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Matching keywords : South Asia, Kashmir, historical, Pakistan, political

Tribute: Kamla Bhasin

Vibhuti Patel pays a heart-warming tribute to a fellow feminist.

by Vibhuti Patel | On 30 Oct 2021

eSS Sunday Edit: Do the Liberal Arts Have Any Authority in the Digital Age?

It is likely that the ‘authority’ of the literary text requires a rethinking. The teacher has traditionally been invested with epistemic authority: the legitimate exercise of knowledge and expertise-a...

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 17 Oct 2021

Technology, Globalisation and Multinationals The Asian Experience (Second Edition)

This second edition of the volume of Technology, Globalisation and Multinationals deals with issues relating to foreign direct investments (FDI); technology spillovers from FDI; in-house research an...

by N S Siddharthan | On 11 Sep 2021

Supporting the creative economy for sustainable development in Southeast Asia

The creative economy has the potential to not only strengthen the expansion of global value chains, increase digital adoption among creative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), fuel the export...

by Pitchaya Sirivunnabood | On 10 Sep 2021

Tribute: Gail Omvedt (1941-2021)

Tribute to Gail Omvedt : feminist scholar, dalit and feminist activist died on August 25, 2021

by Vibhuti Patel | On 09 Sep 2021

Weekend Ruminations: The meaning of 'partly free'

How far the govt will go towards establishing its control depends on the effectiveness of domestic institutional resistance and on how much it wants to risk international censure.

by T.N. Ninan | On 08 Mar 2021

Women challenging stereotypes in the Covid-world

Our industry has an overall 90:10 gender split in leadership positions. The ratio is improving in pre-media, publishing and media. Can we do more to address the gender imbalance in the industry? [Fir...

by | On 08 Mar 2021

Know Your Publishing Space: Predatory Journals: Publish and Perish!

Predatory journals solely exist for monetary profit without any commitment to publishing ethics or quality of research. Not only do they damage the reputation of individual researchers and institution...

by Shubhada Nagarkar | On 03 Mar 2021

Prakriti Karyashala Case Studies: Bringing Balance to the Ecosystem: Restoring Degraded Wildlife Habitats

Restoring wildlife habitat around Shivnagari, Ajmer, Rajasthan has ensured that domestic animals of the village are no longer under threat. This has also meant better pastureland for the cattle with...

by Anjali P Iyer | On 13 Feb 2021

World Wetlands Day: View from Loktak Wetland Complex

Fisher unions and farming communities of Manipur, India, commemorated the 2021 World Wetlands Day (2nd February) at Tonoma Chingjin, Mamang Ching, Pumlen Pat - a wetland devastated by the Ithai Barrag...

by | On 05 Feb 2021

PAISA for Municipalities: A Study of Fund Flows and Public Expenditure in the Geographic Jurisdiction of Tumakuru City Municipal Corporation, Tumakuru District, Karnataka

In 2009, 36 per cent of Karnataka’s population was urban, and 32.7 per cent was poor- higher than the all-India level.This study aims to understand the nature and compute the size of the local public...

by | On 03 Feb 2021

Development Chronicles: COVID-19 - A Year in Review

Contents: Editorial: Safdar Rahman, Tavishi Ahluwalia, Teresa Vanmalsawmi, Urwa Tul Wusqa The Political Economy of Governmental Responses to the Covid-19 Crisis: A Migrant Workers’ Perspective: Kani...

by | On 02 Feb 2021

Creating Udyog Sahayak Enterprises Network (USENET) for Employment Generation and Scale-up in the MSME Sector

There are multiple forces – thirteen of them identified in this report - working against employment growth in India from both supply side and the demand side. It is proven that large enterprises creat...

by | On 02 Feb 2021

Economic Survey 2020: Chapter 10-The Bare Necessities

Access to “the bare necessities” such as housing, water, sanitation, electricity and clean cooking fuel are a sine qua non to live a decent life. This chapter examines the progress made in providing a...

by Ministry of Finance | On 30 Jan 2021

Prakriti Karyashala Case Studies: Shahpura Explores Innovative Ways of Governing the Commons

This case study describes is how a village, Shahpura, collectively saved its common land, developed a plantation and innovated a way to water it regularly wihout adding to women’s burden. It is a part...

by Anjali P Iyer | On 18 Jan 2021

Prakriti Karyashala Case Studies:Reclaiming Commons - Restoring and Protecting Grazing Lands from Illegal Dumping

While tourism may support a town economy, it can also damage the environment and ecology of the surrounding villages and destroy common grazing lands. Here’s how two villages fought to preserve their...

by Anjali P Iyer | On 06 Dec 2020

Weekend Rumniations: Don't bet just yet on Bangladesh as South Asia's economic champion

Bangladesh might overtake India this year by per capita income in nominal dollars, but it is not yet close to becoming South Asia's economic powerhouse anytime soon.

by T.N. Ninan | On 17 Oct 2020

Business Standard Weekend Ruminations: The market as weapon: What China has long exploited India has rarely used

Opening up India's market to neighbouring countries can be as strategic as access denial to others. The game should be played both ways, even if it upsets domestic business lobbies.

by T.N. Ninan | On 16 Aug 2020

Gandhi’s Last March: A Parable for Today

It is difficult not to remember Gandhi in the time of COVID-19. For one, the pandemic brings us back to his critique of the modern industrial civilisation, more particularly his much-maligned and misu...

by | On 07 Jul 2020

eSS Sunday Edit: Are we a society open to learning?

Thailand, Vietnam and Mongolia have taken control of managing the pandemic with great alacrity. There is much to learn from their systematic, people-centred and research-based approach to dealing with...

by | On 06 Jul 2020

The Sunday Edit: Communicating science in pandemic times

The pandemic has inevitably prompted a spike in the coverage of science, in the form of medical research and health sciences. Will this lead to better attention to science in the media? Will it promp...

by Padma Prakash | On 30 Jun 2020

Is India Creating Adequate Jobs Post 2000: Treading Through Employment Elasticity

This paper looks into diverse databases to gauge if economic growth in India creates adequate volume of jobs since the year 2000. In our exercise, we use a popular index called employment elasticity....

by G.D Bino Paul | On 26 Jun 2020

Weekend Ruminations: Advice for shoot-from-the-hip nationalists: Take aim before firing

It's all good to be tactical - keep China out of strategic markets; hit back in the same coin if it looks to keep India's key sectors out - but don't shoot yourself in the foot.

by T.N. Ninan | On 21 Jun 2020

The Sunday Edit: How Will Latin America Weather the Covid-19 Storm?

With most of their fiscal firepower spent and with their political capital draining away, Latin American governments are grappling with the challenge of gradually opening up their economies even befor...

by | On 21 Jun 2020

Beyond Alliteration

Anyone can string together alliterative words, but are they a substitute for serious thought and coherent action? Real economics involves choices, or every day would be Christmas.

by T.N. Ninan | On 14 Jun 2020

Why Centre is left with little fiscal cushion to deal with Covid pandemic

When emerging from this crisis, the govt must consider a fresh approach to reviving growth, revisiting the Centre-state fiscal balance, and devising a re-imagined GST 2.0.

by T.N. Ninan | On 07 Jun 2020

The Sunday Edit: Challenges of the Pandemic: Confronting Harsh Realities

Measures to control/mitigate the spread of the disease appear to be surprisingly ill informed about the living and working conditions of the urban millions who support the life and work of the city’s...

by Udaya S. Mishra | On 07 Jun 2020

Real is radical: Drop subsidies, offer basic minimum income to farmers

You could run a sensible subsidy and price support system at a fraction of today's cost, and still have enough money left over to offer a more generous income support to all farmers.

by T.N. Ninan | On 02 Jun 2020

Coronabrief: Who Cares? Feminist Responses to the Pandemic

The policy recommendations and demands about inclusion of women and marginalized groups in all aspects of life, including groups particularly vulnerable in many Asian countries such as women migrant a...

by | On 02 Jun 2020

Rapid Policy Briefing: Fair and equitable access to COVID-19 treatments and vaccines

• The development of an effective treatment and vaccine for COVID-19 is key to ending the pandemic and resuming social and economic activity. An international research effort to this end is underway. ...

by | On 02 Jun 2020

Exploring Cash Transfer to Jan Dhan Accounts as COVID-19 Response: Findings from A Rapid Survey (28 April to 12 May 2020) for Assessing the Ground Reality

On March 25 Finance Minister Normal Sitharaman announced that account holders under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) (also known as Jan Dhan account, or JD account) would receive cash transf...

by | On 29 May 2020

COVID-19 in India: An Epidemic in Congested Cities

In our analysis, high urban proportion and population density were significantly correlated with the COVID-19 burden in districts having the highest burden of COVID-19. It seems COVID-19 is spreading...

by | On 29 May 2020

Fahrenheit 32: When books come in from the cold : The Noel D'Cunha Sunday column

Thomas Abraham, managing director of Hachette India, takes a ringside view of Indian publishing during and after Coronavirus and charts a roadmap as to what could be or should be the future.

by Noel D'Cunha | On 26 May 2020

Covid-19 Crisis, Pandemic Resilience and Linkages to Land: An Exposition

For a COVID-19 like pandemic, the Achilles heel is an unsuspecting villain – rapid and global land use changes. The way governments, businesses and communities see, relate to and use land, not only in...

by | On 12 May 2020

The COVID-19, Migration and Livelihood in India

Sudden eruption of migration crisis resulting from the out-break of COVID-19 again reminds us the urgency of the matter. This policy paper presents how our understanding of migration and livelihood...

by R. B. Bhagat | On 08 May 2020

Book Review of 'Empire and Ecology in the Bengal Delta: The Making of Calcutta'.

Review of Empire and Ecology in the Bengal Delta: The Making of Calcutta by Debjani Bhattacharyya. Studies in Environment and History Series. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018. Illustratio...

by | On 07 May 2020

Class Struggle, Environment and the Corona Virus Pandemic

Unless militant actions are undertaken, workers will find more and more of their rights trampled in the name of fighting the Corona virus. Parties, trade unions, and social movement organisations and...

by Kunal Chattopadhyay | On 25 Apr 2020

Tribute: Vidya Bal (January 12, 1937 to January 30, 2020)

Vidya Bal was a veteran feminist journalist, author and editor based in Pune. She was also a well-known social activist in the women’s liberation movement in India who dedicated her life to fighting f...

by Vibhuti Patel | On 24 Apr 2020

Macroprudential Policy in Asian Economies

This paper analyzes the conduct and effects of macroprudential policy in 11 Asian economies. Of these, India, the People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea frequently used loan-to-value ra...

by Soyoung Kim | On 23 Apr 2019

The Political Economy of Gender Budgeting: Empirical Evidence from India

Gender budgeting is a public policy innovation to transform the gender commitments into budgetary commitments. The political economy process of gender budgeting in India has encompassed four distinct...

by Lekha Chakraborty | On 02 Apr 2019

Is Ayushman Bharat the answer to India’s healthcare woes?

Does India’s newest health protection mission do more than create a ‘narrative’ on health care in a pre-election year? More importantly, is health care through insurance the best option for a country...

by | On 28 Feb 2019

Emerging Trends in India-Pakistan Trade

The study finds that there has been a limited impact of trade liberalization on the volume of trade between the two countries. The shift from positive list to negative list has not resulted in any maj...

by Nisha Taneja | On 05 Feb 2019

Globalization and the Re-Articulations of the Local: A Case Study from Kerala’s Midlands

This paper is a preliminary attempt to understand globalisation and social transformation in the rural Kerala. It addresses the socioeconomic changes in a village in the mid-land region of Kerala name...

by Mijo Luke | On 31 Jan 2019

Responses to Trade Opening: Evidence and Lessons from Asia

In various Asian countries, international trade has raised productivity, lowered mark ups through import competition (while increasing them through cheaper inputs that can be imported), raised wages,...

by Devashish Mitra | On 22 Jan 2019

Asian Development Outlook Forecast Accuracy 2007–2016

This paper assesses the accuracy of Asian Development Outlook growth and inflation forecasts for 43 Asian economies from 2007 to 2016, against the benchmark of World Economic Outlook projections by th...

by Benno Ferrarini | On 22 Jan 2019

Productivity and Trade Growth in Services: How Services Helped Power Factory Asia

This paper uses a theory-based measure of productivity-based comparative advantage to examine the trade performance of developing Asian economies in manufacturing and services over the 1995–2011 perio...

by Ben Shepherd | On 20 Jan 2019

The Development of Education and Health Services in Asia and the Role of the State

This paper analyses the dramatic spread of education and healthcare in Asia and also the large variations in that spread across and within countries over fifty years. Apart from differences in initial...

by Sudipto Mundle | On 14 Jan 2019

Bangladesh Goes to the Polls: A Street-side View

An informal but informed Indian professional on assignment in Dhaka sends this engaging commentary on the general elections in Bangladesh.

by Srikanth S | On 05 Jan 2019

Marketing: The Crucial Success Factor for Pakistan’s Credit Guarantee Scheme

This paper, confines the focus to a discussion of how inadequate marketing diluted the scheme’s impact. Specifically, several commercial banks could not tailor elements of their marketing mix—includin...

by Talha Nadeem | On 03 Jan 2019

The Impact of Trade Conflict on Developing Asia

This paper analyzes the effects of the current trade conflict on developing Asia using the Asian Development Bank’s Multiregional Input–Output Table (MRIOT), allowing us to calculate the impact on ind...

by Abdul Abiad | On 21 Dec 2018

Does the Exposure to Routinization Explain the Evolution of the Labour Share of Income ? Evidence from Asia

This paper analyzes the evolution of the labor share of income in Asia, a region where countries have experienced steep declines and increases as well as stable labor income shares in the quarter-cent...

by Mitali Das | On 13 Dec 2018

Investment in Research and Development for Basmati Rice in Pakistan

Basmati rice is Pakistan’s celebrated export. After years of growth, Pakistan’s production and export of basmati has slipped and is on a downward trend. The absence of a strong research and developmen...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 13 Dec 2018

How Do We Prevent a Food Crisis in the Midst of Climate Change?

The current global warming trends are extremely likely to be the result of human social and economic activity since the middle of the 20th century (NASA 2018). Evidence of rapid climate change varies...

by Kunmin Kim | On 21 Nov 2018

Social Funding of Green Financing: An Application of Distributed Ledger Technologies

This paper contributes to the literature in two ways: First, it delineates a concrete application of DLTs in the field of green financing, which offers the potential to increase social welfare. Second...

by Naoyuki Yoshino | On 20 Nov 2018

Do Local Currency Bond Markets Enhance Financial Stability?

This paper empirically tests conventional wisdom on the stabilizing effect of LCBMs. To do so, it analyses and compare the financial vulnerability of developing countries during two episodes of financ...

by Donghyun Park | On 26 Oct 2018

Harnessing Technology for Moe Inclusive and Sustainable Finance in Asia and the Pacific

This brief report documents facts of financial innovation in Asia and the Pacific that include: • Fintech redefines a specific sector at the intersection of financial services and technology sectors....

by Asian Bank | On 09 Oct 2018

Governing the Commons? Water and Power in Pakistan’s Indus Basin

Surface irrigation is a common pool resource characterized by asymmetric appropriation opportunities across upstream and downstream water users. Large canal systems are also predominantly state-manage...

by Hanan G. Jacoby | On 04 Oct 2018

An Assessment of the Fiscal Features of the PDP Laban Model of Philippine Federalism 1.0 and the Gonzales-De Vera Federal Model

The paper highlights the importance of the design of the fiscal features of the federal system of government in ensuring that the potential benefits from its adoption are realized. The economic litera...

by Rosario G. Manasan | On 03 Oct 2018

Fiscal Challenges to Financing Social Protection to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Case of Three Countries

This working paper summarizes the findings from three of the countries chosen by the study—Mongolia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste—to represent the range of challenges countries face and need to contend wi...

by Sri Wening Handayani | On 27 Sep 2018

Traditional Procurement versus Public–Private Partnership: A Comparison of Procurement Modalities Focusing on Bundling Contract Effects

This paper studies the optimal structure of procurement contracts between public and private sectors by mainly comparing two typical procurement types: traditional procurement and public–private partn...

by Hojun Lee | On 27 Sep 2018

Infrastructure Financing in South Asia

This paper discusses public and private sector financing of infrastructure, and examines the factors driving infrastructure investment in this subregion. Using a panel of three large South Asian count...

by Shikha Jha | On 26 Sep 2018

The Changing Network of Financial Market Linkages: The Asian Experience

The paper investigates the changing network of financial markets for six periods from 1995–2016, constructing a network that captures the concepts of the direction of links between markets, the signif...

by Biplob Chowdhury | On 21 Sep 2018

Duration of Export Relationships of Philippine MSMEs

The study examines the survivability of Philippines MSMEs' exports to select countries. The analysis is based on the survival analysis model of Besedeš and Prusa (2006a; 2006b) and Besedeš and Prusa (...

by Mark Edison Bautista | On 20 Sep 2018

An Empirical Analysis of the Factors that Influence Infrastructure Project Financing by Banks in Select Asian Economies

This paper analyzes a critical aspect of expanding private finance to infrastructure by examining the role of bank lending to public–private partnership (PPP) projects through the project finance moda...

by Vivek Rao | On 24 Aug 2018

Public–Private Partnership Development in Southeast Asia

Infrastructure development in Southeast Asia has been financed mainly by public funds, which leave wide gaps in majority of countries. Governments have tried to attract the private sector by offering...

by Fauziah Zen | On 16 Aug 2018

Financial Barriers to Development of Renewable and Green Energy Projects in Asia

The expansion of green renewable energy has been very limited in all the Asian countries, despite their various differences. The contributing factors are numerous, but, the financial factor has been t...

by Hooman Peimani | On 16 Aug 2018

Managing Credit Risk and Improving Access to Finance in Green Energy Projects

The cost of finance has a relatively high impact on the returns and viability of clean energy projects compared with fossil fuel-based energy projects, because the operating costs for renewable energy...

by Purkayastha Dhruba | On 13 Aug 2018

Deriving Macroeconomic Benefits from Public–Private Partnerships in Developing Asia

This paper develops a framework identifying channels through which economic gains can be derived from PPP arrangement. The framework helps derive an empirically tractable specification that examines h...

by Minsoo Lee | On 11 Aug 2018

Building Food Security in Asia through International Agreements on Rice Reserves

The policy brief aims to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on food security, ASEAN established a rice reserve on 4 October 1979. The rice reserve was developed to alleviate poverty and to eradi...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 10 Aug 2018

Short-term Migration in Rural India: The Impact of Nature and Extent of Participation in Agriculture

The paper analyses a nationally representative data set from India for the year 2013 in order to provide evidence on how short term migration is affected by household's ownership of land, and particip...

by S. Chandrasekhar | On 25 Jul 2018

Alternate Instruments to Manage the Capital Flow Conundrum: A Study of Selected Asian Economies

The paper analyses a nationally representative data set from India for the year 2013 in order to provide evidence on how short term migration is affected by household's ownership of land, and particip...

by Rajeswari Sengupta | On 25 Jul 2018

Macroeconomic Overview of the Philippines and the New Industrial Policy

This short paper has two main sections. The first section presents a more detailed picture and overview of the macroeconomic performance of the Philippines behind the Philippines’ remarkable growth. T...

by Maureen Ane D. Rosellon | On 06 Jul 2018

Designing the Fiscal Features of a Federal Form of Government: Autonomy, Accountability, and Equity Considerations

The paper provides estimates of the cost of shifting to a federal form of government under different scenarios in terms of the number of regions. Finally, it concludes with the discussion of why adopt...

by Rosario G. Manasan | On 03 Jul 2018

Activist to Entrepreneur – The Role of Social Enterprise in Supporting Women’s Empowerment in Pakistan

This report sets out to establish how well social enterprise really does address gender inequality and women's empowerment in Pakistan. It is part of a series of reports commissioned by the British Co...

by Mark Richardson | On 28 Jun 2018

Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Northern Route Road Construction Activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan

Pakistan-China relations date back to the Silk Route, but the formal ties began in 1950. Pakistan was the first Muslim country to recognize China as People's Republic and Pakistan International Airlin...

by Mahmood A. Khwaja | On 28 Jun 2018

The Rise of Government-Funded Health Insurance in India

India has experienced a remarkable proliferation of 48 Government Funded Health Insurance Schemes (GFHIS) from 1997 to 2018. The paper places the rise of this policy pathway in historical perspective....

by Ila Patnaik | On 15 Jun 2018

Financial Globalisation and Economic Growth in South Asia

The paper examines the relationship between financial globalization and growth. While the existing literature suggests divergent conclusions and mostly in the case of developed countries, there is dea...

by N R Bhanumurthy | On 14 Jun 2018

Trade Costs, Time, and Supply Chain Reliability

This paper uses measures of international transport time, in median and standard deviation, based on shipment-level data from the Universal Postal Union, to analyze the effect of time on trade costs....

by Utsav Kumar | On 14 Jun 2018

Assessing the Effectiveness of IMF Programs Following the Global Financial Crisis: How Did It Change Since the Asian Crisis?

The paper identifies key features of International Monetary Fund (IMF)–supported programs following the 2008 global financial crisis. The statistical analysis of a large sample of countries that borro...

by Carlos De Resende | On 09 Jun 2018

Cross- Border Portfolio Investment and Financial Integration in Asia and the Pacific Region

This paper examines the developments of cross-border portfolio assets and liabilities in the Asia and Pacific region over the periods of 2001–2017. Rapid increases in both portfolio foreign assets and...

by Sayuri Shirai | On 07 Jun 2018

Constructing the Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index: A Panel Approach

This paper proposes a panel approach in the construction of the Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index (ARCII) to strengthen the index’s ability to track the progress of economic inte...

by Cyn-Young Park | On 06 Jun 2018

Estimating Elasticity of Transport Fuel Demand in Pakistan

This study investigates the fuel demand elasticities separately for petrol, diesel, and CNG using data from July 2004 to June 2015 for Pakistan. The results show that fuel demands are generally (own...

by Muhammad Omer | On 06 Jun 2018

Overcoming Public Sector Inefficiencies Toward Universal Health Coverage - The Case for National Health Insurance Systems in Asia and the Pacific

This paper uses the Kutzin framework as described in the WHO Bulletin in 2013.20. This version has the advantage of incorporating both health system functions and goals, and will help us in understand...

by Eduardo Banzon | On 05 Jun 2018

Does India Need a Caste-based Quota in Cricket? Drawing Parallels from South Africa

In India’s 85-year-long Test history, only four of the 289 male Test cricketers have reportedly been Dalits. While concrete steps have been taken to address a similar under-representation of non-white...

by | On 29 May 2018

Gender and Intersecting Inequalities in Local Government in South Asia

This paper is an evidence review of how intersecting forms of inequalities influence women’s political participation and representation at the local level in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. The r...

by | On 11 May 2018

Book Review: Can India Pull It Off?

Review of Ascending India and Its State Capacity: Extraction, Violence, and Legitimacy by Sumit Ganguly, William R. Thompson. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016. 352 pp. $40.00 (cloth), ISBN...

by | On 18 Apr 2018

Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2018: How Technology Affects Jobs

The economic growth outlook for developing Asia remains vibrant. Asian Development Outlook 2018 foresees continued momentum after growth accelerated to 6.1% in 2017. The region is expected to ex...

by Asian Bank | On 12 Apr 2018

Book Review: War, Violence, and the State

Review of Political Violence in Ancient India by Upinder Singh, Harvard University Press, Cambridge,Massachusetts; 2017, pp. xvii, pp. 598.

by Aloka Parasher Sen | On 12 Apr 2018

MGNREGS: POLITICAL ECONOMY, LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND ASSET CREATION IN SOUTH INDIA

MGNREGS, the premier centrally-sponsored national rural livelihood scheme, is one of the most elaborately designed and implemented public workfare programmes in India. While a large number of studi...

by Vinoj Abraham | On 05 Apr 2018

Trade Facilitation Measures to Enhance Women’s Participation in Cross-border Trade in BBIN

Trade facilitation measures improve the trading environment by reducing transaction costs and thereby increasing the gains from trade. Although the use of trade facilitation measures for tackling tr...

by Sanjana Joshi | On 28 Mar 2018

The Underground Economy and Tax Evasion in Pakistan: A Fresh Assessment

Recently, not only economists but also sociologists, political leaders, policy-makers, non-governmental organizations, and the press are taking a lively interest in the size of the under ground econom...

by Zafar Iqbal | On 28 Mar 2018

University – Industry Collaborations: Asian Experience

Literature on the relationships and collaborations between universities, government aided research institutions and industrial enterprises is very rich. However, most of the studies deal with the Eu...

by N.S. Siddharthan | On 26 Mar 2018

Analysing Institutional Set-up of Forest Management in Pakistan

This study will focus on the natural hill forests found in the northern region of Pakistan, particularly the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP).

by Lubna Hasan | On 26 Mar 2018

Understanding Gendered Empowerment Through a Government-run Microfinance Programme: The case of Stree Shakti in Karnataka

The report indicated a widespread stagnation of women’s work participation in poorer districts, a narrowing of their work, income, prospects and opportunities, growing wage differentials between men a...

by Centre for Budget and Policy Studies CBPS | On 23 Mar 2018

The Water Gap – The State of the World’s Water 2018

In a startling reminder that our world’s most precious resource is becoming increasingly scarce for too much of the population, reminding us of the need for better and fairer management of Earth’s...

by Water Aid NGO | On 22 Mar 2018

Fiscal Policy Effectiveness and Inequality: Efficacy of Gender Budgeting in Asia Pacific

Gender budgeting is a fiscal approach that seeks to use a country’s national and/or local budget(s) to reduce inequality and promote economic growth and equitable development. While literature has exp...

by Lekha Chakraborty | On 16 Mar 2018

People-to-People Partnership in Asia Africa Growth Corridor: Historical and Cultural Linkages

People-to-People Partnership (PPP) is an important and inevitable mode of interactions in the sphere of international relations. In any kind of developmental, diplomatic and cultural interactions and...

by | On 15 Mar 2018

Prenatal Exposure to Shocks and Early-Life Health: Impact of Terrorism and Flood on Birth Outcomes in Pakistan

The current paper tries to fill this gap by investigating the impact of floods on pregnancy and birth outcomes across conflict-affected and unaffected districts in Pakistan.

by Baishali Goswami | On 08 Mar 2018

India: A Fab-less Wonder: Case of SMDP

From IPod to I Pad, millions of electronics goods have rolled out of China, the global manufacturing hub. India’s share of global electronic product market is less than 3%. Taiwan had $72 billion of...

by A S Rao | On 07 Mar 2018

SAARC Food Bank (SFB) Institutional Architecture and Issues of Operationalisation

In view of the need for an appropriate institutional architecture to address the food security concerns in South Asia, issues of proper operationalisation of the SAARC Food Bank (SFB) have assumed cr...

by | On 06 Mar 2018

Trade, Financial Flows and Stock Market Interdependence: Evidence from Asian Markets

Liberalization and globalization of Newly Industrialized Economies have contributed to increased integration of capital markets. This study tests whether convergence of macroeconomic variables and e...

by | On 27 Feb 2018

Book Review: Revival of Working Class

Review of Southern Insurgency: The Coming of the Global Working Class By Immanuel Ness; Pluto Press, 2016; pp. 240 USD 28.

by Vrijendra | On 21 Feb 2018

A Study on Illegal Immigration into North-East India: The Case of Nagaland

Migration is a global phenomenon; and it will continue to do so in the near future. All through human history, it has been a significant factor influencing population change. Migration involves the...

by | On 20 Feb 2018

Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: A Cross-National Comparison of Circumstances Related to State Forces’ Use of Sexual Violence in Armed Conflicts

This study aims to explore and identify circumstances related to the use of sexual violence by armed groups, and by state forces in particular. The overall purpose is to contribute to an understandi...

by Matilda Carlsson | On 20 Feb 2018

On Some Currently-Fashionable Propositions In Public Finance

The paper says that putting the matter differently, the price-system plays multiple roles: it acts as a signal for the use of available resources for producing at any particular point on the Productio...

by Prabhat Patnaik | On 19 Feb 2018

Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in North East India

The report says that the ISI has been equally thorough and ruthless in repressing political opponents to the military regimes that have ruled over Pakistan for more than half of its fiftyseven years o...

by Harinder Sekhon | On 12 Feb 2018

A Shift from Crime to Terrorism: Assessing D-Company

This paper offers an analysis of the causes behind the changing philosophy and practices of one of the well-known crime organizations from India to move closer towards terrorism to support its crimina...

by Ajey Lele | On 09 Feb 2018

Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities

The project aims to enhance the resilience of the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations, particularly women, in the coastal areas of India to climate change and extreme events.

