market, crop failures, increased cost of cultivation, and indebtedness pushed these farmers into severe economic hardship and an inhospitable social environment, which ultimately led to their suicides.

Reminiscences of D N Dhanagare

Teacher, sociologist, institution builder Professor D N Dhanagare leaves behind a rich legacy of research, learning and inspiration.

Farmer Suicides in India

This article makes an attempt to examine how far Durkheim's types explain farmer suicides in India and suggests that they correspond to two of his types - egoism and anomie. Agrarian changes having considerably lowered the level of economic achievements of farmers, the disproportion between achievement and aspiration is greatly felt by those who experienced egoism. This study argues that anomie is an effect of egoism. The latter, a structural characteristic of modern agrarian economy and society, is the prerequisite for emergence of the former.

Regional Disparity in Agricultural Development of Maharashtra

Agricultural development in Maharashtra over the last three decades has been unequal across regions with western Maharashtra much ahead of other regions in terms of major developmental indicators. The rapid agricultural development in western Maharashtra is attributed to the rise of Maratha-Kunbi peasants as a unified political class, who dominated state politics through caste and kinship networks during the colonial as well as post-colonial periods. The inability of Marathwada and Vidarbha regions to compete effectively for a larger share of the state's resources is mainly due to the absence of a well-articulated structure of groups and alliances in these regions.

Farmers' Suicides in Maharashtra

This study, based on three districts of Maharashtra, reveals that though crop losses, indebtedness and market imperfections cause economic hardship to farmers, social factors are also at work, which lead in some cases to their suicides.

Tribals and Others

as the editor claims because many crucial Tribals and Others The Tribal Situation in India edited by K Suresh Singh; Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, 2002; pp xxvi +610, Rs 600.

Land Distribution among Scheduled Castes and Tribes

In recognition of the basic proposition that scheduled castes and tribes are the most disadvantaged in respect to land, which largely accounts for their perpetual poverty and makes them vulnerable to injustice and exploitation, attempts have been made by the union and state governments to promote and protect their rights with regard to the control and use of land. Based on 13 major states, the present study shows that even after 50 years of planned initiatives and policy measures, there has not been substantial improvement in the landholding status of scheduled groups, and in some states, it has declined further.

Agricultural Modernisation and Social Inequality

Such agricultural modernisation as was introduced by the British raj was based on exploitative land, labour and credit relations and was promoted with our eye to colonial interests. The modernisation that independent India has witnessed has improved the lot of peasants of all categories, but the large farmers have come to dominate rural society. Social equality remains elusive.

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