Articles by Radhika Ramasubban

Gulf between Rhetoric and Reality Radhika Ramasubban Despite the presence of several fostering factors, HIV/Aids prevention and care is not yet part of the mainstream social process. Resilient socio-cultural norms and stereotypes, organisational inefficiencies and weaknesses, and tack of political will to undertake major public health and educational reforms and tackle poverty, are the main inhibiting factors. Moreover, constraints upon open discussion of sex and sexuality inhibit the emergence of safe spaces wherein enough information may be obtained. Underlying these are the patriarchal structures and gender relations that constitute the most enduring obstacles. Bridging the gap between women's powerlessness and the uncharted terrain of men's private behaviour is one of the major cultural and political challenges posed by the Aids epidemic.

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Manoeuvring Health Transition in Cities

Vol. 26, Issue No. 38, 21 Sep, 1991

Bhanwar Singh, Nigel Crook, Radhika Ramasubban

Insights from Leprosy Control in Bombay Radhika Ramasubban Nigel Crook Bhanwar Singh Pending the emergence of sustained collective efforts which would herald a health transition in the metropolitan, cities of the developing countries, attention is inevitably drawn to manoeuvres at the margins of the existing policies and processes. Recent programmes in Bombay indicate the emergence of a perspective in public health polity which takes it beyond mortality control measures.

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Mortality Toll of Cities-Emerging Patterns of Disease in Bombay

Vol. 20, Issue No. 23, 08 Jun, 1985

Nigel Crook, Radhika Ramasubban

Mortality Toll of Cities Emerging Patterns of Disease in Bombay Radhika Ramasubban Nigel Crook Concern with the environmental conditions of disease control has until recently focused on water and food- borne diseases, for the diarrhoeal diseases have been major killers, especially of young children, both in rural and urban areas. Without disputing this approach, this article seeks to redress the balance of concern, and to caution against a too generalised interpretation of emerging trends. For in some of the large and growing cities at least, the mortality pendulum seems to be swinging away from intestinal towards respiratory diseases; however, the causes of this change are not as clear-cut as the current interest in air pollution might suggest.

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Is Science Autonomous

Vol. 9, Issue No. 11, 16 Mar, 1974

Radhika Ramasubban

Is Science Autonomous?
Radhika Ramasubban Anatomy of Science by A Rahman; National Publishing House, Delhi,
RAHMAN'S intention in writing this tnonograph-size book appears to be only to give a bird's-eyeview of the functioning of science and scientists in India in all its numerous aspects. For, while the probing tip of Rahman's scalpel touches every part of the anatomy, not a single aspect is dwelt on in any depth. The principal achievement of this tract is Rahman's penetrating observations which throw up a host of interesting questions and hypotheses to which later, more detailed studies can apply themselves. Also, this is the first systematic attempt by a scientist to take up an empirical study of scientific activity as practised in India seen against the backdrop of Indian society. The author's purpose in writing this book "is to draw the attention of the concerned people and start a debate rather than be content witli a vague and generalised discussion based on the problems of the advanced countries Further, such an effort may lead to a better appreciation and critical understanding and be of considerable help in the organisation of science and a better utilisation of the scientists in the country." Though he admits that the paucity of published literature and data on the subject has compelled him to fall back on personal impressions in many respects, one cannot shake off the uneasy feeling while reading the hook that his observations prefer to describe manifestations rather than analyse the underlying socio-economic causes of thestagnation of Indian science.

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Character of State Power and Strategy for Revolution

Vol. 6, Issue No. 42-43, 16 Oct, 1971

Radhika Ramasubban

Character of State Power and Strategy for Revolution Radhika Ramasubban THE second all-India conference of the Indian School of Social Sciences was held in Madras from September 23 to 27, 1971. The first conference, held in Trivandrum in June 1969, had taken for its general theme the Marxian approach to research in the social sciences. This year's gathering of committed Marxists and students of Marxism pursued the same approach, the specific theme being "The Character of State Power in India and the Strategy for Revolution". Between 1969 and 1971 there has been a major change in the Indian political scene with the formation of the CPI(ML) and several other Maoist groups which, through their characterisation of the state and their revolutionary strategy, have seriously questioned the legitimacy of the traditional Left parties. The conference could have, therefore, afforded an excellent platform for thrashing out fundamental issues by Marxist scholars and theorcticians of the major communist parties. Evidently this was the hope of the organisers. But the failure of those sympathetic to the CPI and to the Maoist groups to attend the conference or to make themselves effective resulted in an inevitable preponderance of scholar; sympathetic to the CPM. This was the major limitation of the conference, for very few of the papers attenuated to question the CPM analysis and a few almost became recitations of the official party line. Nevertheless, some fundamental questions were raised and there were some very good papers as well.