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 08 Feb 2018

Proceedings of the Workshop: State of the Art of Local Governance - Challenges for the Next Decade

The discussions in the workshop ranged from scrutinizing overall models of governance via technical and administrative applications to philosophical debates about the core values of democracy

by Bent Jörgensen | On 07 Feb 2018

Empowerment of Dalits and Adivasis: Role of Education in the Emerging Economy

Well friends, let me begin by narrating a short story. In the Indian epic Mahabharata, dated around one thousand B.C., there is a celebrated fable about Ekalavya, an Adivasi boy; some of you will cer...

by | On 06 Feb 2018

Agricultural Extension in Cambodia: An Assessment and Options for Reform

Cambodia’s agriculture sector remains the backbone of the country’s economy. Most of Cambodia’s people live in rural areas and rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods. In recent decades, th...

by Sam Oeurn Ke | On 06 Feb 2018

State of State Finances 2018

Several states such as Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka raise a majority of their revenue from their own taxes. On the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and Bihar rai...

by Mandira Kala | On 01 Feb 2018

China’s Development Finance to Asia: Characteristics and Implications

The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of possible shift in China's overseas development finance strategy since 2011.

by Oh Ah | On 31 Jan 2018

Levels and Trends in Child Malnutrition

UNICEF, WHO, World Bank global and regional child malnutrition estimates from 1990 to 2017 reveal that we are still far from a world without malnutrition. The joint estimates, published in May 2017,...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 25 Jan 2018

The India Freedom Report: Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in 2017

The climate for journalism in India grew steadily adverse in 2017. A host of perpetrators made reporters and photographers, even editors, fair game as there were murders, attacks, threats, and cases...

by The Hoot the hoot.org | On 24 Jan 2018

Arctic Council and Asian Initiatives

The paper also examines the Indian narrative on the Arctic and argues that it is important to monitor the evolving developments in the Arctic region.

by Vijay Sakhuja | On 24 Jan 2018

Federalism and Foreign Direct Investment: How Political Affiliation Determines the Spatial Distribution of FDI – Evidence from India

This paper links the foreign economic engagement of India’s states with the literature on federalism, thereby contributing to an understanding of the political economy of FDI in- flows in a parliame...

by Chanchal Kumar Sharma | On 22 Jan 2018

A Guide to Using Budget Analysis

Budget analysis entails analysis and assessment of budget from the lens of marginalised sections of population with the objective of prioritisation of public expenditures and collection of revenues...

by Happy Pant | On 17 Jan 2018

Jammu and Kashmir Budget 2018-19

The Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Haseeb Drabu, presented the State Budget for the financial year 2018-19 on 11 January 2018. The total expenditure for the year is estimated to be Rs. 80,3...

by Haseeb Drabu | On 16 Jan 2018

Nation State Boundaries and Human Rights of People in South Asia

The present study seeks to examine the issue of human rights violations in the border areas of countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region. It is in an effort to...

by | On 12 Jan 2018

Property Rights, Intersectionality, and Women’s Empowerment in Nepal

Property is widely recognized as an important resource for empowering women. Many development policies worldwide therefore call for strengthening women’s rights to property, especially to physical a...

by Rajendra Pradhan | On 11 Jan 2018

Military Courts in Pakistan: Will they return? What are the implications?

This paper narrates that during the first week of January 2017, many in Pakistan were surprised, when the government allowed the earlier Parliamentary legislation on the military courts to elapse.

by D. Chandran | On 09 Jan 2018

Perspectives on Decentralization

This paper seeks to explain what happens within elected bodies at or near the local level in less developed countries, the interactions of elected representatives and bureaucrats at both local and hig...

by James Manor | On 08 Jan 2018

Book Review: Inappropriate Technology and Markets Kill Cotton Farmers and Weavers: A Passionate Account since Colonial Times

Review of A Frayed History: The Journey of Cotton in India by Meena Menon and Uzramma. Oxford University Press, 2018. USD 685.50.

by | On 07 Jan 2018

Opportunities and Risks of Liberalising Trade in Services in Pakistan

This study seeks to examine how locking-in of our unilateral liberalisation at the WTO and further liberalisation of services trade would affect Pakistan’s competitiveness.

by Abid Burki | On 28 Dec 2017

Consumption- and Productivity-Adjusted Dependency Ratio with Household Structure Heterogeneity

This study constructs a new dependency ratio measure by taking into account the consumption needs of the young and elderly people, and the productivity of middle-aged people. Different from the way th...

by Xuehui Han | On 21 Dec 2017

Prospects of India–Bangladesh Economic Cooperation: Implications for South Asian Regional Cooperation

In recent years, South Asia has received growing attention as a region that is integrating successfully into the global economy. To maximize the benefits in terms of faster growth and poverty reductio...

by Prabir De | On 19 Dec 2017

India’s Bond Market— Developments and Challenges Ahead

While India boasts a world-class equity market and increasingly important bank assets, its bond market has not kept up. The government bond market remains illiquid. The corporate bond market, in addit...

by | On 14 Dec 2017

Trade & Transit Cooperation with Afghanistan: Results from a Firm-level survey from Pakistan

This paper aims to inform academia and policymakers about ways and means to first increase trade with Afghanistan, and second, to discuss trade-related procedures and processes that could be streamlin...

by Vaqar Ahmed | On 04 Dec 2017

Climate induced rural-to-urban migration in Pakistan

The results of this study indicate that climate change acts in combination with many other socioeconomic determinants of migration.

by Fahad Saeed | On 04 Dec 2017

Mapping the future of high value manufacturing in India

India’s stagnating manufacturing sector has become a serious cause of concern for Indian policy makers. Several reasons have been identified for this slowdown, including lack of policy focus, unsuppor...

by | On 01 Dec 2017

Fund-Raising For Energy Projects In Pakistan

This paper reviews the investment situation in energy sector of Pakistan. Using secondary data sources, official documents and pledges by development partners.

by Huma Khan | On 30 Nov 2017

India-Pakistan Trade: Perspectives from the Automobile Sector in Pakistan

This paper proposes a way forward whereby the commerce ministries of India and Pakistan can address the concerns of Pakistan’s auto sector and create a win-win milieu.

by Vaqar Ahmed | On 29 Nov 2017

India-Pakistan Trade: An Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Sector

The study says that the pharmaceutical sector is crucial to health issues in developing economies and would be an ideal segment to focus on in improving trade relations between the two countries.

by Manoj Pant | On 29 Nov 2017

Socio-economic and Cultural Factors of Violence against Women in Pakistan

This study discusses the socio-economic, cultural, religious and institutional factors that sustain abuse conducted against women.

by Ayesha Qaisrani | On 24 Nov 2017

Appraisal of Informal Political Associations and Institutions: Implications for Democratic Decentralisation in Punjab

This study by using mixed research strategy disentangled the process by which local governments are formed in Punjab.

by Asad Rehman | On 24 Nov 2017

Effects Of Temperature Shocks on Economic Growth and Welfare in Asia

Using the Burke, Hsiang, and Miguel (2015) framework, we examine the nonlinear response effect of economic growth to historic temperature and precipitation fluctuations. We confirm that aside from the...

by | On 23 Nov 2017

A Region at Risk : The Human Dimensions of Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific

Asia and the Pacific continues to be exposed to climate change impacts. Home to the majority of the world’s poor, the population of the region is particularly vulnerable to those impacts. Unabated war...

by Asian Bank | On 23 Nov 2017

Pakistan’s Highly Taxed Telecom Market: Fall out and Impact

The study aims to create awareness among both the public and private sectors about the importance of exploiting useful information resources.

by Brig (Retd) Yasin | On 21 Nov 2017

Another War Is Looming

The study discusses the problems Pakistan may face in near future in the hands of Pakistani volunteers fighting in Syria.

by Rubab Syed | On 16 Nov 2017

India’s Emerging Connectivity with Southeast Asia: Progress and Prospects

Connectivity is the key building block of convergence and cohesion in any regional integration initiative. Development of connectivity across any region—especially of transportation linkages, energy p...

by | On 16 Nov 2017

Crisis, Imbalances, and India

With the revival of global economy, the issues of “exit policies” and rebalancing global growth have taken center stage in policy discussions. Since many emerging Asian economies presently have large...

by | On 14 Nov 2017

Assessment of Space Programs and Policies for Regional Cooperation in the Asia Pacific Region

International space cooperation in the Asia Pacific region have entered a new stage. Today a lot of nations in this region have actively developed space capabilities, and have come to use them for a v...

by | On 09 Nov 2017

Daily Stock Market Movements: From the Lens of News and Events

This study analyzes the effect of daily movements in KSE-100 Index due to different policies announced as well as incidents/events happened in the country.

by Shahid Raza | On 31 Oct 2017

Remittances for Growth: Initiatives for Remitters and Remittances

This paper argues that by some monetary and fiscal reforms, the investable part of remittances could be diverted to labour intensive and development projects, creating hundreds of thousands employment...

by Atiq Rehman | On 30 Oct 2017

Opening the Black Box: Managing the Aid Policy Process in Pakistan

This research responds to this gap in the literature by exploring how donors and the Pakistan government interact in game and network settings to manage foreign aid in the complex aid policy network.

by Faheem Jehangir Khan | On 27 Oct 2017

Corporate Social Irresponsibility: Companies & PC&PNDT Act

Female foeticide because of preference for boys over girls for a host of reasons is gigantic in India. According to the estimates of Asian Centre for Human Rights, during 1991 to 2011, a total of 25,4...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) | On 26 Oct 2017

Macroeconomic Impact of International Reserves: Empirical Evidence from South Asia

This paper constructs a dynamic macro model with new monetary policy rule to examine the implications of international reserve accumulation for macroeconomic outcomes such as economic growth and infla...

by Prakash Shrestha | On 18 Oct 2017

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness: Activist in Control

In the fleeting moments that the activist takes a backseat, the book is a joy to read.

by Amrit B L S | On 15 Oct 2017

Measuring Competition in the Banking Sector of Pakistan: An Application of Boone Indicator

The banking sector of Pakistan has witnessed a notable transformation in its structure and business activities following the implementation of financial sector reforms since the early 1990s. Specific...

by Mahmood ul Hasan Khan | On 09 Oct 2017

Towards ‘Make in South Asia’: Evolving Regional Values Chains

One of the most important ways in which several of the common developmental challenges in South Asia could be addressed is by focusing on manufacturing. In the new context, manufacturing becomes key...

by Ram Upendra Das | On 04 Oct 2017

The Macroeconomic Benefits of Tax Enforcement in Pakistan

The benefits of improved tax enforcement in Pakistan through simulations of a model of the Pakistani economy is studied. We begin by documenting that the effective tax rate facing firms is increasin...

by Ethan Ilzetzki | On 04 Oct 2017

Bolder Disinvestment or Better Performance Contracts? Which Way Forward for India’s State-Owned Enterprises

This paper analyses the performance of India’s Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) using measures of labour and overall efficiency and productivity indicators as opposed to financial returns. Using meth...

by Ajay Chhibber | On 03 Oct 2017

Women in Politics and the Subject of Reservations

This paper, however, demonstrates that the effective history of thinking about political representation in the form of reservations for women is as old as the women’s movement itself. Feminist enga...

by Mary E. John | On 28 Sep 2017

East Asian Financial and Economic Development

Japan, an isolated, backward country in the 1860s, industrialized rapidly to become a major industrial power by the 1930s. South Korea, among the world’s poorest countries in the 1960s,joined the rank...

by Randall Morck | On 25 Sep 2017

Federalism and the Formation of States in India

In recent days, the process of federalization within the Indian Union has become more debatable due to the unequal federal development at various levels. In this context, the issues of state formation...

by Susant Kumar Naik | On 14 Sep 2017

The Political Historiography of Modern Gujarat

The focus of this paper is on the political history of modern Gujarat, which has been an intriguing one. The paper identifies and discusses in the broad landscape of Gujarat’s politics three notable d...

by Tannen Neil Lincoln | On 14 Sep 2017

The 1857 Indian Uprising and the British Empire

Situating the 1857 Indian uprising within an imperial context, Jill C. Bender traces its ramifications across the four different colonial sites of Ireland, New Zealand, Jamaica, and southern Africa. B...

by Elizabeth Baker | On 11 Sep 2017

Embodied Engagements: Filmmaking and Viewing Practices and the Habitus of Telugu Cinema

Viewers of South Indian devotional films, female viewers in particular, have been known to offer prayers to the gods on screen and even moved to a state of possession while watching a film. Filmmaking...

by Uma Bhrugubanda | On 31 Aug 2017

Economic Integration and Development Partnerships: Southern Perspectives

Regional integration (RI) is a process by which countries enter into an agreement to upgrade cooperation through common institutions and rules. The objectives of the agreement could range from economi...

by Research and Information System for Developing Countries | On 24 Aug 2017

Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in South Asia

The report, Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in South Asia- Evidence for Interventions in the Health Sector, Women’s Collectives and Local Governance Mechanisms, is based on a systemic review of l...

by Rohini Prabha Pande | On 18 Aug 2017

A Sustainable Development Framework for India’s Climate Policy: Interim Report

This study’s framework could serve as an alternative development paradigm for India and other developing countries.

by Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy CSTEP | On 14 Aug 2017

Local government in South Africa: Can the objectives of the developmental state be achieved through the current model of decentralised governance?

This study examines the notions of decentralisation and developmentalism, and shows how they have become two of the most significant defining features of South African local government.

by Andrew Siddle | On 11 Aug 2017

Devolution, Democracy and Development in Kenya

The report says that the practice of local democracy has so far mirrored the problems at the national level, with vote-buying, compromised primaries and allegations of vote-rigging in many gubernatori...

by Agnes Cornell | On 10 Aug 2017

India, Climate Change and Security in South Asia

South Asia faces a wide array of social, political, and economic issues that already threaten security in the region. The region has a history of border disputes, sectarian violence, and government co...

by David Antos | On 09 Aug 2017

A Political Economy Analysis of the Southeast Asian Haze and Some Solutions

This paper studies the political economy of the Southeast Asian haze and discusses the obstacles that, unless overcome, could prevent a permanent and effective solution to this transboundary pollution...

by Parkash Chander | On 08 Aug 2017

An Approach to Forest and Conservation Policy in Southeast Asia

Forest and conservation policy in Southeast Asia is now at yet another crossroads. Despite decades of efforts, the challenges ahead remain formidable. These challenges include: (i) continued deforesta...

by Gary Bull | On 08 Aug 2017

Global Peace Index 2017

This is the eleventh edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), which ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness.

by Institute for Economics and Peace | On 04 Aug 2017

Making Women Count for Peace: Gender, Empowerment and Conflict in South Asia

With a focus on Northeast Indian experiences and a comparative look at Nepal, this project addresses the role of women in local governance and politics, particularly within the context of peace and se...

by Calcutta Group | On 04 Aug 2017

What is Causing Radicalism in the MENA?

The emergence of Al-Qaeda as a global terrorist organization carrying out devastating strikes across the USA, Europe, Middle East and Africa shed a spotlight on terrorism, and by extension on radicali...

by Fadi Farasin | On 03 Aug 2017

Reversing Pre-mature Deindustrialization for Jobs Creation: Lessons for ‘Make-in-India’ from Experiences of Industrialized and East Asian Countries

This paper presents new evidence on pre-mature deindustrialization being witnessed by India in terms of rising share of imports in final consumption. Given the compulsions of creation of jobs for 12...

by | On 03 Aug 2017

Can Bihar Break the Clientelist Trap? The Political Effects of Programmatic Development Policy

It is widely recognized that politics affects policy-making, but there is little knowledge about how politics can be made more conducive to effective governance. This study reverses the relationship...

by Jonathan Phillips | On 02 Aug 2017

SG 50 and Beyond: Protecting the Public Space in the New Era of Singaporean Pluralism

Over the last ten years or so it have begun to see public lobbying over moral and cultural issues such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) rights, Sanctity of Life issues including aborti...

by Johannis Bin Abdul Aziz | On 02 Aug 2017

Rethinking Electricity Sector Reform in Developing Asia: Balancing Economic and Environmental Objectives

The OECD or ‘standard’ model of electricity sector reforms has been widely adopted in non-OECD Asian countries since the 1990s. However, despite two decades of attempts at reforms, no notable progress...

by Tooraj Jamasb | On 31 Jul 2017

Does Government Borrowing Crowd out Private Sector Credit in Pakistan

An analysis of the impact of government borrowing from the scheduled banks on the credit to private sector in Pakistan, using monthly data from 1998:M6 to 2015:M12. We find that a one percentage poi...

by Sajjad Zaheer | On 31 Jul 2017

The NCAER State Investment Potential Index (N-SIPI 2017)

The NCAER State Investment Potential Index 2017 (N-SIPI 2017) is the second edition in the annual series of rankings of states on their growth and investment potential. It is a systematic and evidence...

by Research National Council of Applied Economic | On 31 Jul 2017

Concepts and Realities of Family Farming in Asia and the Pacific

The Asia and the Pacific region has the largest number of family farms in the world. It is home to 60 per cent of the world’s population and to 74 per cent of the world’s family farmers, with China al...

by Jingzhong Ye | On 30 Jul 2017

The Health Burden of Dust Pollution in the Textile Industry of Faisalabad, Pakistan

The study focuses on the high incidence of occupational health hazards faced by women and men working in the textile industry of Pakistan. One of the most relevant risk factors is exposure to airborne...

by Muhammad Khan | On 27 Jul 2017

Comparison of Various Business Cycle Models for Pakistan

In this paper, we compare the performance of different models, on two data frequencies, in terms of matching the business cycle moments of Pakistani economy. Out of the four models, two are simple r...

by M. Ali Choudhary | On 26 Jul 2017

Rethinking the Development of Post-War Sri Lanka Based on the Singapore Model

This study explores three major points, namely, Singapore's development process,Singapore's model of economic development, and the economic challenges of post-war Sri Lanka. This study explores pages...

by Sanika Sulochani Ramanayake | On 25 Jul 2017

Book Review: Notes from the 'Other' Side

Book review of Reporting Pakistan By Meena Menon; Penguin Random House, Pp. 340, Rs 599.

by Amrit B L S | On 24 Jul 2017

Transitions to K–12 Education Systems: Experiences from Five Case Countries

The paper says that preparing and implementing a K–12 transition absorbs considerable financial and human resources. It follows that the reasons for restructuring must be compelling.

by Jouko Sarvi | On 21 Jun 2017

Book Review : Other Women, Other Lives

Book Review of We Are All Revolutionaries Here: Militarism, Political Islam and Gender in Pakistan, By Aneela Zeb Babar; Sage Yoda Press, Pp.196, Rs 695.

by Meena Menon | On 12 Jun 2017

Myanmar Transport Sector Policy Note: River Transport

Myanmar has an extensive river network that is well positioned to serve the country’s main transport corridors, including the link between Yangon and Mandalay. However, main rivers are difficult to na...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 31 May 2017

The Railway Refugees: Sealdah, 1950s -1960s

This paper provides a micro-history of Sealdah Station as a halt of the refugee population coming from East Pakistan in the 1950s and ‘60s. The station as a site of refugee concentration was very diff...

by Anwesha Sengupta | On 19 May 2017

ASEAN+3 Bond Market Guide 2016: Thailand

The paper says that the government has continued to issue bonds since then with the primary objectives being to finance the annual budget deficit, support social and economic development, and restruct...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 16 May 2017

Accelerating Financial Inclusion in South-East Asia with Digital Finance

The research focuses on financial exclusion in three segments: base of pyramid (BoP); women; and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). From our research, we estimate that addressing this oppor...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 09 May 2017

Household Expenditure on Higher Education in India: What do we know & What do recent data have to say?

The paper analyse data from two recent NSSO surveys to provide estimates of expenditure on higher education and loans availed for higher education. The average share of expenditure on higher educatio...

by S. Chandrasekhar | On 02 May 2017

Role of Gender Gap in Economic Growth: Analysis on Developing Countries versus OECD Countries

This study investigates the effects of the gender gap on economic growth by using a composite gender gap index from the World Economic Forum. The index captures the multidimensional aspect of the gend...

by Sanika Sulochani Ramanayake | On 02 May 2017

Can Conditional Transfers Eradicate Child Marriage?

Conditional cash transfers are increasingly being used by policymakers as a strategy to postpone the marriage of adolescent girls in developing countries. While this approach has met with success in t...

by | On 27 Apr 2017

Security Cooperation in South Asia

South Asia continues to be one of the most important crisis regions in the 21st century. It is characterized by an interlocking web of old and new security risks. There are unresolved territorial disp...

by | On 17 Apr 2017

State of the World’s Forests 2016

This report explores the challenges and opportunities represented by the complex interrelationship between forests, agriculture and sustainable development. It demonstrates that the sustainable mana...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 21 Mar 2017

Budget 2017-18: Business as Usual

Budget 2017-18 was presented at the time when the global situation is inhospitable, marked with protectionism and domestic environment is constrained by the twin balance sheet crisis. The investment ...

by M Govinda Rao | On 10 Mar 2017

Book Review: ‘Kadhakaran of Arabee Cundree’

Review of Temporary People by Deepak Unnikrishnan, Restless Books, New York,USA 224 pp;To be released: March 14, 2017. USD 17.99. ISBN: 9781632061423

by Kavya Murthy | On 07 Mar 2017

Prostitution and the Ends of Empire: Scale, Governmentalities, and Interwar India. Durham: Duke University Press, Review

The book is an important exploration of late colonial preoccupations with the brothel, a "scandalous" space fueling the archival accretions that sustain contemporary historical inquiry. 2015; xi...

by Tara Suri | On 23 Feb 2017

The Case Against Weaponising Water

With growing water scarcity across many parts of the world, competition over access to this vital resource has been known to spark conflict. Following the September 2016 Uri attack in India, the gover...

by | On 14 Feb 2017

Family, Community, and Educational Outcomes in South Asia

In this article, we review research on the economics and sociology of education to assess the relationships between family and community variables and children’s educational outcomes in South Asia. At...

by | On 14 Feb 2017

Games Pakistanis Play

This paper presents a typology for three groups of intra-state actors in Pakistan. ese three groups termed complicit, culpable, and collateral have their own, dierent stakes in promoting transnational...

by | On 02 Feb 2017

Collective Action on South Asia's 'Wicked Problems'

The problems of water, energy, climate change, and urbanisation, are all intertwined; they are, also, all 'wicked'. There is little consensus on how to effectively navigate these problems, let alone,...

by | On 02 Feb 2017

Debating the World in the Asian Century

As Asia finds itself in the limelight, whether in terms of major power relations, rising insecurity and potential for conflict, or economic governance, it is worth asking, even before broaching the re...

by | On 02 Feb 2017

Union Budget 2017-18: Social Sector Largesse Does Not Tell the Whole Story

While there has been a a big jump in allocations to health overall, there is no indication that it will be sustained and will mark a trend.

by Ravi Duggal | On 01 Feb 2017

Swachh Bharat Mission - Gramin (SBM-G): GOI, 2016-17

Using government data, this brief reports on trends for SBM-G along the following parameters: • Allocations and expenditures • Physical progress of toilets built • Expenditures incurred under ...

by Avani Kapur | On 27 Jan 2017

Missing from the Market: Purdah Norm and Women’s Paid Work Participation in Bangladesh

Despite significant improvement in female schooling over the last two decades, only a small proportion of women in South Asia are in wage employment. We revisit this puzzle using a nationally represen...

by | On 24 Jan 2017

The Influence of Gender Budgeting in Indian States on Gender Inequality and Fiscal Spending

This study investigates the effect of gender budgeting in India on gender inequality and fiscal spending. Gender budgeting is an approach to budgeting in which governments use fiscal policies and ad...

by Janet G Stotsky | On 23 Jan 2017

Rural - Urban Linkages in South Asia: Contemporary Themes and Policy Directions

The early literature on migrant urban communities emphasized the conditions and employment patterns of squatter residents who have emerged on the urban landscape. Only recently has attention shifted t...

by | On 23 Jan 2017

Children 's Protein Consumption in Southeast Asia: Consideration of Quality as Well as Quantity of Children 's Protein Consumption in Southeast Asia

Inadequate dietary intake and prolonged undernourishment can lead to short term and long term consequences, which can deplete financial, physical, and social capital, further exacerbating the cycle of...

by | On 18 Jan 2017

Jammu and Kashmir Budget Analysis 2017-18

The Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Haseeb A. Drabu, presented the Budget for Jammu and Kashmir for financial year 2017-18 on January 11, 2017.

by Arvind Gayam | On 17 Jan 2017

Non-Communicable Diseases and Risk Factors in Migrants from South Asian Countries

The following document contains a review for a research project on migration and chronic or non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It begins with an overview of the geographical scope; the review focuses s...

by | On 11 Jan 2017

Demographic Transformation in South Asia: Implications for Rice Research and Development

The demographic structure of South Asian countries are rapidly transforming, which can greatly influence future rice production and consumption in the region. Literature on the impact of demographic t...

by | On 11 Jan 2017

Going and Coming and Going Again: Second-Generation Migrants in Dubai

The government of the United Arab Emirates requires all foreign migrant workers to reside on temporary visas. This affects transnational mobility patterns among the one class of residents whom we shou...

by | On 09 Jan 2017

Local Institutional Structure and Clientelistic Access to Employment: The Case of MGNREGS in Three States of India

This work is a contribution, first, toward measuring and characterizing some features of rural clientelistic institutions and then toward exploring its impact on household access to an employment sc...

by Anindya Bhattacharya | On 30 Dec 2016

Demographic Dividend in India

India is passing through the demographic transition and we hardly have 50 to 60 years more to utilise the demographic dividend. By mid of this century, India will have a huge population of 60 and old...

by Priya Sharma | On 23 Dec 2016

Impacts of the Training and Visit Extension System on Farmers' knowledge and Adoption of Technology: Evidence from Pakistan

This paper provides quantitative evidence on the impact of the Training and Visit (T & V) extension system in the irrigated Punjab of Pakistan. Three models are analyzed using limited dependent variab...

by Paul Heisey | On 08 Dec 2016

Inflation in Pakistan: Money or Oil Prices

The study attempted to investigate the determinants of inflation in case of Pakistan and to check the validity of monetarist stance that inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon by i...

by Mehak Moazam | On 07 Dec 2016

Nurse Migration: The Asian Perspective

This paper aims to capture the current situation of nurse migration from an Asian perspective. Asian countries are sources of nurses as well as hosts for foreign nurses. They also provide opportunit...

by | On 24 Nov 2016

Endogenous Leadership in a Federal Transfer Game

Conventional wisdom suggests that, to negate fiscal externalities imposed by provinces which spend too much and raise lower local resources, central authority should always be a first mover in the t...

by Bodhisattva Sengupta | On 14 Nov 2016

Policy Brief on Female Labor Force Participation in Pakistan

In Pakistan, women work primarily in the home or on the farm. Their participation in work outside these areas, particularly in formal employment, is extremely low. It is possible that some forms of wo...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 04 Nov 2016

Female Labor Force Participation in Asia: Key Trends, Constraints, and Opportunities

This brief reports on findings from four country studies and a companion macroeconomic study calibrated using an average Asian economy. Almost 28% of the world’s working-age women are accounted for in...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 04 Nov 2016

Mapping the South-Asian Political Landscape in the Context of Migration

Review on , Partha S. Ghosh’s book, ‘Migrants, Refugees and the Stateless in South-Asia’ ; Sage Publications India, 384 pages

by Aashish Khakha | On 03 Nov 2016

Nonviolent Resistance in 1916-1947

The speech talks about the nationalist struggle against the British rule led by Gandhi, as well as a range of other contemporary protest campaigns. In particular, this movement is examined in the ligh...

by David Hardiman | On 28 Oct 2016

The Elephant That Became a Tiger 20 Years of Economic Reform in India

A foreign exchange crisis in 1991 induced India to abandon decades of inward-looking socialism and adopt economic reforms that have converted the once-lumbering elephant into the latest Asian tiger. I...

by | On 28 Oct 2016

Rehabilitating Children in Conflict with the Law: Opportunities and Challenges

While discussing about the problems and issues faced by children in India, we have overlooked a category of children that are almost always overlooked are the ‘Children in Conflict with the Law’. Man...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 24 Oct 2016

World Population Data Sheet 2016

The Population Reference Bureau informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and futu...

by | On 21 Oct 2016

MGNREGS: Political Economy, Local Governance and Asset Creation in South India

MGNREGS, the premier centrally-sponsored national rural livelihood scheme, is one of the most elaborately designed and implemented public workfare programmes in India. While a large number of studi...

by Vinoj Abraham | On 10 Oct 2016

Concerns of Food Security, Role of Gender, and Intrahousehold Dynamics in Pakistan

The available literature in Pakistan is generally lacking in a critical examination of the issues related to intrahousehold resource allocation. This black box is due largely to the lack of individua...

by Hina Nazli | On 10 Oct 2016

Book Review: ‘Native places’ and Journeys Beyond

Review of Almost Home: Finding a Place in the World from Kashmir to New York by Githa Hariharan; Restless Books (Originally published by Fourth Estate, 2014), New York; 2016, 304 pages, $16.99.

by Dhanwanti Nayak | On 07 Oct 2016

Growth and Distribution: Understanding Developmental Regimes in Indian States

Economic and political processes differ widely across states in India. Some states have seen rapid economic growth and development while others are facing economic stagnation. The differences in outco...

by | On 07 Oct 2016

Is there a Size-Induced Market Failure in Skills Training?

A skilled and educated workforce can support the competitiveness of enterprises of all sizes. However, smaller firms may face greater challenges in developing human capital. We explore differences b...

by Paul Vandenberg | On 04 Oct 2016

Campaign for Release of Political Prisoners

A large number of people are being imprisoned largely under ordinary laws, just because they happen to live in regions where conflict/movement is going on. People are randomly picked up and booked und...

by Coordination for Democratic Rights Organisations CDRO | On 03 Oct 2016

Comparing Apples to Apples: A New Indicator of Research and Development Investment Intensity in Agriculture

It is conventional wisdom in the economic development literature that there is a significant underinvestment in agricultural R&D in developing countries. Evidence supporting this belief is provided,...

by Alejandro Nin Pratt | On 30 Sep 2016

Evaluating Asian FTAs: What do Gravity Equation Models Tell Us?

This research evaluates the performance of free trade agreements by analyzing the determinants of trade flows of Asian economies for a panel of thirty-one countries during 2007-2014 using a Gravity...

by Sunder Ramaswamy | On 29 Sep 2016

India-Pakistan Bilateral Trade: Past, Present and Future

Formal trade between India and Pakistan due to tariff barriers and quota problems is not significant; significance is diminishing year after year.The reason for diminishing India-Pakistan bilateral...

by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry PHD Chamber | On 29 Sep 2016

Problems Pertaining Migration of Female Tribal Population: A Demographic Perspective on Their Migratory Patterns and Struggle

Migration is a complex issue which has been a subject of keen interest for many years to sociologists, anthropologists, demographers, economists and political scientists. The migrants who work out of...

by | On 29 Sep 2016

World Social Science Report

Economic inequalities in income and wealth, social inequalities in health, education and access to welfare services, gender and racial inequalities, cultural and religious discrimination, barriers to...

by | On 22 Sep 2016

Water and Identity: An Analysis of the Cauvery River Water Dispute

This paper focuses on the dispute over river Cauvery in Southern India. Among the causes of river water disputes are contested property rights, difficulty in enforcing such rights, conflict of uses an...

by | On 20 Sep 2016

Multi-Sectoral Approaches to Nutrition: The Case for Investment by Agriculture

Globally, 165 million children under the age of 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition, or stunting, and more than half (85 million) of these children live in Asia. Increasing access to nutritious diets b...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 12 Sep 2016

Defined by Absence: Women and Research in South Asia

There is a closing of the gender gap in many parts of the world in terms of female access to education and enrolments at various levels of secondary and tertiary level. The World Economic Forum recent...

by | On 09 Sep 2016

Child and Maternal Health and Nutrition in South Asia - Lessons for India

South Asia has been characterized by its minimal progress in the areas of child and maternal health and nutrition in comparison to other regions in the world. The case of India is especially enigmatic...

by | On 09 Sep 2016

Health Spending, Macroeconomics and Fiscal Space in Countries of the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region

The paper examines the issues around mobilization of resources for the 11 countries of the South-East Asia Region of the World Health Organization (WHO), by analysing their macroeconomic situation, he...

by | On 07 Sep 2016

Words Matter: A Textual Analysis of SBP’s Monetary Policy Reviews

In this paper a textual analysis is performed of monetary policy statements issued during the past ten years by State Bank of Pakistan and compare them with policy reviews of seven selected central ...

by Asif Mahmood | On 07 Sep 2016

Prospects and Challenges of Out-Migration from South Asia and its Neighbouring Countries

This paper analyses the trends, nature and extent of out-migration from South Asia and its neighbouring countries like Afghanistan and Iran and examines the economic implications in both sending and r...

by | On 06 Sep 2016

Should Countries Be More Like Shopping Malls? A Proposal for Service Performance Guarantees

Many developing countries have made progress in political openness and economic management but still struggle to attract private sector investments, at least outside of narrow, resource-based enclaves...

by Alan Gelb | On 01 Sep 2016

Challenges to Food Security in South Asia

The high levels of under-nutrition and persisting hunger in the region not only calls for an assessment of the situation of food production and consumption but also issues like access to food by the p...

by Arindam Banerjee | On 31 Aug 2016

Does Development Aid Undermine Political Accountability? Leader and Constituent Responses to a Large-Scale Intervention

Comprehensive program evaluation requires capturing indirect effects of an intervention, such as changes in leaders’ efforts and constituents’ attitudes towards leaders. We study political economy r...

by | On 30 Aug 2016

Urban Governance for Adaptation: Assessing Climate Change Resilience in Ten Asian Cities

This paper examines how to manage urban climate-related impacts by promoting planned and autonomous adaptation to improve climate change resilience. An analytical framework is developed by combining u...

by | On 29 Aug 2016

Re-Shaping Policy and Institutions for Integrating Climate and Disaster Resilience

It is clear that positive policy action is needed to build the resilience of citizens and the state to changing climate and disaster shocks and stresses. What is not so clear is why there is a lag in...

by | On 29 Aug 2016

Environmentally Induced Migration from Bangladesh to India

Environmental crisis in the rural areas of developing countries is increasingly becoming an important cause of cross-border migration of population and South Asia is no exception to this phenomenon. S...

by | On 22 Aug 2016

Migration and Refugee Issue Between India and Bangladesh

In the era of globalisation, where opening of borders is being advocated all over the world, there is one issue over which no nation-state is ready to compromise with its territorial borders. The issu...

by | On 22 Aug 2016

Macroeconomic Determinants of Remittances in South Asian countries: A Dynamic Panel Study

The study attempts to identify the macroeconomic determinants of remittance inflows in South Asian countries. It uses additively separable utility function as theoretical framework and the Arellano-Bo...

by | On 16 Aug 2016

Brain Drain Versus Brain Gain: The Study of Remittances in Southeast Asia and Promoting Knowledge Exchange Through Diasporas

The study attempts to identify the macroeconomic determinants of remittance inflows in South Asian countries. It uses additively separable utility function as theoretical framework and the Arellano-Bo...

by | On 16 Aug 2016

Can “Make In India” Make Jobs? The Challenges of Manufacturing Growth and High–Quality Job Creation in India

A new “Make in India” campaign to “transform India into a global manufacturing hub” aims to use manufacturing as a vehicle for job growth. Is this strategy realistic? This paper helps answer the quest...

by | On 10 Aug 2016

Market Integration and Price Transmission in Tajikistan’s Wheat Markets: Rising Like Rockets but Falling Like Feathers?

The extent of market integration and transmission of food price shocks is a major determinant of price stability and overall food security, particularly in developing countries. Few studies have exam...

by Jarilkasin Ilyasov | On 08 Aug 2016

The Global Crisis and the Impact on Remittances to Developing Asia

Remittances to Asia plunged during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, but the drop was temporary as the flows were increasing once again after just 1 year. The current crisis, however, is fundamentally...

by | On 29 Jul 2016

Contemporary India and the Discourse of Social Justice: Examining the Colonial Legacy

Contemporary Indian society has witnessed a pervasiveness of claims for and debates about social justice with two enduring aspects to it: on the one hand, injustice and discrimination has become an ov...

by | On 28 Jul 2016

Empowering India with Gender Equality

Achieving gender equality has become a development challenge for India. Women are entitled to live with dignity in society and enjoy freedom from humiliation, fear, exploitation and every type of viol...

by Sanghamitra Deobhanj | On 28 Jul 2016

South-South Migration and Remittances

The impact of South-South migration on the income of migrants and natives is smaller than for South-North migration. However, even small increases in income can have substantial welfare implications f...

by | On 27 Jul 2016

The South China Sea Ruling: What Now for China?

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 14 of the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess Act, 1996 (Act 8 of 1996). China has chosen not to take part in the ar...

by | On 20 Jul 2016

The Impact of Micro-Credit on Employment: Evidence from Bangladesh and Pakistan

This paper examines the impact of micro-credit on employment. Household-level data was collected, following a quasi-experimental design, in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Three borrower groups are compared:...

by Azhar Kahn | On 19 Jul 2016

Food Security and the Millennium Development Goal on Hunger in Asia

The MDG on hunger requires that the proportion of people suffering from hunger be halved between 1990 and 2015. Behind this apparently simple statement lies much complexity: the food intake required t...

by | On 19 Jul 2016

Rising China Confronts Maritime Southeast Asia

China’s rejection of the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on its expansive claim to the South China Sea has set itself up for confrontation with maritime states in Southeast Asia. It will also he...

by | On 18 Jul 2016

Understanding the BRICS Evolving Influence and Role in Global Governance and Development

The BRICS Summit process was inaugurated in 2009 as a signal that the global governance system of the future would need to be constituted to reflect a politically diverse, multipolar world. At this...

by | On 15 Jul 2016

Reducing Violence in a Time of Global Uncertainty: Insights from the Institute of Development Studies Addressing and Mitigating Violence Programme

This Evidence Report details key insights from the Institute of Development Studies Addressing and Mitigating Violence programme, which involved detailed political analysis of dynamics of violence as...

by | On 15 Jul 2016

India’s Informal Trade with Pakistan

This study (i) identifies factors determining informal trade, (ii) prepares estimates of India's informal trade with Pakistan (iii) examines the modalities of informal trade (iv) analyzes the transact...

by Nisha Taneja | On 13 Jul 2016

Conflicts in the South China Sea and China ASEAN Economic Interdependence: A Challenge to Cooperation

This paper analyzes the absence of correlation between China-ASEAN economic interdependence and dispute settlement in the South China Sea, against liberals’ prediction. It argues that there are a few...

by | On 13 Jul 2016

Keeping the South China Sea in Perspective

The South China Sea disputes involve the interests of the United States, particularly with regard to freedom of navigation, international norms and law, relations with important partners and allies, a...

by | On 13 Jul 2016

Gender Specific Barriers to Female Entrepreneurs in Pakistan: A Study in Urban Areas of Pakistan

The paper shows that the female entrepreneurs in Pakistan are very important to economic and social development but they are facing serious troubles. Women’s entrepreneurship, properly exploited, has...

by Salman Khalid | On 12 Jul 2016

Rising Food Prices in South Asia: A Policy Framework to Mitigate Adverse Effects

The recent commodity boom has seriously affected South Asia, particularly due to higher food prices and their impact on the welfare of poor and vulnerable populations. This paper describes the food cr...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 12 Jul 2016

India –Pakistan Trade: Textiles and Clothing

This study analyses the reasons for low levels of trade, the nature of trade in this sector and the intra-industry trade between the countries. The study also throws light on the informal trade in tex...

by Nisha Taneja | On 11 Jul 2016

The Case for Cyber and Cyber-Physical Weapons: India’s Grand Strategy and Diplomatic Goals

This briefing document articulates a grand strategy for India to pursue the development of cyber and cyber-physical weapons, with a view to manage conflicts and the future balance of power in Asia.Ind...

by | On 07 Jul 2016

Projecting Progress: The SDGs in Asia-Pacific

This paper presents Asia-Pacific’s likely progress across the Sustainable Development Goals agenda, if trends continue on their current trajectories. Some Asian countries have been the world’s top per...

by | On 07 Jul 2016

Is Marketing a Science: Debate Revisited

The study conducts a formal analysis of various schools of thought of science. Specifically, the study offers a comparison between historical relativism, scientific realism, logical empiricism, and lo...

by Dheeraj Sharma | On 01 Jul 2016

Perspectives on the Investigation, Prosecution and Prevention of Art Crime in Asia

Many art crimes exist in Asia, where looting and trafficking of regional artefacts have developed extensively in contemporary times. The sophisticated methods of looters and middlemen, the highly effi...

by Stefan Gruber | On 30 Jun 2016

Global Commodity Prices and Inflation in a Small Open Economy

Global commodity prices surge of 2007-08 sent an inflationary shock across the countries. 2014 global prices descend resulted in significant disinflation in many countries and even deflation in some ...

by Muhammad Nadim Hanif | On 30 Jun 2016

Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Well-Being in Rich Countries

This report builds and expands upon the analyses of Report Card No. 6 which considered relative income poverty affecting children and policies to mitigate it. This report provides a pioneering, compre...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 30 Jun 2016

Global Economic Prospects at 25

Although global growth is projected to accelerate gradually, a wide range of risks threaten to derail the recovery, including a sharper-than-expected slowdown in major emerging markets, sudden escalat...

by World Bank [WB] | On 29 Jun 2016

Best Practices in Regulation of Private Education

Current paper aims to understand how the governments in different parts of the world have leveraged upon the private sector to achieve specific educational goals. The idea here is not to recommend o...

by Centre for Civil Society CCS | On 29 Jun 2016

The Intimate Link between Income Levels and Life Expectancy: Global Evidence from 213 Years

The paper finds a systematic and economically sizeable relationship between income levels and life expectancy in a panel dataset of 197 countries over 213 years. By itself, GDP/capita explains more th...

by Michael Jetter | On 28 Jun 2016

Capabilities and Skills

This paper discusses the relevance of recent research on the economics of human development to the work of the Human Development and Capability Association. The recent economics of human development b...

by James J. Heckman | On 28 Jun 2016

Peace, Terrorism, or Civil Conflict? Understanding the Decision of an Opposition Group

This paper models an opposition group’s choice between peace, terrorism, and open conflict. Terrorism emerges if executive constraints are intermediate and rents are sizeable. Open conflict is predict...

by Michael Jetter | On 27 Jun 2016

The Drought and Humanitarian Crisis in Central and Southwest Asia: A Climate Perspective

A persistent multi-year drought in Central and Southwest Asia has affected close to 60 million people as of November 2001. Chronic political instability in many parts of this region and the recent mil...

by | On 24 Jun 2016

Food Security Challenges in Asia

The problems of food security and agriculture should be viewed within the context of the broader structural transformation as Asia becomes increasingly urban and nonagricultural. This paper aims to re...

by Asian Bank | On 23 Jun 2016

The Challenges for India’s Education System

India’s education system turns out millions of graduates each year, many skilled in IT and engineering. This manpower advantage underpins India’s recent economic advances, but masks deepseated problem...

by | On 22 Jun 2016

Labor Migration, Skills & Student Mobility in Asia

Labor migration from and within Asia is a key and growing component of international migration flows, and the joint roundtable by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the International Labour...

by OECD Development Centre’s Social Cohesion Uni Social Cohesion Unit | On 21 Jun 2016

India and Afghanistan: A Development Partnership

India’s expanding partnership with Afghanistan has grown into multi-sectoral activities in all parts of Afghanistan. India’s reconstruction and developmental programmes in Afghanistan follow prioritie...

by Ministry of External Affairs, GoI MEA | On 21 Jun 2016

Situation of Women in South Asia: Some Dimensions

South Asian women and their status is being assessed here to highlight the similarities in the conditions faced by women despite the diversities stemming from class, religion, culture and locality. Th...

by Preeti Rustagi | On 20 Jun 2016

Hurting the Host: The Dynamics of Refugee-Related Violence in South Asia

This paper assesses the proclivity towards refugee-related violence in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, using an original dataset. I show that the host’s attitude towards refugees depend on local fact...

by | On 17 Jun 2016

Federal Budget of Pakistan 2016

Budget speech of Pakistan 2016-17.

by Mohammad Ishaq Dar | On 17 Jun 2016

Informal Labour Markets in Pakistan

This paper describes the results of a survey of informal-sector firms in Pakistan. Firms belong to the informal sector mainly because of scarce financial resources. There are significant differences...

by M. Ali Choudhary | On 16 Jun 2016

Migration and Remittances: Recent Developments and Outlook

According to the World Bank’s Migration and Remittances Factbook 2016, more than 250 million people, or 3.4 percent of the world population, live outside their countries of birth (Figure 1). The volum...

by | On 14 Jun 2016

Budget Speech Jammu and Kashmir: 2016-17

The Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Haseeb A. Drabu, presented the Budget for Jammu and Kashmir for financial year 2016-17 on May 30, 2016.

by Hasseeb A. Drabu | On 13 Jun 2016

The Revival of the Silk Roads (Land Connectivity) in Asia

This paper argues that contrary to popular belief, in the bygone era, there was not one but two Silk Roads in Asia – the Northern and the less well-known South-western Silk Road (SSR). The SSR connect...

by | On 10 Jun 2016

Inter-Regional Comparisons of Humanitarian Action

Throughout the conference it became clear that there are two emerging trends in humanitarian action across the Asia–Pacific. The first is the increasing activity of selected Asia-Pacific states engage...

by | On 09 Jun 2016

The Value of Private Schools: Evidence from Pakistan

Using unique data from Pakistan we estimate a model of demand for differentiated products in 112 rural education markets with significant choice among public and private schools. Our model accounts fo...

by | On 09 Jun 2016

The Effect of Political and Labour Unrest on Productivity: Evidence from Bangladeshi Garments

The paper examines the effects of political strikes and labour unrest on production in 33 large ready-made garment factories in Bangladesh. We find that the political strikes (hartals) lasting one or...

by | On 08 Jun 2016

Campaigns, Digital Media and Mobilization in India

Early research in western contexts finds evidence of online participation leading to political engagement. The paper tests this hypothesis in a non-western campaign context, and discusses India’s comp...

by | On 07 Jun 2016

Education Through the Lens of Sustainable Human Development

If human development is defined as a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process aiming to improve the well-being of populations and individuals, then the one element that can serve...

by Gianna Alessandra Sanchez Moretti | On 06 Jun 2016

Global Commodity Prices and Inflation in a Small Open Economy

Global commodity prices surge of 2007-08 sent an inflationary shock across the countries. 2014 global prices descend resulted in significant disinflation in many countries and...

by Muhammad Nadim Hanif | On 06 Jun 2016

The Contours and Concerns of Drought-Induced Migration

Umi Daniel is currently working as Head Migration Thematic unit at Aide et Action South Asia. His areas of interests are tribal empowerment, people’s right to food, micro level planning, rights and en...

by Umi Daniel | On 03 Jun 2016

Global Slavery Index 2016

The Global Slavery Index (‘the Index’) provides an estimate of the number of people in modern slavery, the factors that make individuals vulnerable to this crime, and an assessment of government actio...

by | On 01 Jun 2016

Earmarked Tobacco Taxes: Lessons Learnt from Nine Countries

This publication looks at the experience of nine countries that have an experience in earmarking tobacco tax revenues for health purposes. It describes the challenges, setbacks and achievements of tho...

by World Health Organisation (WHO) | On 31 May 2016

Minimum Wage Comparison: Asian Countries Minimum Wage Fixing

For countries which have a minimum wage, the minimum wage fixing system differs according to objectives and criteria, machinery and procedures, coverage, and subsequent adjustment as well as the opera...

by Sanjana Singh | On 31 May 2016

Seeking Judicial Power: With a Special Focus on Burma's Judiciary

This paper discusses the underlying common concept of the rule of law as it bolsters courts, giving them their institutional status and enabling them to move toward a redesigned judiciary from diverse...

by Aung Htoo | On 31 May 2016

'Steal This Book'

The extent of plagiarism in India is yet to be reckoned. Does rote learning encourage plagiarism? Does the lack of training in proper ways of acknowledging sources lead to inadvertant plagiarism? Thes...

by Shambhu Ghatak | On 30 May 2016

Understanding Productivity in the Pakistani Garment Sector: Comparisons with Bangladesh

The report is on a pilot project in the ready-made garment sector in Pakistan. The pilot had two objectives. The first objective was to develop a methodology for benchmarking productivity in the garme...

by | On 26 May 2016

Aid and Conflict in Afghanistan

This report examines the international community’s assistance to Afghanistan, with particular focus on U.S. efforts. It assesses the impact of the U.S.-devised counter-insurgency strategy on Afghans’...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

Political Conflict, Extremism and Criminal Justice in Bangladesh

Political repression is reaching new highs in Bangladesh. The government’s abuse of rule of law institutions for political ends has created an atmosphere of injustice that is increasingly exploited by...

by International Crisis Group | On 26 May 2016

Social Protection in East and South East Asia: A Regional Review

The paper starts with a discussion of the general context of growth and poverty across the region, exposure to risk or crisis, and the nature of vulnerability facing individuals, households and commu...

by | On 25 May 2016

Degradation and Loss of Peri-Urban Ecosystems

Rapid degradation of peri-urban ecosystems is resulting in a loss of associated ecosystem services. Water provision, storm- and waste-water regulation, along with protection from natural disasters and...

by Rockeffeller Foundation RF | On 25 May 2016

The Other Side of Indian Demographics: Accelerating Growth in Ageing and its Challenges

A primary survey of older adults was conducted in seven rapidly ageing states including Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala (Alam et al. 2012). This...

by Moneer Alam | On 25 May 2016

Stop Stunting in South Asia: A Common Narrative on Maternal and Child Nutrition

Governments in South Asia are progressively acknowledging that child stunting is both a marker and a maker of poor development. UNICEF regional and country offices in South Asia work with regional bo...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 24 May 2016

Institutionalising Civilian Control of the Military in New Democracies: Theory and Evidence from South Korea

This paper aims to answer the question of how and under what circumstances civilian control can be established in newly democratised nations. To do this, the paper proposes a new theoretical argument...

by | On 23 May 2016

Women’s Labour Migration from Asia and the Pacific: Opportunities and Challenges

In an era of unprecedented human mobility, migration from and within the Asia-Pacific region has assumed gendered dimensions, with implications for migration flows, trends and patterns. Gender roles,...

by | On 19 May 2016

More Than a Lightbulb: Five Recommendations to Make Modern Energy Access Meaningful for People and Prosperity

"Modern energy access” is finally on the international agenda, but the current common definition of 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per capita per year is far too low. To reflect likely demand and historica...

by Todd Moss | On 18 May 2016

Biodiversity for Sustainable Development: Delivering Results for Asia and the Pacific

The aim is to develop capacity at the individual, institutional and systemic levels to identify and implement new options for effective democratic governance for biodiversity and ecosystem management...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 18 May 2016

Game Theoretical Approach to Regulate the Public-Owned River Water Utilities: A Case Study of Cauvery River

Management of regulated water systems has become increasingly complex due to rapid socio-economic growth and environmental changes in river basins over recent decades. This paper focusses on the publ...

by Zareena Begum Irfan | On 17 May 2016

Combatting Climate Change: Involving Indigenous Communities

Climate change combat is often in the hands of policy-makers, researchers and governments. However it is the marginalised and indigenous communities that feel the full force of climate change effect...

by Serina Rahman | On 03 May 2016

Spatial Convergence in Public Expenditure across Indian States: Implication of Federal Transfers

Using the spatial econometrics approach, this study analyses such spill- over effect in public expenditure. Econometric estimates suggest significant spatial spill- ove...

by | On 02 May 2016

Payment systems to facilitate South Asian integration

The paper examines the role payment systems can play in greater South Asian integration, including intra regional trade facilitation. As payment systems become more sophisticated and thei...

by | On 02 May 2016

Analyzing the Impact of Global Financial Crisis on the Interconnectedness of Asian Stock Markets using Network Science

This study shows how 13 important stock markets in Asia namely, India, Bangladesh, Philippines, China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Pakistan, South Korea and Thailand...

by | On 02 May 2016

Political Intolerance in Bengal

Political intolerance is a bigger problem than religious intolerance in West Bengal. How will this affect the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal?

by | On 29 Apr 2016

Stitches to Riches? Apparel Employment, Trade, and Economic Development in South Asia

This report is aimed at better informing that debate by demystifying the global and South Asian apparel markets, estimating the potential gains in exports and jobs (including for women), and identify...

by Gladys Lopez Acevedo | On 29 Apr 2016

Public Financing of Education in Pakistan: Analysis of Federal, Provincial and District Budgets

Although significant, the share of education in total provincial budgets is declining except for Balochistan. This year, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has allocated the highest share of its p...

by Institute of Social and Policy Sciences I-SAPS | On 29 Apr 2016

Migration Patterns and Challenges for Indians Seeking Work Abroad: A Special Focus on South India

This paper, which focuses on the issues particular to those leaving India in the search of work, is authored by Dr. Bernard D’Sami, who heads the National Forum of Migrant Workers’ Rights, and also th...

by | On 15 Apr 2016

International Food Security Assessment, 2015-2025

Food security in the 76 low- and middle-income countries included in this report is expected to improve between 2014 and 2015. These countries are low- and middle-income countries as classified by the...

by Anthony Murray | On 12 Apr 2016

Gender and Land Statistics

The Gender and Land Rights Database (GLRD) is an on-line platform that was launched by FAO in February 2010 with the objective of highlighting the major political, legal and cultural factors that infl...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 12 Apr 2016

Multidimensional Measurement of Household Water Poverty in a Mumbai Slum: Looking Beyond Water Quality

In addition to negatively affecting health, the qualitative findings reveal that water service delivery failures have a constellation of other adverse life impacts—on household economy, employment,...

by Ramnath Subbaraman | On 12 Apr 2016

New Expression Meets Old Repression: Ending the Cycle of Political Arrests and Imprisonment in Myanmar

Despite five decades of agonizing slog, from an authoritarian military rule towards a more open political system, activists continue to face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment for their peaceful act...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 11 Apr 2016

Moderating Growth and Structural Change in the People’s Republic of China: Implications for Developing Asia and Beyond

A gradual moderation in growth is currently underway in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This is the result of a combination of factors, including a shrinking working-age population, the natural...

by | On 06 Apr 2016

Human Development in Telangana State: District Profiles

Telangana emerged as the 29th state of the Indian Union from undivided Andhra Pradesh after a prolonged struggle for statehood for nearly six decades. The social structure in Telangana is uniquely sk...

by Center for Economic and Social Studies CESS | On 31 Mar 2016

How the Collapse of ‘Chimerica’ Will Affect South Asia

India and Pakistan, the two large countries in South Asia, must work for the region’s collective good rather than moving closer to the United States and China, respectively, and promoting the interest...

by Shahid Javed Burki | On 28 Mar 2016

India-APEC Products Trade: Importance of Trade in Intermediate Products and the Challenges Ahead

India’s principal trade partners are countries/economies in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region, and over the last decade the share of APEC in India’s trade has been growing. Specifica...

by Deeparghya Mukherjee | On 28 Mar 2016

Impact of the People’s Republic of China’s Growth Slowdown on Emerging Asia: A General Equilibrium Analysis

As an important global and regional economic power, the PRC’s growth slowdown may cause large spillover effects to its neighboring economies. Using a multi-sectoral global computable general equilibri...

by Fan Zhai | On 22 Mar 2016

Impacts of Rural-Urban Cleavages and Cultural Orientations on Attitudes toward Elements of Democracy: A Cross-National, Within Nation Analysis

This paper follows the lead in substituting variable names for national social systems from the project on “Democratization and Value Change in East Asia.” Specifically, it investigates the associatio...

by Robert Albritton | On 21 Mar 2016

Post-tsunami Socio-cultural Changes among the Nicobarese: An Ethnography of the Nicobarese of the Southern Nicobar Islands.

The paper traces the impact of welfare and development on the Nicobarese not only in terms of economic and social domination, but in relation to its influence on cultural meanings and practices. The ...

by Ajay Saini | On 21 Mar 2016

A Case for China’s Security Role in South Asia

The paper focuses on the constructive role that China can play in enhancing security in South Asia. The potential contribution that China can make to enhancing non-traditional security in the region i...

by Ramandeep Kaur | On 21 Mar 2016

Dynamics of Political Budget Cycle

Using the method of optimal control, when an incumbent politician derives utility from voting support and dis-utility from budgetary deficit, the equilibrium time paths of both voting support and budg...

by Ganesh Manjhi | On 17 Mar 2016

Aid for Trade in Asia and the Pacific - Thinking Forward About Trade Costs and the Digital Economy

Aid for Trade (AfT) flows have increased each year since 2006 in the region. And while regional aggregate trade costs continue to fall, many subregions continue to struggle with trade costs that are s...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 17 Mar 2016

Integrating SMEs into Global Value Chains Challenges and Policy Actions in Asia

The opportunities for SMEs in global value chains are enormous. Participation in value chains exposes them to a large customer/buyer base, as well as opportunities to learn from large firms and from e...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 17 Mar 2016

The Enigma of the ‘Indian Model’ of Development

The paper is an attempt to unveil the enigma of the ‘Indian model’ of development. After discussing the evolution of India’s development policies over the last six decades, the paper attempts to unfol...

by Amit S. Ray | On 16 Mar 2016

Environmental Policy in a Federation with Special Interest Politics and Inter-governmental Grants

The paper explores the potential effect of intergovernmental grants (IGG) on sub-national (local) environmental policy in a federal structure. In the model, a politically-inclined local government rec...

by Divya Datt | On 15 Mar 2016

Can the Organised and Unorganised Sectors Coexist: A Theoretical Study

In the past debates around protection are usual couched in terms of protection of the manufacturing sector from imports and are centered around the so called “infant industry” argument. This paper has...

by Manoj Pant | On 15 Mar 2016

Metaguidelines for Water and Climate Change For practitioners in Asia and the Pacific

The Metaguidelines for Water and Climate Change were developed by the Asia–Pacific Water Forum (APWF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in collaboration with the Global Water Partnership (GWP). This pu...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Financial Soundness Indicators for Financial Sector Stability - A Tale of Three Asian Countries

The 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2008 global financial and economic crisis further demonstrated the importance of financial stability. Both crises showed how balance sheets of financial institu...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Investing in Natural Capital for a Sustainable Future in the Greater Mekong Subregion

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is poised to continue developing at a significant pace. The subregion is well placed to benefit from the emerging Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Com...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Challenges and Opportunities for Skills Development in Asia Changing Supply, Demand and Mismatches

The education systems in Asia, including technical and vocational education and training (TVET), were well suited at the time to allow Asia to become the world’s assembly line. In simple terms, formal...

by Sungsup Ra | On 15 Mar 2016

Asia SME Finance Monitor 2014

Asia has been continuously growing, and this growth has alleviated poverty and increased the number of middle income countries in the region. However, the recent regional and global economic slowdown...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Implementation of the ASEAN +3 Multi - Currency Bond Issuance Framework

ABMI aims to develop efficient and liquid bond markets in Asia, which would enable better utilization of Asian savings for Asian investments. ABMI can also contribute to the mitigation of currency and...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

Disaster Risk Management in Asia and the Pacific

The study considers key trends, in terms of disaster incidence, sources of vulnerability, and social and economic impacts. This is followed by discussions of some of the major issues: compound disaste...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 Mar 2016

A New Divide in the South China Sea

Nazery Khalid evaluates the prospect of peace in the South China Sea based on how the recent spat between China and Philippines is panning out.

by | On 14 Mar 2016

Implications of MGNREGS on Labour Market, Wages and Consumption Expenditure in Kerala

This paper makes an attempt to evaluate the implications of MGNREGS in labour short economy of Kerala. The analysis of NSSO unit level data revealed inter-state differences in implementation of the sc...

by V. Dhanya | On 14 Mar 2016

The Methodology of Polanyi's Great Transformation

The goal in this article is to articulate the methodology used in this book to bring out the several dimensions on which it differs from current approaches to social science. Among the key differences...

by Asad Zaman | On 14 Mar 2016

Chief Minister Sayeed’s Death could upset Jammu and Kashmir’s Stability

The death of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has thrown into doubt the stability of the government in this strategically located Indian State. Sayeed’s death has brought into sh...

by Ronojoy Sen | On 14 Mar 2016

Srilanka Building on Success

Sri Lanka has emerged in recent years as one of the most dynamic countries in South Asia. With a rich cultural heritage, an increasingly sophisticated work force, and a strategic location that links A...

by Asian Bank | On 14 Mar 2016

Striking a Balance: Myanmar and the Issue of Intellectual Property Rights

Strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights in Myanmar has the potential to act as a catalyst for economic growth, spurring foreign direct investment and in the long run helping the c...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

Careful Stewardship: Managing Myanmar's Bumpy Road Ahead

Myanmar’s transition process has proceeded apace with significant results already achieved. However, bumps are to be expected on the road ahead which may temporarily throw Myanmar off track. Thus ther...

by | On 12 Mar 2016

‘China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative Society’

China is unique among developing countries in achieving sustained economic and social success. So, policymakers in South Asia will do well to factor a robust Chinese economic future into their thinkin...

by Shahid Javed Burki | On 11 Mar 2016

Remorse and Reform: Abe's Stormy Spring

From apologizing for Japan’s wartime past to collective defense and FTA negotiations with the United States, Japan faces a number of contentious issues in the coming months that call into question Pri...

by | On 10 Mar 2016

Politicking and the Philippine Peace Process

Three months after a deadly clash in Mamasapano, the Philippine peace process is in danger. The hard-won gains of negotiations over the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)—the implementing piece of le...

by | On 10 Mar 2016

Anchoring Indo-Japanese Maritime Relations

Ensuring security of energy supplies and safeguarding sea lines of communication are underpinning increasing maritime ties between the net-energy importers of India and Japan. At the same time, argues...

by | On 10 Mar 2016

Analyzing the Aid Effectiveness on the Living Standard: A Check-up on South East Asian Countries

The present research work aims to analyse the effect that the disaggregated developmental aid has had on the health status and the standard of living in the urban sector after the MDGs were establishe...

by Zareena Begum Irfan | On 10 Mar 2016

Tariff Reduction and Income Distribution: A CGE-based Analysis for Urban and Rural Households in Pakistan

This paper intends to explore functional and households personal income distribution across four different income groups in both the urban and rural areas. Using Social Accounting framework, Siddiqui...

by A. R. Kemal | On 10 Mar 2016

Tariff Reduction and Functional Income Distribution in Pakistan: A CGE Model

The specific question to be explored in this study is: whether or not trade liberalisation (tariff reduction) policies improve income distribution and reduce poverty in Pakistan?

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 10 Mar 2016

Nutritional Status in Pakistan

In Pakistan, despite an increase in per capita food availability and resultant rise in per capita calorie and protein intake, the prevalence of malnutrition has not improved over last 20 years [Nation...

by Sarfraz K. Qureshi | On 10 Mar 2016

Poverty and Labour Market Linkages in Pakistan

The present study provides the link between poverty and labour market. The other strength of the paper is the use of newly conducted Pakistan Socio-economic Survey 1998-99, which provides the latest i...

by Zafar Mueen Nasir | On 10 Mar 2016

Poverty and Child Mortality in Pakistan

The present analysis is based on the Pakistan Socio-Economic Survey (PSES) data. The survey was conducted nationwide between April and July, 1999 and collected data on household information, incidence...

by Syed Mubashir Ali | On 10 Mar 2016

An Introduction to the 1998-99 Pakistan Socioeconomic Survey (PSES)

This brief paper is quite focused. It describes the methodology and scope of the household survey carried out by the PIDE between March and July 1999, with an aim to generate nationally representative...

by G. M. Arif | On 10 Mar 2016

Mimap Synthesis Report: Major Conclusions and Policy Implications

Pakistan has implemented various structural change and stabilisation programmes over the last twelve years with a view to improving the levels of efficiency and consequently higher levels of output an...

by A.R. Kemal | On 10 Mar 2016

Distributional Impact of Structural Adjustment on Income Inequality in Pakistan: A SAM-based Analysis

This study intends to analyze the impact of fiscal policy relating to subsidies (production and consumption subsidies), government current expenditure and expenditure on health and education on income...

by Zafar Iqbal | On 10 Mar 2016

Salient Features of Social Accounting Matrix of Pakistan for 1989-90: Disaggregation of the Households Sector

In the present SAM, the input-output industry classifications have been condensed into five main production accounts namely agriculture, industry, health, education and other sectors. The SAM 1989-90...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 10 Mar 2016

Poverty Reduction in Pakistan: Learning from the Experience of China

Three major objectives of this study are: (i) to understand China’s success against poverty, particularly the mechanism through which, the economic reforms led to poverty reduction; (ii) to give a his...

by G. M. Arif | On 10 Mar 2016

Pension System Reforms for Pakistan: Current Situation and Future Prospects

The study deals with pension system reforms for the Pakistan economy and highlights the current situation and future prospects. The study presents an overview of the problems prevailing in current pay...

by Umaima Arif | On 10 Mar 2016

Spatial Differences and Socio-economic Determinants of Health Poverty

This study has three objectives: first, to construct a health poverty index (HPI) for Pakistan using household data from Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) survey 2012-13; second,...

by Nasir Iqbal | On 10 Mar 2016

Prevalence and Determinants of Overweight and Obesity Among Adults in Pakistan

The present study ascertains the prevalence and possible causes of overweight and obesity among adult population using Pakistan Panel Household Survey for 2010. The results of the present research sho...

by Maryam Naeem Satti | On 10 Mar 2016

Willingness to Purchase Health Insurance in Pakistan

The aim of this research is to assess the willingness to purchase health insurance in Pakistan and assist the policy makers in formulating a national health insurance programme that meets the needs of...

by Ajmal Jahangeer | On 10 Mar 2016

Health and Economic Consequences of Overweight and Obesity Among Adults in Pakistan

The present study ascertains the possible consequences of overweight and obesity among adult population using Pakistan Panel Household Survey for 2010.

by Maryam Naeem Satti | On 10 Mar 2016

Migration and Health Outcomes: The Case of a High Migration District in South Punjab

Given the importance of health in overall living standard of people, the present study has attempted to probe into the role of migration in affecting health status and outcomes of population. The heal...

by Shujaat Farooq | On 10 Mar 2016

In Search of a Better Match: Qualification Mismatches in Developing Asia

This paper empirically tests the role of search frictions in driving qualification mismatches in the labor market. Using new data from several low-income economies in urban Asia we find that overeduca...

by Kenn Chua | On 10 Mar 2016

Epistemic Communities and Social Movements Transnational Dynamics in the Case of Creative Commons

While the existence of transnational communities is increasingly recognized in globalization studies, very little is yet known about their impact on global governance. Studies investigating the role o...

by Sigrid Quack | On 09 Mar 2016

Institutions in History: Bringing Capitalism Back In

The paper explores possible frontiers of historical-institutionalist analysis. It argues three points: that progress will require a return from a static to a dynamic perspective in which change is no...

by Wolfgang Streeck | On 09 Mar 2016

Neoliberal Restructuring in Turkey: From State to Oligarchic Capitalism

How have neoliberal reform policies changed Turkey’s political economy? The aim of this paper is to counter claims of convergence towards a liberal capitalist order. Given the historical dynamics of t...

by | On 09 Mar 2016

Taking Capitalism Seriously: Toward an Institutionalist Approach to Contemporary Political Economy

This paper outlines an institutionalist political economy approach to capitalism as a specific type of social order. Social science institutionalism considers social systems to be structured by sancti...

by Wolfgang Streeck | On 09 Mar 2016

German Employers and the Origins of Unemployment Insurance: Skills Interest or Strategic Accommodation?

This paper analyzes the attitudes of industrial employers during the German Empire and the Weimar Republic towards the adoption of public unemployment insurance. While employers initially opposed unem...

by | On 09 Mar 2016

German Varieties of Capitalism and Varieties of Macroeconomic Policy: Are Some Economies More Procyclical Than Others?

The role of macroeconomic policy in the different varieties of capitalism has been largely ignored. Recent contributions to the literature have argued that nonliberal economies should be expected to h...

by | On 09 Mar 2016

In the Shadow: Illegal Markets and Economic Sociology

Illegal markets differ from legal markets in many respects. Although illegal markets have economic significance and are of theoretical importance, they have been largely ignored by economic sociology....

by | On 09 Mar 2016

Transboundary Pollution as an Issue in Northeast Asian Regional Politics

The paper investigates the political aspects of the coorperation between China, South Korea and Japan to address transboundary pollution in Northeast Asia. Investigating the motivations, modalities an...

by Reinhard Drifte | On 09 Mar 2016

Towards a Comprehensive Welfare State in South Korea: Institutional Features, A New Socio-Economic and Political Pressures, and the Possibility of the Welfare State

The paper analyse the institutional designs for welfare system in Korea and their possible effects on the establishment of a welfare state. The paper also discusses some possible effects of the recent...

by Yeon-Myung KIM | On 09 Mar 2016

Energy Security in Northeast Asia: Putin, Progress and Problems

This article intends to bring to light the energy security concept in the region, while analyzing how this multilateral cooperative energy scheme can contribute to building a new regional economic sec...

by Se Hyun Ahn | On 09 Mar 2016

Capitalism as a System of Contingent Expectations Toward a Sociological Microfoundation of Political Economy

Political economy and economic sociology have developed in relative isolation from each other. While political economy focuses largely on macrophenomena, economic sociology focuses on the level of soc...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Economic Nationalism, Network-based Coordination, and the Market for Corporate Control Motives for Political Resistance to Foreign Takeovers

Why does political resistance to foreign takeovers vary across countries and over time? Rational choice accounts of economic nationalism fail to provide an answer. The present article proposes an inst...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Who Cares about Financialization? Explaining the Decline in Political Salience of Active Markets for Corporate Control

Why is unprecedented financialization failing to provoke a strong political backlash? The role of financial markets, motives, actors, and institutions has expanded continuously in recent decades, but...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

The Politics of Public Debt: Neoliberalism, Capitalist Development, and the Restructuring of the State

Rising public debt has been widespread in democratic-capitalist political economies since the 1970s, generally accompanied among other things by weak economic growth, rising unemployment, increasing i...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Bringing Power Back In: A Review of the Literature on the Role of Business in Welfare State Politics

What is the impact of business interest groups on the formulation of public social policies? This paper reviews the literature in political science, history, and sociology on this question. It identif...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

Are We Still Modern? Inheritance Law and the Broken Promise of the Enlightenment

The regulation of the transfer of property mortis causa has been a major concern of social reformers since the Enlightenment. Today, by contrast, the issue of the bequest of wealth from generation to...

by | On 08 Mar 2016

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: What Can It Learn From, and Perhaps Teach To, the Multilateral Development Banks?

A striking phenomenon of recent global economic change is the emergence of new development actors, with alternative development experiences and development financing capacity. These actors are now cre...

by Stephany Griffith-Jones | On 08 Mar 2016

The Responsibility to Protect in Southeast Asia: Issues and Challenges

The doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect is a controversial and contentious one in Southeast Asia. It has been largely accepted in principle by most ASEAN states, which are generally supportive o...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 06 Mar 2016

Sexual Harassment at the Workplace: A Continuing Story

The reinstatement at TERI of a man accused of sexual harassment to the post of vice chair even as the case is pending is nothing short of cocking a snook at the law and the norms that came into being...

by Vibhuti Patel | On 05 Mar 2016

Transnational Organised Crime In Southeast Asia: Threat Assessment

Transnational organised crime is considered one of the major threats to human security, impeding the social, economic, political and cultural development of societies. Much attention has been given...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 04 Mar 2016

Measuring Women’s Disempowerment in Agriculture in Pakistan

This paper calculates a Women’s Disempowerment Index to examine women’s control over production, resources, income, household decisions, and time burden. The index is based on a slightly modified me...

by Nuzhat Ahmad | On 04 Mar 2016

Hydroclimate Variations in Central and Monsoonal Asia over the Past 700 Years

Hydroclimate variations since 1300 in central and monsoonal Asia and their interplay on interannual and interdecadal timescales are investigated using the tree-ring based Palmer Drought Severity Index...

by Keyan Fang | On 03 Mar 2016

Where and How Are Roads Endangering Mammals in Southeast Asia’s Forests?

Habitat destruction and overhunting are two major drivers of mammal population declines and extinctions in tropical forests. The construction of roads can be a catalyst for these two threats. In South...

by Gopalasamy Reuben Clements | On 03 Mar 2016

Infectious Diseases and Their Outbreaks in Asia-Pacific: Biodiversity and Its Regulation Loss Matter

Despite increasing control measures, numerous parasitic and infectious diseases are emerging, re-emerging or causing recurrent outbreaks particularly in Asia and the Pacific region, a hot spot of both...

by Serge Morand | On 03 Mar 2016

The Role of DNA Barcodes in Understanding and Conservation of Mammal Diversity in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is recognized as a region of very high biodiversity, much of which is currently at risk due to habitat loss and other threats. However, many aspects of this diversity, even for relativ...

by | On 03 Mar 2016

New Institutional Developments In ASEAN: Towards A More Effective (Genuine) Security Architecture?

The recent establishment of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) as an integral part of the ADMM, a forum created in 2006 as a means of fostering defence and security dialogue and coo...

by | On 02 Mar 2016

Myanmar’s National Reconciliation Process: A Positive for the Region?

Since taking office in March 2011, Myanmar’s new government has implemented a host of reforms. These include the release of some political prisoners,a lifting of restrictions on media freedoms, the...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 02 Mar 2016

Economic and Political Relations Between Bhutan and Neighbouring Countries

The diversification of Bhutan’s relations began with its entry into the United Nations in 1971, and while external relations continued to be largely confined to India, the establishment of its relatio...

by | On 02 Mar 2016

Japanese-Chinese Territorial Disputes in the East China Sea – Between Military Confrontation and Economic Cooperation.

This paper analyses the various legal, political, military and economic circumstances of the two territorial disputes in the ECS, and it evaluates the approaches by both sides to turn the ECS from a `...

by Reinhard Drifte | On 01 Mar 2016

Effective Carbon Taxes and Public Policy Options: Insights from India and Pakistan

In this paper, we take as given the need for public action on climate change (see Stern, 2007), and that carbon taxation is one of the key instruments for influencing both behaviour of consumers and p...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 01 Mar 2016

The Political-economy of Tax Reforms in Pakistan: The Ongoing Saga of the GST

Should tax reforms be guided by rules of thumb suggested by the IMF, or directions or reform based on analytical approaches, such as optimal tax theory? In many cases, the applications of the directio...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 01 Mar 2016

Contesting Identities in Bangladesh: A Study of Secular and Religious Frontiers

The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 was an epoch-making event within the post-colonial order of South Asia. Led by the middle classes, a bitter and bloody war of Liberation from Pakistan was fought, based...

by Sanjay Bhardwaj | On 01 Mar 2016

Comparative Analysis of Indonesian and Korean Governance

This paper overviews governance issues in Indonesia and Korea from a comparative perspective. To do so, the WGI (World Governance Index) developed by the World Bank is employed for a more objective an...

by Prof. Yunwon Hwang | On 01 Mar 2016

Environment And The Aging Experience Among South Indian Hunter-Gatherers

There has been much discussion on aging and peoples’ concerns for old age. However, few studies have been done on the aging experience from an emic perspective. This geroanthropological paper makes an...

by Seetha Kakkoth | On 01 Mar 2016

Challenges and Developments in the Financial Systems of the Southeast Asian Economies

This paper discusses the economies and financial systems of Southeast Asia (SEA) and focuses on challenges and developments in the region. Despite the diversity of SEA economies and some important exc...

by Toshiyuki Shimada | On 29 Feb 2016

Tax Reforms in the Presence of Informality in Developing Countries: Incentives to Cheat in Mexico

In this paper we examine incentives to cheat in the Mexican tax system and argue that these are affected by interactions between taxes. We use variation in tax status between Mexican firms and variati...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 29 Feb 2016

Pakistan, the United States and the IMF: Great game or a curious case of Dutch Disease without the oil?

A history of Pakistan’s relations with the IMF (and the Bretton Woods Institutions in general) 2 cannot be told without reference to the complex and changing role played by the United States, es...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 29 Feb 2016

Understanding Innovation in Production Networks in East Asia

This paper explores the “black box” of innovation in the electronics production network in East Asia through a mapping exercise of technological capabilities and an econometric analysis of exporting i...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 29 Feb 2016

Conditional Cash Transfer Programs: An Effective Tool for Poverty Alleviation?

The paper highlights a number of issues that countries need to explore in assessing the feasibility of a CCT program: a country needs to assess the current level of specific human capital outcomes and...

by Hyun H. Son | On 29 Feb 2016

Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2015 Migrants' Contributions to Development

The Report assesses the development impacts of migrants in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and provides guidance on the steps countries, regional organizations, civil society actors and other...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UNESCAP) | On 29 Feb 2016

Information for Climate Change Adaptation: Lessons and Needs in South Asia

This paper serves as background for a South Asian regional workshop that will bring together adaptation information users and producers to inform likely new investments in the information base for cli...

by Ayesha Dinshaw | On 29 Feb 2016

Anaemia in Pregnancy - Inter-State Differences

Nutritional anaemia due to iron and folate deficiency is a major global Public Health problem. South Asia ranks among the regions, which have the highest prevalence of anaemia in the world and India p...

by K.N. Agarwal | On 29 Feb 2016

Narendra Modi, Mark II

Has Narendra Modi re-set his political sights? What's there in the Budget?

by T.N. Ninan | On 29 Feb 2016

The New Economic Case for Migration Restrictions: An Assessment

In this paper, a review of the literature on the global efficiency consequences of migration and assess a new strand of that literature. This is the new economic case for migration restrictions, which...

by Michael Clemens | On 27 Feb 2016

Post¬Arab Spring: Political transitions in retreat?

A recent cover of the Economist magazine asked: ‘Has the Arab Spring failed?’ More questions along this line will certainly come as the international community follows closely the political developm...

by Mely Caballero-Anthony | On 27 Feb 2016

20 Years of Human Security: A Special Focus on Political Security

Security used to be defined in military terms with the state as the referent of security. From this state-centric lens, political security means the stability of the state’s political regime and socia...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

Energy Security in the 21st Century: A Human Security Perspective

Energy security is no longer just about the security of supply; it is multifaceted and inextricably linked to public health and environmental issues. Amidst political instability in oil-producing regi...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 27 Feb 2016

Climate Change and the Muslim World: The OIC Can do with ‘Captain Planet’

WHILE the media incessantly highlights the Muslim world’s battle with Islamophobia and the political crises in Iraq, Gaza and Iran, another set of issues that is just as pertinent — but often overlook...

by Sofiah Jamil | On 26 Feb 2016

Governance and Institutions: The role of multilevel fiscal institutions in generating sustainable and inclusive growth

Differences in political ideology might lead to different views about the role of the state in the provision of public services across countries, or even in the same country over time.2 At the same ti...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 26 Feb 2016

Local Property Taxation and Benefits in Developing Countries - Overcoming political resistance?

While property taxation has existed since ancient times, and the taxation of land has been a mainstay of public finances through the Middle Ages, in both Europe and Asia, it has all but ceased to be a...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 26 Feb 2016

Political Economy of Multilevel Information Generation and Liability Management

The issue of managing sub-national liabilities is not only an issue in the EU, but is also being a major concern in South Asia, China and Brazil as much of the public investment needed for sustainable...

by Ehtisham Ahmad | On 26 Feb 2016

Accra Conference on Aid Effectiveness Perspectives from Bangladesh

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), established in 1993, is a civil society initiative to promote an ongoing dialogue between the principal partners in the decision-making and implementing process....

by Dialogue Centre for Policy | On 25 Feb 2016

Protest Culture in Thailand

As the current anti-government demonstrations in Thailand enter a critical stage, the trend in Thai protests against the establishment, set since 1932, has been reinforced. The protesters are seeking...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

The Economic Crisis and Labour Migrants: A Test for Human Security?

As the current global economic crisis deepens, labour migrants have begun to experience the consequences of both political and economic insecurity. How effective are legal frameworks in protecting the...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

Female Labour Force Participation in Asia: Indonesia Country Study

Indonesia has experienced robust, sustained growth over the past 30 years, accompanied by swift socioeconomic change. However, Indonesian women have remained only moderately engaged in the labor marke...

by Simone Schaner | On 25 Feb 2016

The End of “Dynamic Korea”? Reflections on South Korea’s Demographic Transition

South Korea is facing rapid ageing. Major repercussions are anticipated. Innovative approaches and a new mindset will help to defuse this impending demographic crisis.

by Lee Sang Ok | On 25 Feb 2016

Development Policies and Democratic Disruptions: Predicaments of the Marxist Left

This paper argues that development policies operate in Indian democracy at the interstices of two largely different yet interconnected worlds – of technical formulation and political formations. The I...

by | On 25 Feb 2016

Power and Piety: Religion, State and Society in Muslim Countries

There is the logical possibility of the creation of a Muslim society that is characterised by high levels of trust in and esteem for the State, and in which there is also a high level of trust in reli...

by Riaz Hassan | On 25 Feb 2016

Combed Cotton Yarn Exports of Pakistan to the US: A Dispute Settlement Case

On December 24, 1998 the Government of Pakistan (GOP) received a Call Notice from the US Government for consultation regarding the establishment of quantitative restraints on Pakistani exports of Comb...

by S. M. Hussain | On 25 Feb 2016

Biosafety Protocol, International Trade and Agricultural Biotechnology: Policy Inferences for India

The growing development in and possibly greater diffusion of biotechnology products have further accentuated the intensity of trade restrictions on the entry of these goods in countries like EU, Japan...

by Sachin Chaturvedi | On 25 Feb 2016

The Political Economy of Trade Policy in Indonesia

This paper focuses on Indonesia’s trade policies after the economic crisis. It examines the trend towards protection and addresses the issues of competitiveness. The concluding part briefly discusses...

by M. Basri | On 25 Feb 2016

Prospects of Wheat and Sugar Trade between India and Pakistan: A Simple Welfare Analysis

Due to a long history of strained political relations between India and Pakistan, trade possibilities between the two neighbouring countries have rarely been studied [Nabi and Nasim (2001), Mukherji (...

by Abid Burki | On 24 Feb 2016

Bangladesh Apparels Export to the US Market: An Examination of Her Competitiveness vis-à-vis China

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), established in 1993, is a civil society initiative to promote an ongoing dialogue between the principal partners in the decision-making and implementing process....

by Mustafizur Rahman | On 24 Feb 2016

Integration and Trade Specialization in East Asia

The 1990s saw East Asia becoming more integrated as trade barriers fell, trade intensity and intra-industry trade increased, and production networks formed. This greater integration has resulted in ch...

by Yose Damuri | On 24 Feb 2016

Towards Comprehensive Economic Co-operation between India and Central Asian Republics

Despite some recovery in recent years, Central Asian Republics (CARs) remain in difficult economic situation and they present a serious challenge to Asia. It is in the mutual interest of both CARs and...

by Ramgopal Agarwala | On 24 Feb 2016

The Hong Kong Declaration and Agriculture: Implications for Bangladesh

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), established in 1993, is a civil society initiative to promote an ongoing dialogue between the principal partners in the decision-making and implementing process....

by Uttam Kumar Deb | On 24 Feb 2016

The AICHR Framework for Action

On 23 October 2009, ASEAN formally launched the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights at the 15th ASEAN Summit in Thailand. The ASEAN leaders also announced the ‘Cha-am Hua Hin Declaratio...

by | On 24 Feb 2016

Workshop Report on “Starving Tigers?: Impact of Climate Change in South East Asia”

The Copenhagen Summit in December 2009 failed to yield a concrete, politically-binding agreement among states to reduce carbon emissions in order to mitigate climate change. This is so despite the wid...

by S. Rajaratnam International Studies | On 24 Feb 2016

Asean-China Trade Relations :15 Years of Development and Prospects",The Gioi Publishers,2008 Recent Development of China-ASEAN Trade and Economic Relations: From Regional Perspective

Abstract: The development of China-ASEAN trade and economic relations within the recent 15 years has of great significance not only for both sides but also for the whole East-Asia region. This paper i...

by Zhao Jianglin | On 24 Feb 2016

Impact of Management Practices on Employee Effectiveness in South Asia

South Asian organizations in countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are trying to professionalize management practices in recent years. Inspite of such efforts, employees indiscipli...

by Zafar Qureshi | On 24 Feb 2016

The Puzzle of Small Farming in Japan

Japan’s small farming represents a puzzle. Currently nearly three-quarters of farmland is operated by farmers whose farm size is well under optimal size. Being too small is the main reason for the hig...

by Yoshihisa Godo | On 24 Feb 2016

Financial Sector Reform: Longer-Run Policy Responses to the Asian Crisis

The Asian financial crisis of 1997 involved significant economic and social costs for the affected economies, but also highlighted fundamental weaknesses in the structure and operations of their finan...

by Kevin Davis | On 24 Feb 2016

Australia and Climate Change: The Changing Weather in Climate Politics

The rise of Julia Gillard as Australia’s prime minister has given Kevin Rudd the dubious honour of being probably the first political leader to fall victim to climate change. What does this mean for A...

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Indonesia’s National Defence Forces: Recent Strategic Changes and Implications

Following President SusiloBambangYudhoyono’s re-election in November 2009, the Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI) have been undergoing several significant structural changes. What are the implic...

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Water Regime Resilience and Community Rights to Resource Access in the Face of Climate Change

This paper begins by arguing that an analysis of social vulnerability seeking to enhance social resilience must take into account the social construction of vulnerability, namely, the economic, instit...

by | On 23 Feb 2016

Non-Traditional Security Challenges, Regional Governance, and the ASEAN Political-Security Community

Much of the attention on institutional development within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has focused on the progress in establishing the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC)....

by | On 23 Feb 2016

China and East Asian Energy: Prospects and Issues

Adequate supplies of natural resources have always been preconditions for economic growth. The requirements for energy and metallic mineral resources have been larger and more obvious with the modern...

by Dominic Meagher | On 23 Feb 2016

Post-Crisis Investment Performance Of ASEAN Countries: Impact Of FDI

The paper studies the post-Asian crisis investment performance of crisis affected countries in ASEAN. The empirical evidence clearly indicates that the ASEAN and East Asian countries are emerging from...

by Aekapol Chongvilaivan | On 23 Feb 2016

Agriculture and Food Security in Asia by 2030

Rapid trade-led economic growth in emerging Asia has been shifting the global economic and industrial centres of gravity away from the north Atlantic, raising the importance of Asia in world trade but...

by Kym Anderson | On 22 Feb 2016

The Lure of Lahore: Need for India-Pakistan Détente

India and Pakistan must learn that Pathankot and Peshawar were mindless acts of terror, to prevent whose recurrence, there is the need to enhance cooperation, not diminish it. Pakistan must continue t...

by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury | On 22 Feb 2016

Deepening Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Financial Markets

This paper discusses the financial landscape of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a region engaged in building an economic community (a “single market and production base”) by 2015....

by Choong Lee | On 21 Feb 2016

Are Returns To Private Infrastructure In Developing Countries Consistent With Risks Since The Asian Crisis?

This paper presents a basic assessment of the financial performance of infrastructure service operators in developing countries. It relies on a new database of 120 companies put together to track the...

by Maria Pinglo | On 21 Feb 2016

Preferential Trading In South Asia

This paper examines the economic case for the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) Agreement signed on January 6 th, 2004 by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. It s...

by Tercan Baysan | On 21 Feb 2016

Regional Integration in South Asia: What Role for Trade Facilitation?

The trade performance of countries in South Asia over the past two decades has been poor relative to other regions. Exports from South Asia have doubled over the past 20 years to approximately USD 100...

by John Wilson | On 21 Feb 2016

Infrastructure Gap in South Asia Inequality of Access to Infrastructure Services

The South Asia region is home to the largest pool of individuals living under the poverty line, coupled with a fast-growing population. The importance of access to basic infrastructure services on wel...

by Dan Biller | On 21 Feb 2016

How Much Could South Asia Benefit from Regional Electricity Cooperation and Trade?

The South Asia region is lagging behind many regions in the world in regional electricity cooperation and trading, despite the huge anticipated benefits. This study uses an electricity planning model...

by Govinda Timilsina | On 21 Feb 2016

Improving Education Outcomes in South Asia Findings from a Decade of Impact Evaluations

There have been many initiatives to improve education outcomes in South Asia. Still, outcomes remain stubbornly resistant to improvements, at least when considered across the region. To collect and sy...

by Salman Asim | On 21 Feb 2016

Impact of Changes in the Global Financial Regulatory Landscape on Asian Emerging Markets

This paper discusses the relevance of Basel III to Asian emerging markets. It reviews some of the proposed regulations of Basel III in order to evaluate their likely implications for, and their abilit...

by Tarisa Watanagase | On 21 Feb 2016

Regional Financial Arrangements and the International Monetary Fund

The rise of regional monetary arrangements poses a challenge for the International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s global surveillance efforts. This paper reviews how the IMF has responded to earlier regional i...

by Barry Eichengreen | On 21 Feb 2016

Financial Safety Nets in Asia: Genesis, Evolution, Adequacy, and Way Forward

Financial safety nets in Asia have come a long way since the Asian Financial Crisis (AFC) of 1997–98. Not wanting to rely solely on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) again, the Chiang Mai Initiati...

by Hal Hill | On 21 Feb 2016

Creating an Association of Southeast Asian Nations Payment System: Policy and Regulatory Issues

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to benefit from the significant growth in the Asia-Pacific payments market. Growth in economic activity would increase the size, scale, a...

by Tanai Khiaonarong | On 21 Feb 2016

Asian Monetary Integration: A Japanese Perspective

This paper discusses Japan’s strategy for Asian monetary integration. It argues that Japan faces three major policy challenges when promoting intraregional exchange rate stability. First, there must b...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 21 Feb 2016

Thailand’s Floods: Political and Security Impact

The devastating floods in Thailand add another dimension to the range of security threats to the country. What are the political and security implications of the floods on Thailand?

by | On 20 Feb 2016

From Kyoto to Durban: The Fits and Starts of Global Climate Change Negotiations

The 2011 outcomes from the UN’s annual climate change meetings have again been met with both cautious optimism and charges that the process shows few signs of effectively addressing global climate cha...

by | On 20 Feb 2016

Burmese Refugee Women and the Gendered Politics of Exile, Reconstruction and Human Rights

This research paper examines the predicament of Burmese women refugees in India and explores the complexities of the female refugee experience. Combining theoretical perspectives with personal narrati...

by | On 20 Feb 2016

The Military along the Security-Development Frontier: Implications for Non-traditional Security in the Philippines and Thailand

The militaries of developing countries have often gone beyond the mission of external defence, to perform unconventional roles ranging from disaster relief and economic management to law enforcement a...

by | On 20 Feb 2016

Euthanasia Regime: A Comparative Analysis of Dutch and Indian Positions

Euthanasia has always been in limelight as a subject matter of debate in the field of medicine and law. The euthanasia debate, being a value debate, seems to have no concrete solution, at least in the...

by Sandeepa Bhat B | On 20 Feb 2016

Remittances, Trade Liberalisation, and Poverty in Pakistan: The Role of Excluded Variables in Poverty Change Analysis

This study attempts to assess the impact of two shocks-trade liberalization and a deline in remittances from abroad-on poverty in Pakistan using a CGE framework.

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 19 Feb 2016

The Goods & Services Tax Debate in India: Concepts and Issues

The chequered but ongoing political efforts to introduce a uniform Goods & Services Tax (GST) throughout India should actually be seen through a larger economic prism. The current sense of urgency, re...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Impact of Services Trade Liberalization on Employment and People Movement in South Asia

Services have been a key driver of overall economic growth in South Asia since the 1990s. This paper examines how the growth of services output, trade and investment have affected service sector emplo...

by Rupa Chanda | On 19 Feb 2016

Discourse on Kashmir: From Territoriality to ‘Enlightened Sovereignty’

The author calls for renewed focus on the idea of ‘soft borders’ between India and Pakistan, with particular reference to Jammu and Kashmir, in the light of a theory of ‘enlightened sovereignty’ that...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Poverty-reducing or Poverty-inducing? A CGE-based Analysis of Foreign Capital Inflows in Pakistan

Foreign capital inflows (FKI) help an economy by financing the imbalance between income and expenditure. However, their impact on poverty in the recipient economy is a controversial issue. In this stu...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 18 Feb 2016

Bureaucracy and Pro-poor Change

This paper takes a political economy perspective in analysing the nature and causes on the decline in bureaucratic conduct.

by Ali Cheema | On 18 Feb 2016

Wheat Markets and Price Stabilisation in Pakistan: An Analysis of Policy Options

This article provides a quantitative analysis of the effects of Pakistan government domestic wheat procurement, sales, and trade policies on wheat supply, demand, prices, and overall inflation. Analys...

by Paul Dorosh | On 18 Feb 2016

Integrated Farming Systems And Resilient Agricultural Landscapes

Asia’s rapid change across socio-economic and political spheres, amid population growth and rising demand for food, feed and energy supplies, is unprecedented. To strike a balance between economic gro...

by Research Consultative Group on International Agricultural | On 18 Feb 2016

Volatility Spillover between the Stock Market and the Foreign Market in Pakistan

The paper examines the volatility spillover between the stock market and the foreign exchange market in Pakistan. For the longrun relationship we use the Engle Granger two-step procedure and the volat...

by Abdul Qayyum | On 17 Feb 2016

A Social Accounting Matrix for Pakistan, 2001-02: Methodology and Results

This paper describes the structure and construction of a social accounting matrix (SAM) for Pakistan for 001-02. A SAM is an internally consistent extended set of national accounts that disaggregates...

by Paul Dorosh | On 17 Feb 2016

Demographic Dividend or Demographic Threat in Pakistan

This paper looks into the demographic dividend available to Pakistan and its implications for the country, mainly through three mechanisms: labour supply, savings, and human capital. For economic bene...

by Durr-e- Nayab | On 17 Feb 2016

A Fresh Assessment of the Underground Economy and Tax Evasion in Pakistan: Causes, Consequences, and Linkages with the Formal Economy

Rise in the underground economy creates problems for the policy-makers to formulate economic policies, especially the monetary and fiscal policies. It is found that if there was no tax evasion, budget...

by M. Ali Kemal | On 17 Feb 2016

The Relationship between Corporate Governance Indicators and Firm Value: A Case Study of Karachi Stock Exchange

It is investigated whether differences in quality of firm-level corporate governance can explain the firm-level performance in a cross-section of companies listed at Karachi Stock Exchange. Therefore,...

by Attiya Y. Javid | On 17 Feb 2016

Perfect Competition

In his 1987 entry on ‘Perfect Competition’ in The New Palgrave, the author reviewed the question of the perfectness of perfect competition, and gave four alternative formalisations rooted in the so-ca...

by M. Ali Khan | On 17 Feb 2016

The Harris-Todaro Hypothesis

The Harris-Todaro hypothesis replaces the equality of wages by the equality of ‘expected’ wages as the basic equilibrium condition in a segmented but homogeneous labour market, and in so doing it gene...

by M. Ali Khan | On 17 Feb 2016

Achieving Skill Mobility in the ASEAN Economic Community Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications

Despite clear aspirations by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to create an effective framework to facilitate movements among skilled professionals within the ASEAN Economic Community...

by Demetrios G. Papademetriou | On 16 Feb 2016

Wage Differentials, Rate of Return to Education, and Occupational Wage Share in the Labour Market of Pakistan

This paper examines the magnitude of public/private wage differentials in Pakistan using data drawn from the 2001-02 Labour Force Survey. Pakistan Labour Force Survey is a nationwide survey containing...

by Asma Hyder | On 16 Feb 2016

Trade Liberalisation, Financial Development and Economic Growth

This paper empirically investigates the impact of trade and financial liberalisation on economic growth in Pakistan using annual observations over the period 1961-2005. The analysis is based on the bo...

by Muhammad Arshad Khan | On 16 Feb 2016

Preference for Public Sector Jobs and Wait Unemployment: A Micro Data Analysis

This paper exploits responses on the stated preferences for public sector jobs among a sample of unemployed in Pakistan to inform on the existence of public sector job queues.

by Asma Hyder | On 16 Feb 2016

UN Development Goals: Sustaining the Southeast Asian Fisherman

The UN Sustainable Development Goals highlight the need to protect the oceans, coastlines and small-scale fishermen. However, this may be in conflict with ASEAN’s bid to reach the targets set out in t...

by | On 16 Feb 2016

Citizen-Led Accountability and Inclusivity in Pakistan

This ‘theory in practice’ paper examines the experiences of citizens groups seeking to hold Pakistan’s elected representatives and governance institutions accountable. A sustained period of democracy,...

by | On 16 Feb 2016

Awareness and the Demand of Safe Drinking Water Practices

The demand for environmental goods is often low in developing countries. The major causes are awareness regarding the contamination of water and poverty, but less attention has been paid to the former...

by Eatzaz Ahmed | On 16 Feb 2016

Determinants of Interest Spread in Pakistan

This study examines the determinants of interest spread in Pakistan using panel data of 29 banks. The results show that inelasticity of deposit supply is a major determinant of interest spread whereas...

by M. Idrees Khawaja | On 16 Feb 2016

X-efficiency, Scale Economies, Technological Progress and Competition: A Case of Banking Sector in Pakistan

This study aims at empirical investigation of the x-efficiency, scale economies, and technological progress of commercial banks operating in Pakistan using balance panel data for 29 banks.

by Abdul Qayyum | On 16 Feb 2016

Why Civil Service Reforms Do Not Work

(Public Sector Reforms) PSR must be based on the recognition that people are at the heart of public service. As a result, managing human resources must be at the centre of any effort. The people who...

by Nadeem Ul Haque | On 16 Feb 2016

Effectiveness of Regulatory Structure in the Power Sector of Pakistan

This paper is an attempt to study the regulatory environment in the electricity sector of Pakistan. NEPRA, a regulatory authority was formed in 1997 to protect consumer interests in the area of electr...

by Afia Malik | On 16 Feb 2016

Impact of Export Subsidies on Pakistan’s Exports

Throughout Pakistan’s history, policy has sought to promote exports through government support and incentives. The government machinery is geared to export promotion especially through direct and indi...

by Nadeem Ul Haque | On 16 Feb 2016

Efficiency of Large Scale Manufacturing in Pakistan: A Production Frontier Approach

This paper examines the efficiency of the large scale manufacturing sector of Pakistan using the stochastic production frontier approach. A stochastic production frontier is estimated for two periods—...

by Tariq Mahmood | On 16 Feb 2016

International Competitiveness— Where Pakistan Stands?

This paper attempts to assess the position of Pakistan in the International Competitiveness. As a survey paper, the concept, definition and the measurement of competitiveness have been analysed furthe...

by Uzma Zia | On 16 Feb 2016

Entrepreneurship in Pakistan

In Pakistan innovation and risk taking is severely inhibited by the intrusive role of government in the marketplace. From the early days of planning when protection and subsidy policies determined win...

by Nadeem Ul Haque | On 16 Feb 2016

Delivering Access to Safe Drinking Water and Adequate Sanitation in Pakistan

Water and Sanitation is the neglected sector in Pakistan. Most of the households in Pakistan do not have access to safe drinking water and lack toilets and adequate sanitation systems. These poor peop...

by Faheem Jehangir Khan | On 16 Feb 2016

Exchange Market Pressure and Monetary Policy: Evidence from Pakistan

The study employs Girton and Roper (1977) measure of exchange market pressure—sum of exchange rate depreciation and foreign reserves outflow, to examine the interaction between exchange market pressur...

by M. Idrees Khawaja | On 16 Feb 2016

Health Care Services and Government Spending in Pakistan

The study has been carried out to measure the incidence of government spending on health in Pakistan at provincial, both rural and urban level; using the primary data of the Pakistan Social Standard L...

by Muhammad Akram | On 16 Feb 2016

National Finance Commission Awards in Pakistan: A Historical Perspective

This study explores the evolution of fiscal resource distribution in Pakistan. Pakistan is a federation comprising four provinces, federally administered areas, and the Islamabad Capital Territory. Be...

by Iftikhar Ahmed | On 16 Feb 2016

Thailand’s Economic Integration with Neighboring Countries and Possible Connectivity with South Asia

Thailand’s increasing importance as a regional co-production base and as an intra-regional trade and border trade hub is due mainly to recent changes in its economic structure, namely, the lack of ope...

by Suthiphand Chirathivat | On 16 Feb 2016

Financial Inclusion, Financial Education, and Financial Regulation: A Story from Indonesia

Many reforms have taken place in Indonesia following the Asian financial crisis of 1997– 1998. The government has embarked upon institutional transformation, making the country one of the region’s mos...

by Georg Inderst | On 16 Feb 2016

Well-being and Public Attitudes in Afghanistan: Some Insights from the Economics of Happiness

Afghanistan is a context where individuals have to cope with the most adverse of circumstances. In this paper, we use the tools provided by a new approach in economics, which relies on surveys of happ...

by Soumya Chattopadhyay | On 16 Feb 2016

The Taylor Rule and the Macroeconomic Performance in Pakistan

A widely agreed proposition in modern economics is that policy rules have greater advantage over discretion in improving economic performance. Simple monetary policy instrument rules are feasible opti...

by Wasim Shahid Malik | On 15 Feb 2016

Monetary Policy Objectives in Pakistan: An Empirical Investigation

The Taylor rule (1993) focuses only on two objectives: output and inflation. In practice, the central bank’s loss function (especially in developing countries) contains objectives other than these two...

by Wasim Shahid Malik | On 15 Feb 2016

What Determines Private Investment? The Case of Pakistan

This study is an attempt to analyse the determinants of private investment in Pakistan over the period 1972-2005. The ARDL co-integration approach is employed to check the existence of a long-run rela...

by Farooq Pasha | On 15 Feb 2016

Stock Market Reaction to Catastrophic Shock: Evidence from Listed Pakistani Firms

This study examines the effect of the earthquake of October 8, 2005 on the price behaviour and activities of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE). Sixty firms are selected from those listed on Karachi Stock E...

by Attiya Y. Javid | On 15 Feb 2016

Dynamic Effects of Agriculture Trade in the Context of Domestic and Global Liberalisation: A CGE Analysis for Pakistan

This paper studies dynamic effects of agriculture trade in the context of domestic and global liberalisation. Being the largest sector of the economy, the agriculture sector contributes substantially...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 15 Feb 2016

Tax Expenditures in Bangladesh: An Introductory Analysis

This policy note attempts to introduce the concept and size of tax expenditures in the context of Bangladesh with special references to experiences of India and Pakistan. It shows that the amount of t...

by M. Golam Mortaza | On 15 Feb 2016

The Role of an Explicit Subordinate Debt Policy in the Smooth Transition to Basel II

The major concern for the banking sector of Bangladesh is that implementation of Basel II will cause banks to raise capital appreciably and thus undermine their existing capital position. In such a si...

by Md. Kabir Ahmed | On 15 Feb 2016

Accountability and Transparency in Political Finance

When money corrupts campaigns and candidates, political finance can undermine the same democratic values and good governance that it also supports. To prevent and address the problem, transparency and...

by Transparency International TI | On 14 Feb 2016

Judicial Accountability and Discipline

The judiciary needs to be independent of outside influence, particularly of political and economic entities such as government agencies or industry associations. But judicial independence does not mea...

by Transparency International TI | On 14 Feb 2016

Promoting Fairness in Judicial Appointments

Where political power plays a significant role in the appointment, promotion and conditions of service of judges there is a risk that judicial candidates, as well as sitting judges, will feel compelle...

by Transparency International TI | On 14 Feb 2016

Public Provision of Education and Government Spending in Pakistan

The study has been carried out to measure the incidence of government spending on education in Pakistan at the provincial (both rural and urban) level, using the primary data of the Pakistan Social St...

by Muhammad Akram | On 14 Feb 2016

Household Budget Analysis for Pakistan under Varying the Parameter Approach

Using micro-level household data for rural and urban Pakistan, this study estimates Engel equations for 22 commodity groups with quadratic spline specification, in which the number and locations of kn...

by Eatzaz Ahmad | On 14 Feb 2016

Pension and Social Security Schemes in Pakistan: Some Policy Options

An examination of the public pension and social security schemes in Pakistan reveals that the provision of regular pensions is limited to formal sector employees only. A number of social security sche...

by Naushin Mahmood | On 14 Feb 2016

Income, Public Social Services, and Capability Development: A Cross-district Analysis of Pakistan

Is household income enough for human development or should government direct resources towards the provision of social services to improve capabilities of individuals? The former is emphasised by the...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 14 Feb 2016

Toward Reconciliation in Afghanistan

How can we make sense of where the United States is in Afghanistan today? A poor country, wracked by 30 years of civil war, finds itself at the mercy of insurgents, terrorists, and narco-traffickers....

by Michael O'Hanlon | On 14 Feb 2016

Pakistan Seeks Control of Its Afghanistan Endgame

Encouraging Taliban attacks on NATO, leaders of the Pakistan military and its intelligence service are impatient for the US to abandon the war in Afghanistan. The Pakistani goal is to prevent a pro-In...

by Bruce Riedel | On 14 Feb 2016

Maximizing Chances for Success in Afghanistan and Pakistan

The following is a Campaign 2012 policy brief by Bruce Riedel and Michael O’Hanlon proposing ideas for the next president on America’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan. Vanda Felbab-Brow...

by Bruce Riedel | On 14 Feb 2016

The Afghanistan–Pakistan Challenge: Meeting Humanitarian Needs

For Campaign 2012, Bruce Riedel and Michael O’Hanlon wrote a policy brief proposing ideas for the next president on America’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan. The following paper is a r...

by Elizabeth Ferris | On 14 Feb 2016

Standards on Political Funding and Favours

When corruption distorts political party and campaign financing, candidate competition is warped, elections are undermined and the quality of government is compromised. This paper sets forth standards...

by Transparency International TI | On 14 Feb 2016

Political Finance Regulations: Bridging the Enforcement Gap

Political finance regulations have been introduced in a majority of democracies to promote fair political competition, but all too often political party and campaign finance laws are breached with imp...

by Transparency International TI | On 14 Feb 2016

Fragile States: A Donor-Serving Concept? Issues with Interpretations of Fragile Statehood in Afghanistan

Current conceptions and models of fragile statehood in conflict-affected contexts can serve the purposes of international donor governments over and above reconstruction and statebuilding. First, desp...

by Sultan Barakat | On 14 Feb 2016

Crime-War Battlefields

In her new article, “Crime-War Battlefields,” published in the June-July issue of Survival, Vanda Felbab-Brown discusses the evolution of war since the end of the Cold War and the eventual rise of pol...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

The Political Games in the Taliban Negotiations

That the Taliban has agreed to negotiations is not surprising. It has much to gain from participating in negotiations – yet almost no incentives to agree to any sort of a deal before 2015. Nor should...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

A Deadly Triangle: Afghanistan, Pakistan and India

The hostility between India and Pakistan lies at the heart of the current war in Afghanistan. Most observers in the West view the Afghanistan conflict as a battle between the U.S. and the NATO-led Int...

by William Dalrymple | On 14 Feb 2016

Afghanistan’s Deep Challenges and Transition Opportunities

The continued withdrawal of ISAF forces and the handover of responsibilities to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) along with a strong Taliban military push dominated the security realm. The ANSF...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

Security and Political Developments in Afghanistan in 2014 and After : Endgame or New

The excerpt below introduces a book chapter written by Vanda Felbab-Brown for the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior anthology, Afghanistan 2014, published in March 2014. In this chapter, Dr. F...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

Pakistan's Relations with Afghanistan and Implications for Regional Politics

This essay, published originally by the National Bureau of Asian Research, discusses the long-term and current relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the intertwined militancy in the two count...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

Blood and Hope in Afghanistan : A June 2015 Update

As the United States tries to wind down its military participation in Afghanistan’s counterinsurgency after more than a decade of struggles against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, Afghanistan’s future remai...

by Vanda Felbab-Brown | On 14 Feb 2016

Monetary Policy Transparency in Pakistan: An Independent Analysis

This paper analyses monetary policy transparency of the central bank (SBP) using the Eijffinger and Geraats (2006) index. The results show that the SBP scores 4.5 out of 15, which is lower than any of...

by Wasim Shahid Malik | On 14 Feb 2016

Bilateral J-Curves between Pakistan and Her Trading Partners

Earlier studies that investigated the J-Curve phenomenon for Pakistan employed aggregate trade data. These studies suffered from the “aggregation bias” problem. In order to overcome this constraint, t...

by Zehra Aftab | On 14 Feb 2016

On Measuring the Complexity of Urban Living

This paper explores the concept of city ranking as a way to measure the dynamics and complexities of urban life. These rankings have various dimensions and uses. Both the context in which these rankin...

by Lubna Hasan | On 14 Feb 2016

The Conditional Capital Asset Pricing Model:- Evidence from Karachi Stock Exchange

This is an attempt to empirically investigate the risk and return relationship of individual stocks traded at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), the main equity market in Pakistan. The analysis is based on...

by Attiya Y. Javid | On 14 Feb 2016

Test of Multi-moment Capital Asset Pricing Model: Evidence from Karachi Stock Exchange

This study examines the Capital Asset Pricing Model of Sharpe (1964) Lintner (1965) and Black (1972) as the benchmark model in the asset pricing theory. The empirical findings indicate that the Sharpe...

by Attiya Y. Javid | On 14 Feb 2016

Human Capital vs. Physical Capital: A Cross-Country Analysis of Human Development Strategies

This study estimates a small simultaneous equation model using panel data from sixty-four countries for the years 1996 and 2004. The model is estimated by various techniques—OLS, TSLS, dummy variable...

by Rizwana Siddiqui | On 14 Feb 2016

Does Governance Contribute to Pro-poor Growth? Evidence from Pakistan

This paper explores linkages between governance and pro-poor growth in Pakistan for the period 1996 to 2005. The analysis indicates that governance indicators have low scores and rank at the lowest pe...

by Rashida Haq | On 14 Feb 2016

Trends in Inequality, Welfare, and Growth in Pakistan, 1963-64 to 2004-05

The present study investigates the trends in inequality, welfare, and growth based on per capita household income/consumption in Pakistan, both its rural and urban areas, from 1963-64 to 2004-05. It e...

by Nadia Zakir | On 14 Feb 2016

Public Policies For Facilitating Medical Tourism Industry In Asia

The paper attempts to analyze the role of public policy adjustments in facilitating the medical tourism sector in Asian countries in response to recent global economic events. While falling incomes ma...

by Vinay Singh | On 13 Feb 2016

2015 and Beyond: The Governance Solution for Development

There are fewer than 1000 days remaining until the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Based on current progress, many will not be achieved. For Transparency Internati...

by Transparency International TI | On 12 Feb 2016

India and Central Asia: Trade Routes and Trade Potential

In an environment of increasing importance of South–South bilateral trade partnerships, we assess the potential for improving bilateral trade between India and five Central Asian countries in this pap...

by Pradeep Agrawal | On 11 Feb 2016

China’s Changing Policy on UN Peacekeeping Operations

Beijing currently has a relatively active policy with regards to UN peacekeeping, especially when compared to its history or the commitment of other major powers. China’s active policy on UN peacekeep...

by | On 09 Feb 2016

North Korea’s Third Hereditary Succession: Determining Factors and Hidden Meanings

North Korea appointed Kim Jong Un, the youngest son of Kim Jong Il, to the position of vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) at the third Party Conventi...

by | On 09 Feb 2016

Bangladesh: Bangladesh: The Adolescence of an Ancient Land Ancient Land

On January 11, 2007, a state of emergency was declared in Bangladesh. A new caretaker government which condoned greater military involvement in the governing of Bangladesh was installed. This is the t...

by | On 09 Feb 2016

Indonesia: Development Scenarios 2020–2030

This report provides a background and analysis of trends of some of the most pressing issues facing Indonesia and outlines scenarios for 2020–2030. In thus doing, the report’s focus is thematically or...

by | On 09 Feb 2016

China’s Rising Military Power & Its Implications

China’s rising military power and its implications is of significant concern that has been widely discussed in the international community and among political elites across the globe. This paper explo...

by | On 08 Feb 2016

Rivalry and Cooperation: A New "Great Game" in Myanmar

Myanmar since its reform and opening up has become the locus for a new "Great Game" between the world's major powers. This brings with it new challenges for China which has hitherto been the preeminen...

by | On 08 Feb 2016

Legitimacy and Compliance in Transnational Governance

Power, rule, and legitimacy have always been core concerns of political science. In the 1970s, when governability appeared to be problematic, legitimacy was discussed both in the context of policy res...

by | On 08 Feb 2016

Does Joining the EU Make You Happy? Evidence from Bulgaria and Romania

We examine the effect of joining the European Union on individual life satisfaction in Bulgaria and Romania in the context of the 2007 EU enlargement. Although EU membership is among the most importan...

by Milena Nikolova | On 07 Feb 2016

Pakistan’s Trade Policy, 1999–2008: An Assessment

Employing the Annual Trade Policy issued each year by the Ministry of Commerce as a simplified case study, this paper examines the reasons for the ineffectiveness of this policy instrument and the inh...

by Mirza Qamar Baig | On 07 Feb 2016

Corporate Governance in Pakistan: Corporate Valuation, Ownership and Financing

In this study the relationship between corporate governance and corporate valuation, ownership structure and need of external financing for the Karachi Stock Market is examined for the period 2003 to...

by Attiya Y. Javid | On 06 Feb 2016

Analysing the Terms of Trade Effect for Pakistan

The study investigates the impact of changes in terms of trade in Pakistan on its income and consumption potentials, by employing two measures of terms of trade, namely, barter terms of trade and inco...

by Nishat Fatima | On 06 Feb 2016

Determinants of Urban Poverty: The Case of Medium Sized City in Pakistan

Urban poverty, which is distinct from rural poverty due to demographic, economic and political aspects remain hitherto unexplored, at the city level in Pakistan. The determinants of urban poverty in S...

by Masood Sarwar Awan | On 06 Feb 2016

Working to Improve Price Indices Development in Pakistan

Given the importance of Consumer Price Index (CPI), there has been long debate on its measurement issues. It is the best and most well-known indicator of inflation, which is further used for evaluatin...

by Mahmood Khalid | On 06 Feb 2016

Impact of Financial Liberalisation and Deregulation on Banking Sector in Pakistan

The study analyses market perception about the performance of Pakistani commercial banks due to financial liberalisation and deregulation measures taken by the central bank over the last two decades....

by Kalbe Abbas | On 06 Feb 2016

Price Setting Behaviour of Pakistani Firms: Evidence from Four Industrial Cities of Punjab

Since the introduction of rational expectations in the literature, most of the research focus in the area of macroeconomics has been investigating micro foundations of macroeconomic theory and transmi...

by Wasim Shahid Malik | On 06 Feb 2016

A Dynamic Macroeconometric Model of Pakistan’s Economy

In this study, an attempt has been made of develop a dynamic macroeconometric model of Pakistan’s economy to examine the behaviour of major macroeconomic variables such as output, consumption, investm...

by Muhammad Arshad Khan | On 06 Feb 2016

The Contemporaneous Correlation of Structural Shocks and Inflation— Output Variability in Pakistan

Monetary policy has changed in a number of ways during the last two decades. Along with the other characteristics, modern monetary policy is forward-looking, and the central banks respond contemporane...

by Muhammad Nasir | On 06 Feb 2016

An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship between Food Insecurity, Landlessness, and Violent Conflict in Pakistan

This study is an attempt to examine empirically the association between socio-economic measures of deprivation—such as food insecurity, landlessness, unemployment, and human under-development—and the...

by Sadia Mariam Malik | On 06 Feb 2016

Foreign Aid and Growth Nexus in Pakistan: The Role of Macroeconomic Policies

Despite receiving large quantities of foreign aid, Pakistan, like many other developing countries, has remained stagnant and become more aid dependent. This grim reality has provoked a vigorous debate...

by Muhammad Javid | On 06 Feb 2016

Fiscal Federalism in Pakistan: The 7th National Finance Commission Award and Its Implications

Pakistan is a federal country. Distribution of resources has a profound impact on income, development, backwardness, and poverty. The paper briefly discusses the federation, its needs and importance i...

by Usman Mustafa | On 06 Feb 2016

The Persistence and Transition of Rural Poverty in Pakistan: 1998-2004

This study has used two rounds of the two panel data sets to examine the poverty dynamics in rural Pakistan (Sindh and Punjab). The Pakistan SocioEconomic Survey (PSES ) covers two periods, 1998 and 2...

by G. M. Arif | On 06 Feb 2016

Remittances and Poverty Linkages in Pakistan: Evidence and Some Suggestions for Further Analysis

This exercise is envisaged to provide a brief account of the research studies on inter-relationship between remittance inflows from abroad and the poverty levels obtained in the country. This is discu...

by Mohammad Irfan | On 06 Feb 2016

Non-State Provision of Skills Development in South Asia

Development practitioners increasingly see skills development as a way to improve the employment and incomes of the poor. However, findings on the effectiveness of such trainings are typically mixed....

by Emilie Combaz | On 05 Feb 2016

Fighting Corruption in South Asia: Building Accountability

Hardly a speech is delivered in South Asia without mention of the need to fight corruption in the region. Yet despite the lofty promises, corruption is on the rise. This report shows how a serious lac...

by Transparency International TI | On 05 Feb 2016

Nepal National Integrity System Assessment 2014

Transparency International Nepal’s (TIN) National Integrity System Assessment Nepal 2014 describes the latest status of 11 pillars of NIS in terms of their capacity, governance and role besides pointi...

by Transparency International TI | On 05 Feb 2016

Palestine National Integrity System Assessment 2013

During the period covered by this study, Palestine faced a number of positive and negative developments. The most significant was the continued political divide, resulting in an ongoing disruption to...

by Transparency International TI | On 05 Feb 2016

Together Against Corruption: Transparency International Strategy 2020

Together against Corruption provides the strategic framework for Transparency International’s collective ambition and actions for the years 2016-2020. Our movement’s fourth strategy, it builds on the...

by Transparency International | On 03 Feb 2016

Israeli Interference in Sudan

As part of its initial publications, the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies will soon issue a book in Arabic, titled The Secession of Southern Sudan: Risks and Opportunities. The book is the...

by | On 03 Feb 2016

Truth, Power and the Rehabilitation of the Facts

This paper is an attempt to analyze the age-old phenomenon of leaks - the deliberate disclosure of secret information - and its relationship with the principle of transparency in a democracy. Secrets...

by | On 03 Feb 2016

The Process of National Security Decision-Making in Israel and the Influence of the Military Establishment

This study researches the decision-making process in national security matters in Israel; and examines the influence and role of the military establishment in this process. To achieve this purpose, th...

by | On 03 Feb 2016

The Tribe and Democracy: The Case of Monarchist Iraq (1921-1958)

This study attempts to examine the perpetual political usage of the tribe, and is concerned with the ways in which the tribe has been politically exploited in the processes of political change in the...

by | On 03 Feb 2016

Iraq, From Security to Political Management

This study begins with an assessment of the years of US occupation in Iraq, focusing on its repercussions, explicating its outcomes, and exploring the horizons of political evolution in this country a...

by | On 03 Feb 2016

Preliminary Study: Explaining the Ten-fold Increase in Remittances to Pakistan 2001-2012

This study is part of a broader study being undertaken by PIDE on remittances and their impact on the Pakistan economy including explaining its over ten-fold increase between 2001–2012 from around US$...

by Rashid Amjad | On 03 Feb 2016

Fiscal Decentralisation and Economic Growth: Role of Democratic Institutions

This study attempts to analyse the impact of fiscal decentralisation on economic growth. It also examines the complementarity between fiscal decentralisation and democratic institutions in promoting g...

by Nasir Iqbal | On 03 Feb 2016

Inter-linkage between Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Trade in Pakistan: Are they Complements or Substitute?

This study tries to investigate the inter-linkage between foreign trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in case of Pakistan. Annual data for the period 1985–2010 have been considered for eight maj...

by Unbreen Qayyum | On 03 Feb 2016

Institutional Quality, Conflict and Aid Dependency

This study attempts to explore the impact of foreign aid on the quality of governance and how conflicts, whether internal or external affect the overall situation. Conflicts affect governance directly...

by Unbreen Qayyum | On 03 Feb 2016

Foreign Aid and the Fiscal Behaviour of Government of Pakistan

This study examines the effect of foreign aid on the fiscal behaviour of the Government of Pakistan. It applies the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to analyse the relationship that prevailed betw...

by Rabia Butt | On 03 Feb 2016

What Determines Payment Methods and Deal Amount in Corporate Merger and Acquisitions in Pakistan

The present study examines the determinants of payment mode choice and deal amounts in financial and nonfinancial sectors mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Pakistan, undertaken during period 2005–2012...

by Yasmeen Akhtar | On 03 Feb 2016

Governance and the Effectiveness of Foreign Capital

This study empirically investigates the impact of foreign capital and governance on the economic growth by employing country level data from 1984 to 2010 for Asian developing countries. Governance; fo...

by Unbreen Qayyum | On 03 Feb 2016

Market Imperfections and Dividend Policy Decisions ofManufacturing Sector of Pakistan

Dividend policy is an important issue of corporate finance and the present study examines the effect of market imperfections such as asymmetric information, agency costs and transaction cost of issuin...

by Darakhshan Younis | On 03 Feb 2016

Dynamic Relationship and Volatility Spillover between the Stock Market and the Foreign Exchange Market in Pakistan: Evidence from VAR-EGARCH Modelling

The paper examines the dynamic relationship and volatility spillovers between the stock market and the foreign exchange market in Pakistan using weekly data from 02 July, 1997 to 04 July 2012. Johanse...

by Abdul Qayyum | On 03 Feb 2016

Does Inside Ownership Matters in Financial Decisions and Firm Performance: Evidence from Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan

This study provides the evidence on the effect of managerial ownership on the firm’s performance and financial policies (debt and dividend) for 140 listed manufacturing firms of Pakistan.

by Haris Arshad | On 03 Feb 2016

Financial Flows, External Capital Structure, Institutions and Economic Growth in Asian Developing Economies

Present study is conducted to measure the impact of financial integration on economic growth in Asian developing economies using panel data of twelve Asian countries from 1984-2012. In first part of a...

by Madiha Bashir | On 03 Feb 2016

Does the Rise of the Middle Class Lock in Good Government in the Developing World?

The current size of the income-secure middle class and its likely future growth, suggest that optimism is indeed warranted for many of today’s middle-income countries. But it is not warranted for all...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 03 Feb 2016

The EU And Asia In The United Nations Security Council

This contribution addresses the political and legal aspects of European and Asian membership and practice in the UNSC. First, it highlights the difficulties of the European Union (EU) becoming a fully...

by Jan Wouters | On 03 Feb 2016

Central Asia And The EU’S Drive Towards Energy Diversification

In recent years, Central Asia has increasingly come under the focus of the European Union (EU). This development occurred not least due to a series of interruptions in the supply of Russian natural ga...

by Sijbren Jong | On 03 Feb 2016

Employment Strategy and Equitable Growth: A Social Capital Perspective for KPK

Although labour force participation in Pakistan has improved from 50.33 percent in 2006-07 to 57.24 percent in 2010-111 as well as employment has increased from 47.65 million to 53.84 million, however...

by Syed Akther Shah | On 02 Feb 2016

Infrastructure Investment, Private Finance, and Institutional Investors: Asia from a Global Perspective

This study evaluates infrastructure investment and finance in Asia from a global perspective. It provides an overview on infrastructure needs and the various sources of private finance, globally and w...

by Georg Inderst | On 02 Feb 2016

Pakistan: The Impact of Economic Liberalisation on Poverty

The reform program that Pakistan gradually implemented during the 1980s and the early 1990s dismantled many of the components of the ISI strategy.1 The extent of dependence on quantitative import cont...

by Zafar Mahmood | On 02 Feb 2016

Biopiracy: The Patenting of Basmati by Ricetec

The paper discusses the North-South context for biopiracy, explains the process by which RiceTec acquired its patent, ascertains why it amounted to biopiracy and examines its implications for southern...

by Uzma Jamil | On 02 Feb 2016

Financial Incentives to Industry

This paper provides details of the decisions made by the Environment Standards Committee (ESC) on Financial Incentives to industry. It also documents the progress made so far in the implementation of...

by Abdul Khan | On 02 Feb 2016

Towards a Framework for Achieving Food Security in the Mountains of Pakistan

The agriculture sector in Pakistan sustains the livelihoods of 45 per cent of the national population. Both the direct and indirect contributions of the agriculture sector to overall growth and wellbe...

by Golam Rasul | On 02 Feb 2016

Tunisia: Revolution of the Citizenry… a Revolution without a Head

The Tunisian revolution exhibited itself as a popular revolution by all measures, catching the attention of many historians and writers in various fields; for years to come, the revolution will be a r...

by | On 02 Feb 2016

Apostasy and the Freedom of Belief: A New Islamic Perspective

This paper offers a novel perspective on the concept of freedom of conscience in Islam and the rules of apostasy in which the author, YehyaJad revises the notion of the death penalty for the apostate....

by | On 02 Feb 2016

Syria and Turkey: A Turning Point or a Historical Bet

Syrian-Turkish relations represent a regional and international phenomenon that has attracted a considerable amount of political and media attention; however, research on the dynamics and wagers invol...

by Aqil Mahfoudh | On 02 Feb 2016

Re-reading the Myth of Fayyadism: A Critical Analysis of the Palestinian Authority’s Reform and State-building Agenda, 2008-2011

ayyadism is a term coined by New York Times columnist Tom Friedman that has gained widespread usage in the media and the quasi-academic literature emanating from various high-profile English-language...

by | On 02 Feb 2016

Patents and Clean Energy: Bridging the Gap between Evidence and Policy

Climate change is the most pressing challenge of our time. Addressing it requires an unprecedented mobilisation of human and financial resources to alter our patterns of production, consumption and en...

by International Centre and Sustainable Development | On 02 Feb 2016

Corruption Perceptions Index 2015

Based on expert opinion from around the world, the Corruption Perceptions Index measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption worldwide. Not one of the 168 countries assessed in the 2015 i...

by | On 02 Feb 2016

Pesticide Policy

The aggressive media campaigns by pesticide companies do not comply with FAO guidelines for advertising pesticides. Pakistan adopts FAO guidelines on the issues where Pakistani law is silent. The Paki...

by Shahid Zia | On 02 Feb 2016

Children Affected by Armed Conflict in South Asia: A Review of Trends and Issues Identified Through Secondary Research

‘Armed conflict’ is defined in this report as the use of armed violence to resolve local, national and/or international disputes between individuals and groups that have a political, economic, cultura...

by | On 02 Feb 2016

The Political Economy of Undernutrition National Report: Pakistan

In this report, we use political economy analysis to demonstrate that nutrition in Pakistan has remained off the policy agenda because of large disconnects between key sectors, a lack of integrated cr...

by Shehla Zaidi | On 02 Feb 2016

A New Model for Constructing Poverty Lines

In this paper, we present a new model for constructing poverty lines. The model uses consumer theory to construct both food and nonfood poverty thresholds. Although one cannot completely eliminate the...

by Nanak Kakwani | On 02 Feb 2016

Property Tax Experiment in Punjab, Pakistan

Pakistan faces important policy challenges in improving service delivery and growth and development. Low levels of tax revenue act as a serious constraint to economic growth, provision of services and...

by Benjamin Olken | On 02 Feb 2016

The Contribution of Palestinian Civil Society Organisations toward Achieving National Reconciliation in Palestine, 2007-2010

This study is an attempt to comprehensively examine the contribution of Palestinian Civil Society organizations toward ending Palestinian division and achieving national reconciliation. To this end, a...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

Palestinian Refugees and the Syrian Revolution

Relying on statistics collected in the field, this study examines the involvement of Palestinians in the Syrian Revolution. Politically, this issue has generated heated debates among observers due to...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

Reviving the Local Dialect in Qatar: An Issue of Linguistic Concern or Identity Politics?

Historically, Qataris have strived for autonomy and independence, and have always sought to define themselves apart from others. This has dictated a specifically defined identity in which language sta...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

Sudan and Iran: The Journey of Rapprochement in light of the Current Arab Landscape

This study examines Sudan's relationship with Iran in light of the numerous Israeli air raids being launched against it, and explores whether the Sudanese regime has a preference for Iranian or Arab a...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

The Ottoman Tanzimats and the Constitution

This study is rooted in the various contexts in which the Ottomans adopted the Tanzimat, a series of reforms in the 19th century, which later gave rise to a constitution. The philosophy behind the Ott...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

On the Intellectual and Revolution

This essay is not an attempt to provide a comprehensive historical or sociological treatment of the subject of intellectuals and their role in revolution; rather, it is a conceptual contribution that...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

The Armed Syrian Opposition: Common Aim but No Vision

In response to the dearth of academic studies written on the Syrian opposition, this study reviews the various Syrian military organizations that are currently active against the Syrian regime, and di...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

Foreign Labor and Questions of Identity in the Arabian Gulf

Numerous studies have concluded that the large presence of foreign labor in the Gulf could eventually lead to a loss of national identity. Large concentrations of foreigners, composed of numerous ethn...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

Developing Technologies for Sustainable Fisheries in Asia

Governments in Asia must prioritise technologies that improve fishery productivity to meet the growing local and international demand for fish. This increased productivity must be sustainable, however...

by The WorldFish Center TWC | On 01 Feb 2016

Pensions at a Glance Asia/Pacific 2011

National pension provision in Asia/Pacific is very diverse. Nine economies have public schemes that pay earnings-related pensions. They are called “defined-benefit” (DB) schemes because the value of t...

by OECD Development Centre | On 01 Feb 2016

Towards 2030 UN Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals: Technical Challenges in Measuring Gender Inequality in Asia Pacific

Against the backdrop of UN 2030 Sustainable Development agenda, this paper analyses the measurement issues in gender-based indices constructed by UNDP and suggests alternatives for choice of variables...

by | On 01 Feb 2016

A Taste of Success: Examples of the Budget Work of NGOs

This report is a compilation of examples of the budget work undertaken by nongovernmental organizations from around the world. Although many of these organizations are new to budget analysis, they h...

by International Budget Partnership IBP | On 01 Feb 2016

Global Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Women A Human Rights Perspective

A gender analysis of the human rights situation is therefore necessary in order to understand the impact of the crisis on women and their livelihoods. In South Asia, there is an urgent need for engagi...

by Programme on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural PWESCR | On 31 Jan 2016

India’s Role in East Asia: Lessons from Cultural and Historical Linkages

India’s presence in the East Asia Summit signals not only a victory for New Delhi’s “Look East” policy but also an implicit “Look West” policy on the part of India’s neighbors to the east. This conver...

by Ellen L. Frost | On 31 Jan 2016

China and its Peripheries: Beijing and India-Sri Lanka Relations

China has emerged as one of the important factors in India-Sri Lanka relations. It is important to contextualise this intervening variable, before going into various aspects of China’s footprints in S...

by N Manoharan | On 31 Jan 2016

Savings Behaviour In South Asia

Savings behaviour is important because of the close relation between savings and growth. Further, the direction of causality between savings and growth is of critical importance for development policy...

by Ranjan Kumar Dash | On 30 Jan 2016

The Politics Of What Works In Service Delivery: An Evidence-Based Review

This paper examines the evidence on the forms of politics likely to promote inclusive social provisioning and enable, as opposed to constrain, improvements in service outcomes. It focuses on eight rel...

by Claire Mcloughlin | On 30 Jan 2016

State Capacity and Inclusive Development: New Challenges and Directions.

This paper takes stock of recent advancements in the literature on state capacity and connects them tothe study of inclusive development. Specifically, four particular lines of argument are presented....

by Matthias Hau | On 30 Jan 2016

Situational Analysis of Women's Representation in National Politics

The paper reviews the party declarations, election manifestos, party structures and level of women's presence within five different political parties as mentioned above. The election manifestos and co...

by . BRAC | On 30 Jan 2016

National Discourses on Women’s Empowerment in Bangladesh: Continuities and Change

This paper explores how these perceptions and narratives around women’s empowerment have evolved in Bangladesh from 2000 to date. It studies the concepts of women’s empowerment in public discourse and...

by Sohela Nazneen | On 30 Jan 2016

Regional Economic Integration in South Asia: Prospects and Challenges

This paper dwells upon some of the conceptual issues pertaining to regional economic cooperation in general and specific to the South Asian region. It also documents the progress made in SAARC, the SA...

by Ram Upendra Das | On 30 Jan 2016

Does Governance Matter for Enhancing Trade? Empirical Evidence from Asia

The primary objective of this paper is to find whether or not the governance and institutions matter for enhancing Asia’s trade. In this study, we have performed a comprehensive empirical analysis of...

by Prabir De | On 30 Jan 2016

Determinants of Cesarean Deliveries in Pakistan

Role of cesarean section (C Section) is acknowledged worldwide to safe maternal and neonatal life, and especially in countries like Pakistan where maternal health care is not satisfactory. But there i...

by Saman Nazir | On 30 Jan 2016

Fiscal Consolidation and Economic Growth: A Case Study of Pakistan

Pakistan’s economy has witnessed occasional spurts in economic growth, unfortunately, the economic growth has not been sustainable. One of the culprits often cited for haphazard growth experience of P...

by Ahmed Waqar Qasim | On 30 Jan 2016

Impact of Debt on Aggregate Investment and Productivity in Developing Asian Countries

This study attempts to investigate the empirical relationship between debt and productivity and debt and investment for the Developing Asian Countries over the period of 1984-2007. The study uses two...

by Hasan Shahzad | On 30 Jan 2016

Expansion and Evaluation of Social Science Disciplines in Public Sector Universities of Pakistan from 1947 to 2013

The purpose of this research study was to examine the expansion and to evaluate the social sciences in Pakistan. The sample consisted of 60 departments of social sciences from five disciplines (Econom...

by Muhammad Arslan Haider | On 30 Jan 2016

A Safe Public Transportation Environment for Women and Girls

This report provides evidence from three quite different cities in ADB’s Central and West Asia region of the prevalence of women being harassed on public transport. It goes on to show the impacts of t...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 29 Jan 2016

Strategic Gender Interventions and Poverty Reduction: Principles and Practice

This manual has been written as a source book for gender interventions, an analysis of appropriate interventions giving various practical steps, rather than as a set of prescriptions. While the manual...

by Govind Kelkar | On 29 Jan 2016

Making Regional Cooperation Work for South Asia’s Poor

South Asia has attracted global attention because it has experienced rapid GDP growth over the last two decades. What is not so well known is that South Asia is the least integrated region in the worl...

by Ejaz Ghani | On 29 Jan 2016

Palestinian Public Opinion: Attitudes towards Peace Negotiations and National Reconciliation

This report presents selected results of the 2014 Arab Opinion Index from Palestine (the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). The Arab Opinion Index is the largest opinion poll of its kind in the Arab regio...

by | On 29 Jan 2016

A Political History of Relations between Russia and the Gulf States

Russia’s contemporary development of political relations with a number of players in the Gulf – namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the UAE – is taking place as though a continuation of relations...

by | On 29 Jan 2016

Elite Politics and Dissent in Sri Lanka

The year 2015 has been dramatic for politics in Sri Lanka. A Presidential, as well as a General, Election within the first eight months of the year saw the country having a new President and a new gov...

by | On 29 Jan 2016

To Fuse or Not To Fuse? Assessing the Case for Convergent Disciplines on Goods and Services Trade

With the rise of global value chains (GVCs) and the growing prominence of services as both facilitators or very objects of supply chain dynamics, it has become commonplace for goods and services to be...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Climate Variability and Change in the Himalayas: Community Perceptions and Responses

Mountain communities in the developing world are often marginalised from political influence and economic opportunities and generally face high levels of poverty. The ecosystems they dwell in are amon...

by Mirjam Macchi | On 28 Jan 2016

Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia, Extended Summary

The Survey on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Education in India and South Asia was commissioned by infoDev to be undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers, India. The Survey is a third...

by The Survey on Information and Communication Techno ICT | On 28 Jan 2016

Services Trade Agreement in South Asia Contours and Modalities

Available literature on regional trade integration in South Asia points to a variety of economic and non-economic factors that have slowed the integration process. The major non-economic factors inclu...

by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment SAWTEE | On 28 Jan 2016

China and its Peripheries: Limited Objectives in Bhutan

Of all the nations that border China, its comparison with Bhutan would appear to be a paradox. In comprehensive power terms, Bhutan is almost a nonentity to China. Bhutan’s biggest disadvantage is its...

by Tilak Jha | On 28 Jan 2016

Air Pollution Reduction and Control in South Asia

In order to understand the importance of reducing air pollution and its likely trans-boundary effects, it is important to first review the socioeconomic situation of the South Asian member states. Sou...

by Mahmood Khwaja | On 28 Jan 2016

A Legally Binding Agreement (LBA) - Growing Need for Air Pollution Reduction and Control in South Asia

With increasing urbanization and economic growth, air pollution is becoming an urgent concern in South Asian countries. The study upon which this paper is based has been conducted at SDPI, to look int...

by Mahmood Khwaja | On 28 Jan 2016

Scientific Framework for ICIMOD’s Regional Programme on Adaptation to Change

This document elaborates the scientific framework of the Adaptation to Change Programme in an attempt to improve the connections between science, policy, practice, and stakeholders and to tackle chall...

by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Devel ICIMOD | On 28 Jan 2016

The Parameters of a National Minimum Hourly Wage

Both academic and political debates over the minimum wage generally focus on the minimum wage rate. However, the minimum wage is a complex institution composed of a wide variety of parameters. In t...

by Vinish Kathuria | On 28 Jan 2016

Uneven Development and Regionalism: A Critique of Received Theories

This paper attempts at critically examining various theoretical approaches concerning uneven development and regionalism. Major theories propounded by the neo-classical regional school, institutionali...

by Sudarshan Iyengar | On 28 Jan 2016

Building Human Capital in East Asia: What Others Can Learn

While recognizing that education contributes to economic growth, investments in human capital contributed to high economic growth and also to better income distribution in East Asia; and human capital...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Switched On: Youth at the Heart of Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific

Asia and the Pacific is home to 60 per cent of the global population aged 15 to 24 years. Across this geographically, politically, socially, culturally and economically expansive region, youth are a v...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific | On 28 Jan 2016

Inequality and the Imperative for Inclusive Growth in Asia

Developing Asia’s rapid growth rates that have contributed to a remarkable decline in the incidence of poverty have also been accompanied by rising income and expenditure inequalities and persistenc...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Role of Gender in Health Disparity: The South Asian Context

South Asia's girls and women do not have the same life advantage as their Western counterparts. A human rights based approach may help to overcome gender related barriers and improve the wellbeing of...

by Omrana Pasha | On 28 Jan 2016

Effect of Maternal Mental Health on Infant Growth in Low Income Countries: New Evidence from South Asia

Impaired infant growth, a major problem in South Asia, may require interventions to improve maternal mental health in addition to current interventions targeting infant nutrition. Unicef estimates tha...

by Marcus Hughes | On 28 Jan 2016

Can Mandated Political Representation Increase Policy Influence for Disadvantaged Minorities? Theory and Evidence from India

A basic premise of representative democracy is that all those subject to policy should have a voice in its making. However, policies enacted by electorally accountable governments often fail to refle...

by Rohini Pande | On 28 Jan 2016

Women as Policy Makers: Evidence from a Randomized Policy Experiment in India

This paper uses political reservations for women in India to study the impact of women’s leadership on policy decisions. Since the mid-1990’s, one third of Village Council head positions in India hav...

by | On 28 Jan 2016

Migration, Health and Dignity in South Asia: Lessons from the EMPHASIS Project on Migration, Women’s Empowerment and HIV in Bangladesh, India and Nepal

The EMPHASIS project (Enhancing Mobile Populations’ Access to HIV and AIDS Services, Information and Support) has provided a diverse range of services to crossborder migrants in India, Nepal and Bang...

by Prabodh Devkota | On 27 Jan 2016

Unravelling Commitment? An Empirical Assessment of Political Commitment to Reduce Hunger and Undernutrition in Five High Burden Countries

In recent years, the global hunger and nutrition community has increasingly come to view political commitment as an essential ingredient for pushing food and nutrition security higher up public policy...

by | On 26 Jan 2016

The Telangana Turmoil: Apprehensions and Hope

The paper addresses the apprehensions relating to state bifurcation among people of different regions in the state and the country. The paper argues that a new state can not be a threat either to the...

by Madhusudan Bandi | On 26 Jan 2016

Agriculture and Structural Transformation in Developing Asia: Review and Outlook

Extrapolating from past trends, and taking to account emerging conditions, many countries of developing Asia will be expected to move on to the next phase of agricultural development; however even in...

by Roehlano M. Briones | On 25 Jan 2016

Ageing in Emerging Markets

This report describes the outcomes of a 2015 symposium on Ageing in Emerging Markets convened by the Emerging Markets Symposium at Green Templeton College, Oxford. It focusses on the causes and conseq...

by | On 25 Jan 2016

A Quick Analysis of Deposit Interest Rates Offered by Commercial Banks

The main purpose of the survey is to collect data on the extent of the mis-reporting of deposit interest rates, as accurate data is essential for effective financial and monetary policy.

by Md. Ezazul Islam | On 23 Jan 2016

Political Risks in India-North Korea Ties

North Korea’s latest expression of interest in humanitarian help from India has brought into new focus the whole issue of economic engagement between the two countries. India may well have to weigh th...

by | On 23 Jan 2016

Sri Lanka’s Transformational Election

Maithripala Sirisena’s unexpected victory against his former boss and the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka’s presidential election held on 8 January 2015 signifies a major political...

by | On 23 Jan 2016

Climate Change, Food Security and Trade Linkages in South Asia

This Briefing Paper examines the linkages between climate change, food security and trade in South Asia. Studies suggest that in Asia the heat stress due to climate change will reduce crop yields in t...

by Ram Jha | On 23 Jan 2016

Sri Lanka: Towards a ‘National Purpose’

After the heat and dust of the recent parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka, the accord between the country’s two main political parties for a ‘national unity government’ seems to offer the best chance...

by | On 23 Jan 2016

Child Marriage In South Asia

The briefing paper primarily focuses on violations of women’s and girls’ reproductive rights and right to be free from sexual violence arising from child marriage in six South Asian countries—Afghanis...

by Center for Reproductive Rights CRR | On 23 Jan 2016

Economic Growth In South Asia: Role Of Infrastructure

The paper examines the output elasticity of infrastructure for four South Asian countries viz., India,Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka using Pedroni’s panel cointegration technique for the period 19...

by Ranjan Kumar Dash | On 23 Jan 2016

Prospects for Regional Cooperation on Cross-Border Electricity Trade in South Asia

Energy remains one of the key inputs to socio-economic progress in developing societies. South Asian nations, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lank...

by Anoop Singh | On 23 Jan 2016

Building Mutual Understanding for Effective Development

In recent years a number of countries, referred to collectively as the rising powers, have achieved rapid economic growth and increased political influence. In many cases their experience challenges r...

by Institute of Development Studies IDS | On 23 Jan 2016

Five Fingers or One Hand? The BRICS in Development Cooperation

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are increasingly prominent in development cooperation activities in low-income countries in Africa and worldwide, presenting a pote...

by Institute of Development Studies IDS | On 23 Jan 2016

What are the Factors Enabling and Constraining Effective Leaders in Nutrition? A Four Country Study

This study of individuals identified as influential within nutrition in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya and India examines why particular individuals champion nutrition policy, and how they operate in the...

by Nicholas Nisbett | On 23 Jan 2016

Scenarios of Waste and Resource Management: for Cities in India and Elsewhere

The report identifies four future scenarios of this complex waste/resource management landscape using tools from Foresight methods and political economy analysis. We also identify the dynamics within...

by Ashish Chaturvedi | On 23 Jan 2016

East Asia in 2015

The future political landscape of Asia-Pacific would largely be decided, arguably, by happenings in the East Asian region. It is so because in East Asia, the interests of three important players of wo...

by Sandip Kumar Mishra | On 23 Jan 2016

Children still battling to go to school

The 2011 EFA Global Monitoring Report exposed the hidden crisis of education in conflict-affected countries. Two years later, to mark the birthday of Malala, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot by the Talib...

by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultura UNESCO | On 23 Jan 2016

Modeling Interest Rate Cycles in India

The present study tries to examine the behaviour of various Indian interest rates such as call money rate, and yields on secondary market securities with maturity periods of 15 to 91 days, 1-year, 5-y...

by B B Bhattacharya | On 22 Jan 2016

India and APEC An Appraisal

This Study surveys the progress that APEC has made towards promoting regional economic cooperation and integration. It examines the desirability of India joining APEC and looks at possible benefits an...

by V. S. Seshadri | On 21 Jan 2016

Access, Equity and Inclusion : Ethical Norms and S&T Policy Outcomes

In our research on science policy and inclusion and ethics in S&T policy we identified that in the Indian context Access, Equity and Inclusion (AEI) can be the norms to assess the policy outcomes and...

by Krishna Ravi Srinivas | On 21 Jan 2016

Political Commitment In India’s Social Policy Implementation: Shaping The Performance of MGNREGA

This paper contributes to the empirical understanding of the concept of commitment and the role it plays in shaping India’s social policy implementation. Taking the case of the landmark policy, the Ma...

by Deepta Chopra | On 21 Jan 2016

Climate Change and Cities

This paper is a study of climate change discourse in urban India. It suggests that the policies being articulated to deal with climate issues are premised on incremental changes rather than radical re...

by Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay | On 21 Jan 2016

China’s Dams & Regional Security Implications An Indian Perspective

This brief provides a historical-cum-ongoing account as well as an assessment of the future of China’s dam-building exercise, its rationale and consequences at all levels – geographically, environment...

by Dhanasree Jayaram | On 21 Jan 2016

Accelerating Reductions in Undernutrition: What can nutrition governance tell us?

In order to accelerate progress on undernutrition reduction we need to understand how the governance of nutrition programmes leads to successful outcomes. Based on evidence from six countries: Banglad...

by Institute of Development Studies IDS | On 21 Jan 2016

BRICS and South-South Cooperation in Medicine: Emerging Trends in Research and Entrepreneurial Collaborations

The research is a collaboration in health biotechnology and shows relatively strong involvement of the emerging economies BRICS, apart from some of the other economies such as Cuba, also actively purs...

by Sachin Chaturvedi | On 21 Jan 2016

India 2050: Can We Celebrate the Centenary of the Republic as a Developed Country?

The paper argues that there is great disparity of incomes between developed and developing countries. Relative income gap of the developing countries which was 10.8 per cent in 2000 was 15.1 per cent...

by | On 21 Jan 2016

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) has emerged as a major regional initiative for trade and investment liberalisation and towards enhancing competitiveness of the twelve participant countries drawn f...

by V. S. Seshadri | On 21 Jan 2016

Demographic Change, Brain Drain, and Human Capital: Development Potentials in Services-Driven South Asia

This discussion paper seeks to understand the nature of the ongoing demographic transition in South Asia and the challenges faced by the countries of the region to augment their future supply of skill...

by Biswajit Dhar | On 21 Jan 2016

People Matter Civic Engagement in Public Governance

The World Public Sector Report 2008, People Matter, Civic Engagement in Public Governance presents a picture of the evolution of current governance challenges, especially from the point of view of the...

by UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDESA | On 20 Jan 2016

Zinc Status in South Asian Populations—An Update

This article attempts to highlight the prevalence of zinc deficiency and its health and economic consequences in South Asian developing countries and to shed light on possible approaches to combating...

by S Akhtar | On 20 Jan 2016

2014 revision of the World Urbanization Prospects

Today, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050. Projections show that urbanization combined with the overall growth...

by United Nations (UN) | On 19 Jan 2016

Examining the Catalytic Effect of Aid on Domestic Resource Mobilization for Social Transfers in Low-Income Countries

Social transfers, a non-contributory form of social protection, present a great potential to tackle poverty and inequality, and support inclusive socioeconomic development. Yet, they also represent a...

by | On 19 Jan 2016

Profile of the Protestors

This report presents the findings of a short survey of pro- and anti-government demonstrators in Bangkok conducted on November 30, 2013. The aim of the survey is two-fold: 1) to learn about the demogr...

by The Asia Foundation | On 19 Jan 2016

Myanmar 2014: Civic Knowledge and Values in a Changing Society

This is an Asia Foundation survey to document public knowledge and awareness of new government institutions and processes, and to gauge the political, social, and economic values held by people from d...

by The Asia Foundation | On 19 Jan 2016

Nepal: Finding a Way Forward

Nepal is no stranger to Constitution drafting, having gone through six such rounds since 1948, with the seventh culminating in September 2015. This recent exercise, however, was unique as it was condu...

by Rakesh Sood | On 19 Jan 2016

Linkages between Internal and International Migrations: Policy Implications for Development

This paper is organized in three main sections. The first section provides some definitions of the key terms and describes how both internal and international migration impact on development. An under...

by | On 19 Jan 2016

Evolution of Capital Structure in East Asia: Corporate Inertia or Endeavours?

The present paper examines the capital structure adjustment dynamics of listed non-financial corporations in seven East Asian countries during 1994-2002. Compared to firms in the least affected countr...

by Sarmistha Pal | On 19 Jan 2016

Openness and Technological Innovation in East Asia: Have They Increased the Demand for Skills?

This paper asks whether the increased openness and technological innovation in East Asia have contributed to an increased demand for skills in the region. We explore a unique firm level data set acros...

by Rita Almeida | On 19 Jan 2016

The Perils Of Peace: Re-Imagining Risk And Reward In South Asia

There are India studies programs around the country in many institutions, but no university has made the commitment to dedicate a graduate level and senior research level focus on contemporary India i...

by Steve Coll | On 19 Jan 2016

Does Clientelism Work? A Test Of Guessability In India

Research on clientelism broadly assumes that local political agents, or brokers, possess fine-grained information on voters’ political preferences, and often can directly or indirectly monitor their v...

by Mark Schneider | On 18 Jan 2016

Whose Side Are You On? Identifying The Distributive Preferences of Local Politicians in India

The literature on decentralized public programs suggests that errors in the targeting of anti-poverty programs are rooted in the capture of these programs by local elites or local politicians. Consist...

by Mark Schneider | On 18 Jan 2016

A Tale Of Two Villages: Kinship Networks And Political Preference Change In Rural India

This paper develops a theory on how voters form and change political preferences in democratic developing world contexts. In the developing world, where state institutions are often weak, voters tend...

by Neelanjan Sircar | On 18 Jan 2016

From Congress-System to Non-hegemonic Multi-party Competition: Politics in Maharashtra

The paper reviews the changing nature of politics in the state of Maharashtra – an important subnational state in India. Politics in the state underwent a shift in 1978 and later again in 1990s. The p...

by | On 18 Jan 2016

The Global Risks Report 2016

The Global Risks Report 2016 features perspectives from nearly 750 experts on the perceived impact and likelihood of 29 prevalent global risks over a 10-year timeframe. The risks are divided into five...

by World Economic Forum [WEF] | On 18 Jan 2016

Transfer Behaviour in Migrant Sending Communities

We study how international migration changes the private transfers made between households in the migrant sending communities of developing countries. A priori, it is indeterminate whether migration a...

by | On 15 Jan 2016

A Survey of the Role of Fiscal Policy in Addressing Income Inequality, Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth

A growing concern on widening income gap between the rich and the poor, the policy mismatch in tackling the relative poverty and income inequality have invited increasing volumes of research focusing...

by | On 15 Jan 2016

Can Private School Growth Foster Universal Literacy? Panel Evidence from Indian Districts

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set the agenda for the attainment of universal literacy by 2015 primarily to be delivered by the state sector. This agenda tends to ignore the significant private s...

by | On 15 Jan 2016

Household Survey Data for Research on Well-Being and Behavior in Central Asia

This paper summarizes the micro-level survey evidence from Central Asia generated and analyzed between 1991 and 2012. We provide an exhaustive overview over all accessible individual and household-lev...

by Tilman Brück | On 15 Jan 2016

Reclaiming the Grassland for the Cheetah: Science And Nature Conservation In India

The role of scientists in influencing the aims and priorities of biological conservation in developing countries has been a topic of debate and needs elucidation. The Asiatic cheetah reintroduction pl...

by | On 14 Jan 2016

Challenges for Economic Empowerment of Women In South Asia

This paper examines the changing work profiles of women in the South Asian region, with all elements of contradictions, in terms of doubling their burdens or empowering them. Are the newer avenues for...

by Preet Rustagi | On 13 Jan 2016

Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2016

Regional integration efforts have intensified at varying levels over the years to implement the regional integration initiatives of ASEAN, ASEAN+3 and ASEAN+6. Current efforts are still not enough to...

by OECD Development Centre | On 13 Jan 2016

From Aid to Global Development Policy

The international community has advanced in reforming the international aid system. Such reform comes at a time when there is a renewed skepticism about aid effectiveness and when the crisis sheds new...

by José Alonso | On 11 Jan 2016

Recipients and Contributors: Middle income countries and the future of development cooperation

The new role that middle-income countries (MICs) play in the global landscape obliges international community to review the configuration of the development cooperation system. On the one hand, MICs s...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Absorbing Innovative Financial Flows: Looking at Asia

This paper explores the scope for Innovative Development Finance (IDF) to compensate for declining Official Development Assistance (ODA) and/or to enhance the efficiency of ODA. It shows that IDF has...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

The Contexts of Social Inclusion

In light of the emphasis on “inclusion” in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper contends that social exclusion and inclusion are context-dependent concepts in at least three senses. Fi...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Navigating Climate Change: Extenuating Strategies to Combat Climate Migration Threats

This paper aims to test the validity of the hypothesis that climate change in the coming years is likely to induce massive migration to and from South Asia, both within and across the borders. This pa...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Transmission of Volatility of Money Market Overnight Repo Rate along the Yield Curve in Pakistan

This paper presents the empirical results of the volatility transmission of money market overnight repo rate along the yield curve in Pakistan. The results indicate that the transmission of volatilit...

by Asif Mahmood | On 11 Jan 2016

Trans-Pacific Partnership and India’s Emerging Challenges

The conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations has major implications for India, which is aspiring for a larger role in the regional architecture of the Asia-Pacific. India will ha...

by Amitendu Palit | On 10 Jan 2016

Malaise in Maldives: A Pristine Paradise or a Painful Purgatory?

The implications of recent events in Maldives go far beyond the pristine shores of that enchanting archipelago. The paper discusses the larger geopolitical implications of the suspension of democracy,...

by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury | On 09 Jan 2016

An Aspirational ‘new wave’ of India-Pakistan Dialogue

The success of the new “comprehensive bilateral dialogue”, between India and Pakistan on terrorist strike at an Indian military installation if launched by mid-January 2016 as anticipated, is not ass...

by P S Suryanarayana | On 09 Jan 2016

Towards ‘Make in South Asia’ Theoretical Basis and Policy Responses for Evolving Regional Values Chains

The paper presents the theoretical canvass emphasising the need to adopt an integrated approach towards trade in goods, trade in services and investment in a regional framework. In this context, rules...

by Ram Upendra Das | On 09 Jan 2016

India-Myanmar Ties: New Hope, Old Despair

India’s current trade negotiations have three agreements as top priorities. Two of these the India ASEAN services agreement and the bilateral trade and investment agreement with the European Union (EU...

by Laldinkima Sailo | On 09 Jan 2016

Competitive Diplomacy of India and China

India and China, viewing themselves as key players within the BRICS which they see in a worldwide perspective, had in fact made two different global commitments on the eve of this Brisbane G20 summit....

by P S Suryanarayana | On 09 Jan 2016

New ‘Oil Shock’ – Impact on South Asia

In the 1970s, the oil-producing and exporting countries of the Middle East delivered a shock to the global economic system that had many unexpected consequences. The then-quadrupling of the price of o...

by Shahid Javed Burki | On 09 Jan 2016

South Asia’s Economic Changes and Diaspora Groups

The paper looks at the flow of ideas from the South Asian Diaspora groups to their original homelands. This is occurring in the areas of economic management and political change. As a result of the in...

by Shahid Javed Burki | On 09 Jan 2016

Is India Making Waves in South China Sea?

The South China Sea (SCS) disputes are regarded as one of the most difficult regional conflicts in the Asia-Pacific, in an ‘arena of escalating contention. This paper looks at India’s interests and st...

by Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy | On 09 Jan 2016

The Afghanistan Conflict in its Historical Context

Afghanistan has long been used as a battleground for strategic wars by larger external powers. This is in part due to its geographic position between the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia. Acco...

by Riaz Hassan | On 09 Jan 2016

Initiative for ‘Southern Silk Route’ Linking Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar

This paper looks at the ‘BCIM Regional Cooperation’ and the related proposal to revive the ‘Southern Silk Route’ connecting China and India through Bangladesh and Myanmar. The aim is to understand the...

by | On 09 Jan 2016

India’s Popular Culture in Southeast Asia

This paper will explore India’s influence on Southeast Asia during the 20th century, with a focus on its cultural dimensions. The Indian independence movement in particular played a significant role i...

by Rahul Advani | On 09 Jan 2016

Modi’s Foreign Policy: Focus on the Diaspora

The paper reviews the evolution of India’s diaspora policy and examines the possibilities and pitfalls that could arise from Delhi’s new political enthusiasm for overseas Indian communities. Engagemen...

by C. Raja Mohan | On 09 Jan 2016

A Tortured History : Federalism and Democracy in Pakistan

The Pakistan Army’s ideological hegemony, especially in the country’s Punjabi-speaking heartland, the continuing focus on the state’s narrative of a religion-based unitary identity which is under a co...

by Aasim Akhtar | On 08 Jan 2016

Patterns and Politics of Migration in South Asia

Migration is an important social and historical reality in South Asia. In the past decade, migration from one country to another and internal migration (i.e. migration within a particular country) hav...

by Sanjay Barbora | On 08 Jan 2016

Natural Resources Contested in Autonomous Councils: Assessing the Causes of Ethnic Conflict in North-East India

Constitutional arrangements for peripheral areas in India reflect the national government’s instrumentalist attempts at decentralising bureaucratic and administrative control in far-flung (essentially...

by Sanjay Barbora | On 08 Jan 2016

Impact of Participatory Forest Management on Financial Assets of Rural Communities in Northwest Pakistan

The system of participatory (or joint) forest management was commenced in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan in 1996 through Asian Development Bank's funded project. These forest refo...

by Tanvir Ali | On 08 Jan 2016

Analysis of Myths and Realities of Deforestation in Northwest Pakistan: Implications for Forestry Extension

Pakistan is among those countries, which have very high deforestation rate. The remaining forests are very diverse in nature and of significant importance for the country’s economy and livelihoods of...

by Tanvir Ali | On 08 Jan 2016

World Population Prospects The 2015 Revision

Understanding the demographic changes that are likely to unfold over the coming years, as well as the challenges and opportunities that they present for achieving sustainable development, is important...

by United Nations (UN) | On 08 Jan 2016

Prevention and Resolution of Foreign Exchange Crises in East Asia

This paper discusses mechanisms to prevent and resolve foreign exchange crises in East Asia. Policies and mechanisms at the country level as well as regional and global levels are discussed. Policies...

by Andrew Cooper | On 07 Jan 2016

Institutions for Asian Integration: Innovation and Reform

The formation of regional production networks in East Asia has occurred mainly through market forces, without much help from regional institutions in promoting the creation of a single Asian market. W...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 07 Jan 2016

Conflict through a Gender Lens

This brief suggests that those seeking an in-depth understanding of the social and political world need to apply a feminist curiosity – that is, a curiosity about the roles gender plays at all levels...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

New Measures of the Trilemma Hypothesis: Implications for Asia

The authors develop a new set of indexes of exchange rate stability, monetary policy independence, and financial market openness as the metrics for the trilemma hypothesis. In their exploration, they...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 07 Jan 2016

Asia-Latin America Free Trade Agreements: An Instrument for Inter-Regional Liberalization and Integration?

Trade integration and free trade agreement (FTA)-led cooperation between Asia and Latin America has increased since the early 2000s. Using new criteria, this paper examines whether Asia-Latin America...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 07 Jan 2016

Navigating a Changing World Economy: ASEAN, the People's Republic of China, and India

Most projections envision continued rapid growth in the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and India (collectively, ACI) over the next...

by Fan Zhai | On 07 Jan 2016

Production Networks, Profits, and Innovative Activity: Evidence from Malaysia and Thailand

Cross-border production networks have been playing an increasingly important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries’ trade in recent years, but micro-level studies are ra...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 07 Jan 2016

Innovative Strategies in Higher Education for Accelerated Human Resource Development in South Asia Nepal

The report herein provide in-depth analysis of the state of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education in Nepal.

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 07 Jan 2016

A Tortured History: Federalism and Democracy in Pakistan

This paper looks at the Pakistan Army’s ideological hegemony, especially in the country’s Punjabi-speaking heartland, the continuing focus on the state’s narrative of a religion-based unitary identity...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

Financing Development Cooperation in Northeast Asia

Infrastructure connectivity in Northeast Asia — comprising the northeastern People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and the Russi...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 07 Jan 2016

The 2030 Architecture of Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Agreements

This paper investigates and analyzes the present status, potential, and prospects of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) free trade agreements (FTAs). The move towards the ASEAN Economic Co...

by Suthiphand Chirathivat | On 07 Jan 2016

Public Health and International Partnerships in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Published reports on public health in DPRK are uncommon, but recent planning and financial sustainability exercises, population-based surveys, and other reports, all available online, indicate recover...

by John Grundy | On 07 Jan 2016

Development Trajectories, Emission Profile, and Policy Actions:Singapore

Singapore is the most industrialized and urbanized country in Southeast Asia and is totally dependent on oil and natural gas imports to satisfy its energy needs. Its national energy policy framework s...

by Tilak Doshi | On 07 Jan 2016

Cross-Border Price Differentials and Goods Market Integration in East Asia

As cross-border movements of goods, capital, and labor are intensifying, it is likely that goods markets in East Asia will become increasingly integrated. This study investigates the current state of...

by Woosik Moon | On 07 Jan 2016

Negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: Evaluation and Implications for East Asian Regionalism

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement seems to have reached a crossroads: it could either be a building block toward achieving economic integration in Asia and the Pacific, or trigger the form...

by Inkyo Cheong | On 07 Jan 2016

Multilateralizing Asian Regionalism

Motivated by the proliferation of free trade agreements (FTAs) in Asia over the last decade, this paper studies the challenges faced by the Asian “noodle bowl” — overlapping, multiple trade rules, reg...

by Richard Baldwin | On 07 Jan 2016

Special Study on Sustainable Fisheries Management and International Trade in the Southeast Asia and Pacific Region

This paper analyzes the current status of fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia and international trade. Analysis concludes that a policy of sustainable management for both capture fisheries and...

by Masayuki Komatsu | On 07 Jan 2016

Internal and International Migration in South East Asia

This chapter examines the key developments and challenges of internal (domestic) and external (international) migration in Southeast Asia by looking at their main features and key drivers. Internal mi...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

Regional Trade Agreements and Enterprises in Southeast Asia

This paper undertakes a comparative and firm-level analysis of the impact of regional trade agreements (RTAs) in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It finds that firm-heterogeneity matters in RT...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 07 Jan 2016

The Impact of Household Health Shocks on Female Time Allocation and Agricultural Labor Participation in Rural Pakistan

There have been few empirical studies in the developing world and the agricultural sector, on the impact of negative health shocks on household well-being. Does the pervasive effect of a negative hous...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

Migration, Gender, and Farming Systems in Asia

Limited statistics on internal migration, international migration, and remittances worldwide prohibit understanding of migration’s role in the agricultural transformation process. Insights from the qu...

by | On 07 Jan 2016

ASEAN Economic Integration through Trade and Foreign Direct Investment: Long-Term Challenges

This paper explores the long-term challenges for trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The region has emerged as an important production base...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 06 Jan 2016

Results and Analysis of the Perception Survey: Unemployed Youth of Bhutan

This paper presents results and findings from a survey aimed at understanding perceptions among Bhutan’s unemployed youth. It also provides analysis of the results and concludes with an eight point pl...

by | On 06 Jan 2016

Indian Higher Education Reform: From Half-Baked Socialism to Half-Baked Capitalism

This paper examines the political economy of Indian higher (tertiary) education. We first provide an empirical mapping of Indian higher education and demonstrate that higher education in India is bein...

by | On 05 Jan 2016

Internal Migration, Poverty and Development in Asia

This article explores the relationship between internal migration and economic growth and development in Asia, concentrating on four countries: China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. Levels of internal...

by | On 05 Jan 2016

Land Laws, Administration and Forced Displacement in Andhra Pradesh, India

The present study was taken up in this context with the objective of examining the land laws and administration in AP and see how the existing laws are implemented, forced acquisition of lands is ta...

by Ramachandraiah C | On 05 Jan 2016

Stories of Change in Nutrition: A Tool Pool

This paper—which draws on inputs to, and discussions at, a methods development workshop—highlights the various concepts, methods, and tools that SoC researchers are considering to measure nutrition-re...

by | On 04 Jan 2016

Democracy in Indonesia A Survey of the Indonesian Electorate 2003

This report presents the findings of The Asia Foundation’s third national survey of the ndonesian electorate. The aim of the research was to assess voter knowledge and opinion, and to identify key iss...

by The Asia Foundation | On 02 Jan 2016

H Net Review: Leonard on Beverley Hyderabad

Review of Hyderabad, British India, and the World: Muslim Networks and Minor Sovereignty, c.1850–1950 by Eric Beverley. Cambridge University Press, 2015. 364 pp. $99.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-1-107-09119-1...

by | On 02 Jan 2016

Review Article: Mapping India’s Future A Complementary Perspective

Review of The Turn of the Tortoise: The Challenge and Promise of India’s Future by T.N.Ninan; Allen Lane by Penguin India, 2015; Pp 368, Rs 699.

by Suryanarayana M H | On 02 Jan 2016

Towards 'Make in South Asia' Evolving Regional Values Chains

One of the most important ways in which several of the common developmental challenges in South Asia could be addressed is by focusing on manufacturing. This paper highlights insights from the status...

by Ram Das | On 02 Jan 2016

Summary of Indonesia's Gender Analysis

Indonesia has made significant progress in promoting gender equality. Gender gaps in the youth literacy rate have been eliminated. Near parity in enrollment rates in elementary up to tertiary levels h...

by Uzma Hoque | On 01 Jan 2016

Local Funds and Political Competition: Evidence from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in India

This paper examines how local politics affects public fund allocations. It uses the context of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in India which was introduced by the Indian National Congr...

by Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay | On 01 Jan 2016

Developing Myanmar’s Information and Communication Technology Sector toward Inclusive Growth

Myanmar is expected to grow at least 6.8% per year in the coming years. Accompanying this growth will be an increase in demand for infrastructure services, including ICT-related services, both for co...

by Kee-Yung Nam | On 01 Jan 2016

Managing Capital Flows in Asia: An Overview of Key Issues

Global capital flows into emerging markets, including those in Asia, continue to be volatile, generating both benefits and costs. The latter are associated with episodes of currency and banking crises...

by Ramón López | On 01 Jan 2016

Open Educational Resources: Enhancing Education Provision and Practice

Open educational resources made their appearance in early 2002 as a promising tool for enhancing the quality of and access to education and were perceived to have the potential to reduce costs by reus...

by Jouko Sarvi | On 01 Jan 2016

The Impact of Infrastructure on Trade and Economic Growth in Selected Economies in Asia

This paper examines the economic and trade effects of infrastructure in Asia. Infrastructure plays a key role in facilitating trade, especially since recent trade liberalization in Asia has resulted i...

by Jamilah Mahyideen | On 01 Jan 2016

Partial Minimum Wage Compliance

In many developing countries, a significant portion of the wage distribution is found below the legal minimum wage. In order to fully understand the nature of this non-compliance, we need to compare t...

by Delia Furtado | On 01 Jan 2016

Is Fiscal Decentralization Conflict Abating? Routine Violence and District Level Government in Java, Indonesia

Utilising a newly created data set we examine the relationship between routine/everyday violence and fiscal decentralization in 98 districts of the Indonesian island of Java. By examining possible rel...

by Mohammad Tadjoeddin | On 30 Dec 2015

Service Sector Productivity and Economic Growth in Asia

This paper explores the impacts of more rapid growth in labor productivity in the service sector in Asia based on an empirical general equilibrium model. The model allows for input-output linkages and...

by Jong-Wha Lee | On 30 Dec 2015

The Relationship between Structural Change and Inequality: A Conceptual Overview with Special Reference to Developing Asia

Structural change has a far-reaching impact on inequality. Extensive structural change is both a cause and consequence of the exceptionally rapid economic growth, which enabled developing Asia to rais...

by Donghyun Park | On 30 Dec 2015

From a Centralized to a Decentralized Global Economic Architecture: An Overview

This paper argues that calls for a New Bretton Woods system in the aftermath of the global economic crisis — similar to the remarkable 1944 Bretton Woods conference that led to the establishment of va...

by Pradumna Rana | On 30 Dec 2015

Southeast Asia and the Economics of Global Climate Stabilization

Southeast Asia is vulnerable to climate change, yet is also on a carbon intensive development trajectory.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has analyzed the potential role the region can play in climate...

by Jindra Samson | On 29 Dec 2015

Strengthening Municipal Governance through Performance-based Budget Allocation in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, pourashavas are an alternative destination to large cities. With the influx of urban residents within the next decades, governments and development partners must lead pourashavas toward...

by Norio Saito | On 29 Dec 2015

Public Debt Sustainability in Developing Asia: An Update

The paper updates debt sustainability analysis (DSA) for developing Asia, conducted in 2011. With the benefit of hindsight, the accuracy of the earlier debt ratio forecasts and underlying macroeconomi...

by Benno Ferrarini | On 29 Dec 2015

ASEAN 2030: Challenges of Building a Mature Political and Security Community

The paper examines ASEAN’s political and security challenges and prospects in the coming two decades. The challenges facing ASEAN could be classified into six broad categories: (1) the shifting balanc...

by Amitav Acharya | On 29 Dec 2015

Financial Crisis as a Catalyst of Legal Reforms: The Case of Asia

This paper discusses how financial crises in emerging Asia and Japan worked as catalysts for legal reforms. Findings show that six Asian countries pursued significant legal and judicial reforms follow...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 29 Dec 2015

Trade in Value Added: An East Asian Perspective

This paper aims to provide a non-technical explanation of the concept of trade in value added, with particular reference to East Asia. The trade in value added approach allows us to redefine the relat...

by Satoshi Inomata | On 29 Dec 2015

An Asian Perspective on Global Financial Reforms

The purpose of this study is to better understand the likely impact on Asian economies and financial institutions of various recent global financial reforms, including Basel III capital adequacy and l...

by Peter Morgan | On 29 Dec 2015

Monetary Policy Frameworks in Asia: Experience, Lessons, and Issues

This paper reviews the history of East Asian monetary policy frameworks since 1990; describes current monetary policy frameworks, including issue of price versus financial stability for a central bank...

by Peter Morgan | On 29 Dec 2015

The India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and the Proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: A Closer Look

The India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement has been in operation for more than a decade. The paper provides the Sri Lankan perspective of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) highlighting both the positive ou...

by Saman Kelegama | On 29 Dec 2015

Connecting South Asia to Southeast Asia: Cross-Border Infrastructure Investments

Most of the trade between South Asia and Southeast Asia is by sea. However, with improved infrastructure and easier border crossing procedures, land traffic could grow to boost trade in goods, service...

by Jean-Francois Gautrin Gautrin | On 29 Dec 2015

The Role of Sri Lanka in Enhancing Connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia

Improving physical connectivity between South and Southeast Asia has long been recognized as a key element in promoting greater trade and investment linkages within the region. As an island economy, S...

by Dushni Weerakoon | On 29 Dec 2015

Policies to Enhance Trade Facilitation in South Asia and Southeast Asia

This paper discusses trade facilitation in the context of enhancing trading links between South and Southeast Asia, in a manner understandable to the non-specialist. Presently, these two Asian regions...

by Anthony Bayley | On 29 Dec 2015

Economic Implications of Deeper South Asian–Southeast Asian Integration: A CGE Approach

The paper estimates the potential gains to be large, particularly for South Asia, assuming that the policy- and infrastructure-related variables that increase trade costs are reduced via economic coop...

by Fan Zhai | On 29 Dec 2015

A Connectivity-Driven Development Strategy for Nepal: From a Landlocked to a Land-Linked State

Nepal's lackluster economic performance during the post-conflict period (that is, after November 2006) has been driven by remittances from the export of labor services and the improved performance of...

by Pradumna Rana | On 29 Dec 2015

Response of Stock Markets to Monetary Policy: An Asian Stock Market Perspective

We estimate the response of Asian stock market prices to exogenous monetary policy shocks using a vector error correction model. In our paper, monetary policy transmits to stock market price through t...

by Farzana Sehrin | On 29 Dec 2015

Connecting South and Southeast Asia: Implementation Challenges and Coordination

With closer regional integration there is increasing interest within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and on the part of ASEAN's dialogue partners in the potential gains of closer co...

by Termsak Chalermpalanupap | On 29 Dec 2015

Migration from North-East to Urban Centres: A Study of Delhi Region

It is only very recently that out-migration of natives of the North East Region to other localities in India became a problem of apprehension. Though the natives of the North East Region are tradition...

by Babu Remesh | On 26 Dec 2015

Why Do SMEs Not Borrow More from Banks? Evidence from the People's Republic of China and Southeast Asia

This study examines the relationship between firm characteristics and borrowing from commercial banks by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and five Sout...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 24 Dec 2015

Assessing the Experience of South Asia–East Asia Integration and India's Role

This paper examines the gains for South Asian economies from integratingwith East Asia and India’s role in this process. Evidence of increased pan-Asian integration exists but the process is uneven. B...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 24 Dec 2015

Income Distributions, Inequality, and Poverty in Asia, 1992–2010

In this paper, income distributions for developing countries in Asia are modeled using beta-2 distributions, which are estimated by a method of moments procedure applied to grouped data. Estimated par...

by Duangkamon Chotikapanich | On 24 Dec 2015

Youth and Employment among the BRICS

This report is dedicated to the analysis of the usage of social programmes to promote youth employment in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries. In light of the 2014 BRIC...

by | On 24 Dec 2015

Connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia: A Bangladesh Country Study

Economic integration is being inhibited by the poor state of transport connectivity between Bangladesh, and South Asia and Southeast Asia. This study reviews connectivity initiatives of Bangladesh and...

by Mustafizur Rahman | On 23 Dec 2015

Financial Inclusion, Regulation, and Education in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has achieved a high level of financial inclusion compared to other South Asian countries. Its financial sector comprises a wide range of financial institutions providing financial services s...

by Saman Kelegama | On 23 Dec 2015

Policy Options for India in Bangladesh

This brief explores future policy options for India in Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh share historical, geographical and cultural bonds. Bangladesh has ‘Bengali’ a lingual and cultural attachment wi...

by Sanjay Bhardwaj | On 23 Dec 2015

The Political Economy of Transitions: Governance Assessments and Measurements

This discussion paper examines existing methods for measuring aspects of political transitions. The paper canvasses and examines existing measurement tools that focus on some, but not all, relevant di...

by United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] | On 23 Dec 2015

Enhancing Youth Political Participation throughout the Electoral Cycle

This guide identifies key entry points for the inclusion of young people in political and electoral processes and compiles good practice examples of mechanisms for youth political empowerment around t...

by United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] | On 23 Dec 2015

Oil and State Capitalism: Government-Firm Coopetition in China and India

This paper examines the domestic sources of the internationalization of national oil companies (NOCs) in China and India. It argues that – counter to notions of state-led internationalization – the go...

by Jonas Mecklinga | On 23 Dec 2015

The Iran-Pakistan-India Pipeline - The Intersection of Energy Politics

This paper seeks to identify the strategic and economic variables involved in India’s decision about whether or not to pursue a proposed natural gas pipeline from Iran. There is a lot of misinformatio...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Cricket and Indian National Consciousness

It is recognized that there are close links between sport and politics, and in particular between sport and national consciousness. The Olympic Games and the football, rugby and cricket World Cups hav...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Shia and Iranian Ascendance: Sunni and American Perceptions

The primary aim of this paper, however, is not to account for the historical/political rise of Shiaism or of Iran, or even debate the existence of the so-called ‘Shia Crescent,’ but to examine instead...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

National Refugee Law for India: Benefits and Roadblocks

This paper intends to ascertain whether a uniform national law would be beneficial to the interests of the three main parties involved with refugee policy in India, namely the Government of India, the...

by Arjun Nair | On 22 Dec 2015

The Sikh Diaspora and the Quest for Khalistan: A Search for Statehood or for Self-preservation?

This paper will reexamine the role of the Sikh Diaspora in the Sikh separatist movement, commencing in the 1980s, that loomed over the political, security, social, and humanitarian makeup of the Indi...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

Lull in the Rice Fields: The Asian Experience

The strengthening of El Niño weather phenomenon has led to lower than average rainfall for India’s monsoon season, thereby raising concerns for paddy crops production.

by Aritra Chakrabarty | On 21 Dec 2015

Transitions to K-12 Education Systems Experiences from Five Case Countries

Preparing and implementing a K–12 transition absorbs considerable financial and human resources. It follows that the reasons for restructuring must be compelling. It follows that the reasons for restr...

by | On 21 Dec 2015

The High and Low Politics of Trade

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is in trouble. Its negotiating mechanism has mostly seized up, as reflected in the failure to conclude the long-running Doha Round. No obvious solution to this conun...

by | On 21 Dec 2015

The Sunday Edit: Lengthening Shadows

The Paris attacks should warn us that the threat from ISIS is real and poses a challenge to the security environment in India.

by Reshmi Kazi | On 20 Dec 2015

Missed Opportunities in Global Health: Identifying New Strategies to Improve Mental Health in LMICs

Countries like South Africa and India are putting new mental health policies in place. There is now a clear agenda of “what to deliver” to make this deplorable reality better, and indeed a nascent adv...

by Victoria Menil | On 19 Dec 2015

Exchange Rate Reform in South Sudan

This paper considers the role of the exchange rate in the economy and its importance as a macroeconomic instrument, and outlines the policy choices that are available to governments in general, and th...

by Keith Jefferis | On 18 Dec 2015

India's Sri Lanka Policy: Towards Economic Engagement

India's Sri Lanka policy has built upon economic engagement to cooperate on initiatives of strategic importance. The lesson one can learn from this is the potential of economic linkages to overcome a...

by | On 18 Dec 2015

Pakistan: Politics, Religion & Extremism

The study attempts to investigate whether it is relative deprivation as Ted Gurr suggests or the element of fear that pushed the Muslim majority Pakistan into a cycle of religious violence due to the...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Environments: A Critical Analysis of the UN Approach in Timor-Leste, Liberia and Nepal

This paper looks at possible alternatives to UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions with a view to establishing if there are organizations or other interested parties, which may be more effective...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

Politics of UNSC Sanctions: The Issue of Nuclear Weapons Development

The paper tries to explain the imposition of sanctions by the UNSC on Iran and North Korea and the absence of UNSC sanctions on India and Pakistan. Although there are aspects in the sanctions on Iran...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

China and Myanmar: Strategic Interests, Strategies and the Road Ahead

This research paper is divided into two parts to provide a more complete view of how both countries think in term of their ambitions and the methods they deem important to achieve them. This paper arg...

by | On 17 Dec 2015

Post - Harvest Management of Mushrooms with Special Reference to Himachal Pradesh

The mushrooms of Himachal Pradesh should be established 'As a quality produce of India' in foreign markets to exploit present declining trend of mushroom production in many producing countries. In a...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 17 Dec 2015

The Brics Development Bank

This policy brief recommends that these include commitments to: ending extreme poverty and inequality, with a special focus on gender equity and women’s rights; aligning with environmental and social...

by Oxfam International | On 17 Dec 2015

Strategic Framework 2013–2017 Global Programme Food Security

Food security and nutrition is a major global challenge. SDC’s Global Programme Food Security(GPFS) represents an innovative initiative of Switzerland in addressing food security and nutrition challen...

by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC | On 17 Dec 2015

The Design and Implementation of Public Pension Systems in Developing Countries: Issues and Options

Developing countries are increasingly aware of the need to design and implement improvements in public systems for providing pensions to the elderly. Such systems may aim to smooth consumption and thu...

by David Bloom | On 17 Dec 2015

Will Changes to the international Tax System Benefit Low- income Countries?

In recent months tax has climbed up the political agenda in ways that would have been unthinkable only a couple of years ago. Creating a fairer international tax system was a central ambition of both...

by Mick Moore | On 16 Dec 2015

Building Tax Capacity in Developing Countries

The agenda for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development suggests there will be less focus on aid, and more on how developing countries can generate their own financial resources...

by Mick Moore | On 16 Dec 2015

Equate and Conflate: Political Commitment to Hunger and Undernutrition Reduction in Five High-Burden Countries

As political commitment is an essential ingredient for elevating food and nutrition security onto policy agendas, commitment metrics have proliferated. Many conflate government commitment to fight hun...

by Rajith Lakshman | On 16 Dec 2015

The Journey: Essays on the Indian Railways 1853 - 1920 : The Early Enthusiasts

The railways in India would not have been possible without the efforts of a few ambitious and adventurous men, who had dreams, took tremendous risks and had the ability and dexterity to persuade a ran...

by Anuradha Kumar | On 16 Dec 2015

Does the Rise of Middle Class Lock in Good Government in the Developing World?

The current size of the income-secure middle class and its likely future growth, suggest that optimism is indeed warranted for many of today’s middle-income countries. But it is not warranted for all...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 14 Dec 2015

Irregular Migration, Migrant Smuggling and Human Rights: Towards Coherence

This report examines the political predicament that confronts governments and other political actors when they address the issue of irregular migration. Primarily, it sets out the rights, and claims t...

by | On 10 Dec 2015

Human Rights and Asian Values

The thesis that Asian values are less supportive of freedom and more concerned with order than discipline than are Western values and that the claims of human rights in the areas of political and civi...

by Amartya Sen | On 10 Dec 2015

Climate Change, Migration, and Conflict in South Asia : Rising Tensions and Policy Options across the Subcontinent

This report is the third in a series of papers from the Center for American Progress that examines the implications of the climate change, migration, and security nexus. Our analysis highlights the ov...

by | On 09 Dec 2015

Impact of Labour Migration to the Construction Sector on Poverty: Evidence from India

Seasonal and circular migration is an important livelihood strategy for workers in developing countries and the construction industry is one of the largest recipients of such labour. The impact of lab...

by RPC Migrating out of Poverty | On 08 Dec 2015

Sustainable Urbanization in Asia

Rapid urbanization together with climate change is emerging as the most challenging issue of the twenty-first century. As the region with the highest percentage increase in urban population over the l...

by UN-HABITAT UNHABITAT | On 07 Dec 2015

Climate Change: Impact on Agriculture and Costs of Adaptation

This Food Policy Report presents research results that quantify the climate-change impacts, assesses the consequences for food security, and estimates the investments that would offset the negative co...

by International Food Policy Research Institute | On 07 Dec 2015

Preparing for El Nino: Policy Options

cientists are forecasting that there may be a severe El Niño weather event lasting through mid- 2016. For Indonesia, El Niño events are associated with prolonged drought, with adverse effects on food...

by Steven Tabor Tabor | On 06 Dec 2015

Follow-up and Review of the SDGs: Fulfilling our Commitments

This paper considers the challenge of establishing a robust follow-up and review mechanism to support such implementation. The paper underscores the importance of the follow-up and review process taki...

by | On 04 Dec 2015

Trade Liberalization, Labour Law, and Development: A Contextualization

This paper is a literature review that emphasizes institutional analyses of trade law, and explores some of the linkages with the development literature. The paper contends that the development of tra...

by | On 02 Dec 2015

Socially Sustainable Development and Participatory Governance: Legal and Political Aspects

This paper explores the notion of “sustainable development” which has progressively evolved over the recent years from the environmental field in which it originated, to the social sphere and has been...

by | On 02 Dec 2015

Gender, Headship, and the Life Cycle: Landownership in Four Asian Countries

To inform the formulation of policies and interventions to strengthen women’s land rights, this paper analyzes nationally representative data from Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam to...

by Kathryn Sproule | On 02 Dec 2015

What do Economists have to say about Climate Impacts on South Asia?

South Asia’s changing climate has had many different impacts including changes in ecosystems, more severe storms, rainfall that is more concentrated in a few days per year leading to more floods and m...

by E. Somanathan | On 01 Dec 2015

Adolescents under the Radar: In the Asia-Pacific AIDS Response

This report highlights the HIV crisis for vulnerable adolescents in Asia and the Pacific and what we can do to give them the support they desperately need. If we fail to do this, the world will not g...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 01 Dec 2015

The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV at the Household Level in Asia: A Regional Analysis of the Impact on Women and Girls

An important element of the socio-economic impact of HIV is how it disproportionately affects women and girls, in terms of their vulnerability to infection, constrained access to services and the a...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 01 Dec 2015

Monitoring Mortality in Forced Migrants—Can Bayesian Methods Help Us to Do Better with the (Little) Data We Have?

The global number of forced migrants is currently the highest since the Second World War. This is a major concern to public health: lack of access to safe water, food, sanitation, and inadequate shel...

by Peter Heudtlass | On 30 Nov 2015

The Sunday Edit: Elementals: The Arts of Bhopal, 1984-2015

Bhopal is the world’s most frightening laboratory where all experiments, with chemicals and with truth, have gone wrong.

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 29 Nov 2015

Youth Vulnerabilities in Life Course Transitions

This paper examines youth vulnerabilities, with a particular emphasis on low- and middle-income countries. It touches on the challenges confronted by young people exposed to extreme, life threatening...

by | On 26 Nov 2015

Challenges to Human Security in the Arab Countries

In Arab countries, a widespread lack of human security undermines human development, according to the Arab Human Development Report 2009: Challenges to Human Security in the Arab Countries. This repor...

by | On 26 Nov 2015

Asian Shipyards Respond to Arctic Opportunities

The Arctic sea ice has refrozen after a relatively longer summer this year compared with 2011. There are encouraging reports for the shipping industry and it is believed that similar navigation condit...

by Vijay Sakhuja | On 24 Nov 2015

Safe Havens: The Emerging Terror Hubs in South Asia

This issue brief reflects on the prevalence of terror networks in South Asia as Al Qaeda is attempting to expand into new territories in South Asia, “suitable” for safe housing themselves and their il...

by Reshmi Kazi | On 23 Nov 2015

From Paper State to Caliphate: The Ideology of the Islamic State

This paper sets forth the main lines of the ideology of the Islamic State and carefully follows its historical trajectory. Part I, Doctrines, takes up the group’s fundamental religious and political b...

by Cole Bunzel | On 22 Nov 2015

Terrorism and Security in Asia: Redefining Regional Order?

While a good deal has been written and said about the threat posed by terrorism in Southeast Asia, there has been little work analyzing the impact of terrorism and the war on terror on Asian regional...

by Amitav Acharya | On 22 Nov 2015

The Journey: Essays on the Indian Railways 1853 - 2015: The Coming of the Railways

Tracking the the Indian Railways is as much an exercise in history as it is an excursion into the political and social debates of the period that determined the fate of a nation. This is the first i...

by Anuradha Kumar | On 21 Nov 2015

Farm Outlook: Tractor Sales: What Do They Tell?

Falling tractor sales in the first half of the year may well be pointing to further distress in the agrarian economy.

by Aritra Chakrabarty | On 19 Nov 2015

Teaching Philosophy in Asia and the Pacific

The teaching of philosophy is undeniably one of the keystones of a quality education for all. It contributes to open the mind, to build critical reflection and independent thinking, which constitute...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 19 Nov 2015

The Sunday Edit: Bringing Back Beef

Beef bans and intolerance of the diversity that abounds in this country are clearly not the way to win elections.

by Ravi Duggal | On 15 Nov 2015

Disability and Forced Migration: Critical Intersectionalities

The vast majority of the world’s displaced people are hosted in the global South, in the poorest countries in the world. This is also a space with the highest numbers of disabled people, many of who l...

by | On 13 Nov 2015

The Operational Plan for Agriculture and Natural Resources: Promoting Sustainable Food Security in Asia and the Pacific in 2015–2020

Agriculture and food security should be viewed in the context of the broader economic transformation in Asia and the Pacific. In particular, the adoption of food security policies that address both im...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 10 Nov 2015

Drivers of Migration

This paper explores the relationship between determinants of migration which are often deeply embedded in the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental context, and more immediate factor...

by | On 06 Nov 2015

Pragmatic Pathways: Critical Perspectives on Research Uptake in the Global South

One of social science’s core roles is to inform evidence-based policy making and policy interventions that produce pro-poor outcomes. This paper explores prominent debates on research uptake and polic...

by | On 05 Nov 2015

Tolerance and Respect for Economic Progress

Our tradition of debate in an environment of respect and tolerance. By upholding it, by fighting for it, the students can repay their teachers and your parents. And you will be doing our country a gre...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 03 Nov 2015

A Conference in Harare

India was to hand over NAM Chairmanship to Zimbabwe, which had gained Independence a few years earlier.

by T.N. Ninan | On 03 Nov 2015

Indian Society and the Secular: Public Lecture in Memory of Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer

In this lecture, the author discusses the concept of Indian secularism. She suggests that the concept of secularism went beyond politics. The lecture discusses on three aspects of what is involved in...

by Romila Thapar | On 28 Oct 2015

Child Labour and Legislative Framework

Employment of children amounts to denial of rights of future generation and depriving children of their opportunities to growth. Moreover, working at tender age in hazardous conditions exposes childre...

by Helen Sekhar | On 26 Oct 2015

Progress of the World’s Women 2015-2016: Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights

This Report focuses on the economic and social dimensions of gender equality, including the right of all women to a good job, with fair pay and safe working conditions, to an adequate pension in older...

by UN Women | On 23 Oct 2015

Improving the Environmental Performance of Pakistan's Textile Sector

Pakistan's textile industry, the country's largest manufacturing industry and second largest employer, is also responsible for large discharges of waste water. Three steps can help improve the environ...

by Vaqar Ahmed | On 22 Oct 2015

Cultural Resistance Need of the Hour: Teesta Setalvad

This interview with Teesta Setalvad on the series of awards being returned by various writers post lynching of a person in Dadri and PMs silence. Teesta explained that, this government functions on th...

by Teesta Setalvad | On 20 Oct 2015

Cultural Resistance Need of the Hour: Teesta Setalvad

This interview with Teesta Setalvad on the series of awards being returned by various writers post lynching of a person in Dadri and PMs silence. Teesta explained that, this government functions on th...

by Teesta Setalvad | On 20 Oct 2015

Impact of Migration on Poverty and Development

This paper reviews the literature on migration in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, East Africa and West Africa in order to highlight the complexity of migration patterns and impacts. It is...

by Tasneem Siddiqui | On 19 Oct 2015

Aspirations and the Role of Social Protection: Evidence from a Natural Disaster in Rural Pakistan

This article uses Pakistan’s 2010 floods to identify the effects of a natural disaster on citizens’ aspirations. Aspirations were significantly reduced—especially among the poorest and most vulnerab...

by Katrina Kosec | On 19 Oct 2015

China’s One Belt One Road Strategy: The New Financial Institutions and India’s Options

This paper attempts to discuss India’s options to collaborate with China at the event of the formation of new financial institutions and how should India engage with China’s new Silk Road strategy.

by Ajay Chhibber | On 16 Oct 2015

Integrating SMEs into Global Value Chains: Challenges and Policy Actions in Asia

Globalized production networks, or global value chains, provide an opportunity for small and medium enterprises to upscale their business models and to grow across borders, though with global opportun...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 16 Oct 2015

The Influence of Industry Financial Composition on the Exports from Pakistan

the influence of the industry financial composition on the export flow between Pakistan and its trading partners is determined. The importing countries are split according to their OECD membership st...

by Aadil Nakhoda | On 16 Oct 2015

The Economic Cost of Out-of-School Children in Southeast Asia

This publication is the result of UNESCO Bangkok’s project in cooperation with Educate A Child (EAC) which seeks to eradicate obstacles, both in policy and practice, that would prevent children in Sou...

by Save Children | On 15 Oct 2015

India’s FTA with East Asia: Impact of India-Malaysia CECA on the Edible Oil Value Chain

This paper formulates an analytical framework to assess the impacts of India's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on commodity value chains. This paper views such methodology as reductionist, and instead of...

by | On 15 Oct 2015

Book Review: Creating a New Medina: State Power, Islam, and the Quest for Pakistan in Late Colonial North India

Review of Creating a New Medina: State Power, Islam, and the Quest for Pakistan in Late Colonial North India New York: Cambridge University Press, 2015. 554 pp. Rs 940 (Hardcover) ISBN 978-1-107-05212...

by Gail Minault | On 14 Oct 2015

Inequality: Trends, Harms and New Agendas

The paper focuses on within-country inequalities. It discusses in particular how the consequences of inequality are shaped by specific mechanisms that operate at the national, community and individual...

by | On 13 Oct 2015

Urban Poverty in Asia

This paper on Urban Poverty in Asia looks at the different dimensions of poverty in Asia, both income and nonincome, its two main regions, including a brief account of who and what class of people are...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 09 Oct 2015

Dividend Policy and Role of Corporate Governance in Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan

This study examines the relationship between internal mechanisms and external mechanisms of corporate governance and dividend policy for 100 manufacturing firms listed on Karachi Stock Exchange over...

by | On 08 Oct 2015

South Asian Diaspora: A Changing Landscape

This paper is an attempt to expand the debate on the impact that the South Asian Diaspora groups are having on the countries of their origin. It goes beyond the discussion of the quantum and structure...

by | On 08 Oct 2015

Inside the News: Challenges and Aspirations of Women Journalists in Asia and the Pacific

Why does gender equality in the media matter? Because of the many influences that shape the way we see men and women, media are among the most powerful. Media shape our daily lives, infusing their mes...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 07 Oct 2015

The Hunger and Nutrition Commitment Index (HANCI 2014) - Measuring the Political Commitment to Reduce Hunger and Undernutrition in Developing Countries

This report presents the Hunger And Nutrition Commitment Index (HANCI) 2014. It seeks to: 1. Rank governments on their political commitment to tackling hunger and undernutrition; 2. Measure what gover...

by | On 01 Oct 2015

Rural Poverty Reduction Strategy for South Asia

Roughly 40 percent of the world’s poor live in South Asia, where poverty is basically a rural problem. Therefore, a significant gain in rural poverty reduction in this sub-region will be crucial to re...

by | On 30 Sep 2015

The Effects of Climate Change on Internal and International Migration: Implications for Developing Countries

This synthesis paper informs the development community about the effects of climate change on migration patterns within and out of developing countries, concentrating on the economic aspects of migrat...

by | On 29 Sep 2015

The Effect of ASEAN on Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia

This paper examines the trafficking of vulnerable populations in Southeast Asia and the effectiveness of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in combating human trafficking in the region. Human...

by | On 29 Sep 2015

Food Security, Productivity, and Gender Inequality

This paper examines the relationship between gender inequality and food security, with a particular focus on women as food producers, consumers, and family food managers. The discussion is set against...

by Bina Agarwal | On 29 Sep 2015

Surviving in Bihar

Can election change the condition of Bihar? At least improving the transport facilities....

by T.N. Ninan | On 26 Sep 2015

Leveraging Urbanization in South Asia

Urbanization provides South Asian countries with the potential to transform their economies to join the ranks of richer nations in both prosperity and livability, but a new World Bank report finds the...

by World Bank | On 25 Sep 2015

Technology, Development and the Role of the State

South Asian countries like India and Pakistan had in the beginning placed the State at the “commanding heights of the economy”. Later, the State was justifiably displaced from that high pedestal. Howe...

by | On 24 Sep 2015

Environmental Regulations and Compliance in the Textile Processing Sector in Pakistan: Empirical Evidence

This paper, seeks to understand why firms in the garment and textile sector choose to comply with or ignore Pakistan’s environmental regulations and effluent standards. Based on survey of 60 firms, it...

by Ghulam Samad | On 23 Sep 2015

Human Rights for All: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

This Handbook is mainly for human rights practitioners who want to familiarise themselves with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and use the human rights fram...

by | On 23 Sep 2015

India’s Worlds of Waste

The sheer magnitude of the social, political and technological challenges in implementing India’s new national priority of waste management, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has attracted global a...

by | On 23 Sep 2015

The Troubled Democracy of Bangladesh: ‘Muddling Through’ or ‘a Political Settlement’?

Is democracy in Bangladesh on a reverse course? Is there a culture of intolerance being engendered by deliberate design? Will creeping extremisms create an inevitable schism within the nation? The pap...

by | On 23 Sep 2015

The Evolution and Impact of Literacy Campaigns and Programmes 2000–2014

This paper was originally commissioned by the Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report as background information to assist in drafting the 2015 report. This report aims to provide an additiona...

by Ulrike Hanemann | On 22 Sep 2015

Building Tax Capacity in Developing Countries

The agenda for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development suggests there will be less focus on aid, and more on how developing countries can generate their own financial resources...

by | On 22 Sep 2015

Book Review: Nomads as Agents of Cultural Change: The Mongols and Their Eurasian Predecessors

Review of . Nomads as Agents of Cultural Change: The Mongols and Their Eurasian Predecessors. Reuven Amitai, Michal Biran, eds. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2014. ix + 345 pp., ISBN 978-0-8...

by Stewart Gordon | On 21 Sep 2015

Book Review: Beyond Partition: Gender, Violence, and Representation in Postcolonial India

Review of Beyond Partition: Gender, Violence, and Representation in Postcolonial India by Deepti Misri. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2014. 224 pp. Rs. 2,109/- (paper), ISBN 978-0-252-08039-5.

by Taveeshi Singh | On 21 Sep 2015

The Sunday Edit: A Depressing Malady

The rising incidence of suicides, and mental health problems in India, especially among youth, cannot be wished away. There is a critical need to recognise the malevolent neglect of the state of ment...

by Nikhil Govind | On 20 Sep 2015

Book Review: India’s Fighter Pilots in the 1971 War: Daring and Devilry

Review of Death Wasn't Painful: Death Wasn’t Painful: Stories of Indian Fighter Pilots from the 1971 War by Dhirendra S Jafa, New Delhi, Sage Publications; 2014. pp. 268, Rs. 445/-. ISBN-13: 978-81321...

by SK Sriharsha | On 19 Sep 2015

Migrant and Child Labor in Thailand’s Shrimp and Other Seafood Supply Chains: Labor Conditions and the Decision to Study or Work

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to strengthen the evidence base on child labor and labor conditions in the shrimp and seafood supply chain and within the communities engaged in the shrimp...

by ASIA FOUNDATION | On 18 Sep 2015

BRICS Development Bank an Instrument for Globalization

The establishment of a development bank by the BRICS association of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa is being described by both proponents and opponents of globalization as a rebellion...

by | On 18 Sep 2015

Do the ‘Asian’ Categories in the British Censuses Adequately Capture the Indian Sub-continent Diaspora Population?

Categories that capture the Indian sub-continent-origin population – ‘Indian’, ‘Pakistani’, ‘Bangladeshi’ – have been included on all the British census forms (1991, 2001, 2011) that have asked about...

by | On 17 Sep 2015

Migration, Gender, and Farming Systems in Asia: Evidence, Data, and Knowledge Gaps

Limited statistics on internal migration, international migration, and remittances worldwide prohibit understanding of migration’s role in the agricultural transformation process. Insights from the qu...

by Valerie Mueller | On 16 Sep 2015

The Bali Agreement: An Assessment from the Perspective of Developing Countries

This paper discusses the different agreements and decisions reached in the Bali Ministerial Conference and the potential implications for the post-Bali work program. The results of the Bali Minister...

by Eugenio Díaz Bonilla | On 16 Sep 2015

Addressing the Employment Challenge: India's MGNREGA

This paper examines, in particular, the effects of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) programme on employment, wages and incomes of the rural poor. It also considers its effect on...

by | On 14 Sep 2015

Decentralized Local Governance and Citizen Participation in South Asia

This paper encompasses two major themes - local governance and citizens' participation in five neighbouring countries in South Asia, their trials, achievements and failures. Whether their experiences...

by | On 14 Sep 2015

The Costs and Benefits of Domestic Work as a Livelihood Strategy

Domestic work remains one of the key occupations for many female migrants in Southeast Asia. As a low skilled, low-wage job with often inadequate legal protection, domestic work is an occupation that...

by | On 14 Sep 2015

The Sunday Edit: It's Not the Labour Laws!

The loud clamour for liberalisation of labour laws in recent times quite overlooks the fact that other institutional reforms are far more important for rejuvenating the sector.

by K.R. Shyam Sundar | On 13 Sep 2015

Obituary: Ramaswamy R Iyer, 1929 - 2015

Ramaswamy Iyer, former union secretary of Water Resources for the government of India, and professor at the Center for Policy Research, and well known advocate of alternatives to big dams, passed awa...

by Aravinda P | On 11 Sep 2015

Developing Regional Value Chains in South Asian Leather Clusters: Issues, Options and an Indian Case

The possibility of developing regional production networks in specific sectors between nations of South Asia has been explored in this paper. The case of the leather and leather goods cluster in T...

by Keshab Das | On 11 Sep 2015

Closing the Gender Gap: The Gender Parity Taskforces

The Global Gender Gap Report 2014 emphasizes persisting gender gap divides across and within regions. Based on the nine years of data available for the 111 countries that have been part of the report...

by | On 11 Sep 2015

The Dismal State of the Social Sciences in Pakistan

The report measures the development of social sciences against several criteria, some of which are listed here: the number of Pakistani social scientists who have made internationally recognised contr...

by S. Akbar Zaidi | On 11 Sep 2015

Youth and Politics in India - II

This paper aims to uncover the features that make India’s youth politics so distinct from other forms of politics within the country, the kinds of politics young people participate in, and the kinds o...

by Rahul Advani | On 10 Sep 2015

Youth and Politics in India - I

This paper spells out the ways in which, and the reasons why, young people in India today engage in politics. An answer to this research question is attempted by first locating the politics of youth w...

by | On 10 Sep 2015

Structures of Violence: The Indian State in Jammu and Kashmir

Prepared over two years, this report is a part of the continuing work to understand and analyze the role of the Indian State in Jammu and Kashmir, an occupied territory internationally recognized as a...

by The International Peoples' Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-Administered Ka | On 10 Sep 2015

Book Review: Mapping a Dwindling Community: Kolkata Tales

Review of Christmas in Calcutta: Anglo Indian Stories and Essays by Robyn Andrews; Sage Publications, 2014; pp 208, Rs. 695.

by Nandini Bhattacharya | On 10 Sep 2015

Is Citizenship the Answer? Constructions of belonging and exclusion for the stateless Rohingya of Burma

The Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority group in Arakan State, Burma, are among the most vulnerable and persecuted populations across the globe. Despite their significant historical presence in the cou...

by Cresa L. Pugh | On 08 Sep 2015

The End of Laissez-faire, the End of History, and the Structure of Scientific Revolutions

The subject of this essay is formed from three classic pieces of writing: The End of Laissez-Faire by John Maynard Keynes, The End of History? by Francis Fukuyama, and The Structure of Scientific Revo...

by Ravi Kanbur | On 07 Sep 2015

Soccer Vs. Jihad: A Draw

There is much that militant Islamists and jihadists agree on, but when it comes to sports in general and soccer in particular sharp divisions emerge. Men like the late Osama bin Laden, Hamas Gaza lead...

by James M. Dorsey | On 07 Sep 2015

Driving Across the South Asian Borders: The Motor Vehicle Agreement Between Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal

The benefits of strengthening physical connectivity in a geographically contiguous region are increasingly being recognised. These links are expected to increase economic activity and people-to-people...

by Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury | On 07 Sep 2015

Civil Society Briefs: Myanmar

This brief provides an overview of civil society in Myanmar. With a view to strengthening ADB cooperation with civil society organizations, the NGO and Civil Society Center periodically prepares repor...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 07 Sep 2015

Interrelation Between Growth and Inequality

The paper highlights the importance of “broad-based growth” as a framework to support economic growth and inclusiveness at the same time. Different countries show different dynamics between economic g...

by Jong Woo Kang | On 07 Sep 2015

Financial Inclusion in Asia: An Overview

This paper provides an analysis of financial development and inclusion in developing Asia using data from a wide array of sources. In terms of aggregate measures of financial development, the region a...

by | On 07 Sep 2015

The Permanent People’s Tribunals and Indigenous People’s Struggles in Mexico: Between Coloniality and Epistemic Justice?

On 21 October 2011, hundreds of Mexican civil society organizations formally submitted a petition to the Lelio e Lisli Basso Foundation in Rome to justify the opening of a Mexican Chapter of the Perma...

by Rosalba Icaza | On 02 Sep 2015

Issues in Employment and Poverty

The paper analyses the nexus between growth, employment and poverty and points out situations where high economic growth may fail to bring about a commensurate rate of poverty reduction if simultaneo...

by | On 02 Sep 2015

Gender Dimensions of Agricultural and Rural Employment: Differentiated Pathways out of Poverty

This paper examines the links between gender equality and rural employment for poverty reduction by constructing a gender analytical framework to interpret differentiated patterns and conditions of wo...

by Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN UN | On 02 Sep 2015

Decent Work, Youth Employment and Migration in Asia

This paper discusses migration trends and issues concerning young people in Asia - a region hosting more than 60 per cent of world’s youth population and one third of the global number of young migran...

by | On 01 Sep 2015

Indian Society and the Secular: 5th Asghar Ali Engineer Memorial Lecture

In this lecture, the author discusses the concept of Indian secularism. She suggests that the concept of secularism went beyond politics and none of the mainstream political parties adhered to it, and...

by Romila Thapar | On 31 Aug 2015

“Denied”: Failures in Accountability for Human Rights Violations by Security Force Personnel in Jammu and Kashmir

Indian security forces have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for decades, officially tasked with protecting civilians, upholding national security and combatting violence by armed groups. However, i...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 31 Aug 2015

Lessons for South Asia from the Industrial Cluster Development Experience of the Republic of Korea

This report presents the industrial cluster development policy of the Republic of Korea and draws lessons from that experience for South Asia. It briefly reviews Korean industrial policy since the 196...

by Jong-il Kim | On 31 Aug 2015

Rough Roads To Equality: Women Police in South Asia

This report looks at the situation of women in policing in Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, and Pakistan. It is based on the premise that gender equality, besides being a value to be upheld in and of...

by Aideen Gilmore | On 28 Aug 2015

Book Review: Before Orientalism: Asian Peoples and Cultures in European Travel Writing, 1245-1510

Review of Before Orientalism: Asian Peoples and Cultures in European Travel Writing, 1245-1510. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. 328 pp. Rs. 4,029/- (hardcover), ISBN-13 978-08122...

by Liam M. Brockey | On 26 Aug 2015

Curbing Militancy: Regulating Pakistan's Madrassas

Thousands of madrassas in Pakistan remain completely unregulated by the government and their sources of funding unknown while many more thousands offer an education to their students with bleak employ...

by | On 25 Aug 2015

The Experience with Regional Economic Cooperation Organizations: Lessons for Central Asia

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has witnessed repeated efforts to strengthen regional integration through cooperation with the establishment of a number of regional organizations...

by Johannes F. Linn | On 25 Aug 2015

Do Philanthropic Citizens Behave Like Governments? Internet-Based Platforms and the Diffusion of International Private Aid

Until recently, most aid from rich to poor countries was transmitted through official bilateral and multilateral channels. But the rapid growth in private development aid from foundations, charities,...

by Homi Kharas | On 25 Aug 2015

Aid Effectiveness in Cambodia

Development assistance contributes significantly to the development process of Cambodia. After the first General Election in 1993, there have been at least 35 official donors and hundreds of civil soc...

by Ek Chanboreth | On 25 Aug 2015

Understanding Children’s Risk and Agency in Urban Areas and their Implications for Child-centred Urban Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia: Insights From Dhaka, Kathmandu, Manila and Jakarta

This paper presents the findings of a study undertaken by IIED in partnership with Plan International on urban children’s risk and agency in four large Asian cities: Dhaka (Bangladesh), Kathmandu (Nep...

by | On 24 Aug 2015

Green Skills for Rural Youth in South East Asia

The impacts of climate change, including increasingly severe weather patterns, reach across every country and citizen worldwide, compelling nations to implement sustainable adaptation measures. In ord...

by | On 24 Aug 2015

Safety First

Global market is in a turmoil. How can India have a stable economy? There are no easy solutions but to play safe.

by T.N. Ninan | On 21 Aug 2015

On Reckoning Level Differentials in the Measurement of Progress: An Illustration in the Context of Deliveries Assisted by Skilled Health Personnel

The paper highlights that performance assessments should account for non-linear dynamics of progress, whereby an improvement at a higher level represents greater achievement than an equal improvement...

by William Joe | On 21 Aug 2015

Demand for Watershed Services: Understanding Local Preferences through a Choice Experiment in the Koshi Basin of Nepal

This study undertakes a choice experiment in order to identify differences in local demand for watershed services in the Koshi basin of Nepal. The paper first examines the possibility of using a non-m...

by Rajesh Kumar Rai | On 20 Aug 2015

South-South Cooperation: A Challenge to the Aid System?

It is essential to better understand the nature, shortcomings and potential of South-South development cooperation in order to inform and strengthen CSO advocacy for greater development effectiveness...

by The Reality of Aid Network | On 20 Aug 2015

Introduction to "Governing Marriage Migrations: Perspectives from Mainland China and Taiwan"

Cross-border migration for the purpose of marriage is on the rise, and at present it constitutes one of the most common forms of long-term international mobility in East Asia. The articles included he...

by | On 20 Aug 2015

Case Studies of Policy Coherence Initiatives in Developing Asia

This paper highlights four case studies of national efforts in developing Asia towards greater policy coherence and coordination, ranging from institutional cooperation in poverty reduction programmes...

by Internaional Labour Organization [ILO] | On 19 Aug 2015

Addressing Long-term Challenges to Food Security and Rural Livelihoods in South Asia

Notwithstanding its impressive economic growth, food insecurity in South Asia continues to be a stark reality for a large number of households. Despite several successful policy interventions by Gover...

by K. S. Kavi Kumar | On 19 Aug 2015

Social and Cultural Development in the Development Triangle (CLV) and the Role of ASEAN in This Area

In a period not longer than 10 years (2002 – to present), 13 provinces at the common border of Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV Development Triangle) have cooperated for common development and achieved a lo...

by Hoang Thi My Nhi | On 19 Aug 2015

Capturing Willingness to Pay and Its Determinants for Improved Solid Waste Management

A dignified and healthy life remains a distant nightmare to the large majority of population in developing countries including Pakistan. Large masses living in this world particularly South Asian cou...

by | On 18 Aug 2015

Profile of Educational Outcomes by Gender: An Age Cohort Analysis

How to achieve target of universal primary education in Pakistan and how do we keep students that have enrolled to continue with schooling to higher levels are the most important policy questions whi...

by Madeeha Gohar Qureshi | On 18 Aug 2015

Deconstructing Indian Cotton: Weather, Yields, and Suicides

Cotton with coevolving pests has been grown in India more than 5000 years. Hybrid cotton was introduced in the 1970s with increases in fertilizer and in insecticide use against pink bollworm that caus...

by Andrew Gutierrez | On 17 Aug 2015

Don’t Target the Media

It is not correct to blame the media when effective communication suffer. The government will have to recheck its media policies and the distance it has to keep the media.

by T.N. Ninan | On 15 Aug 2015

Book Review: Visions of Dystopia in China's New Historical Novels

Review of Visions of Dystopia in China's New Historical Novels. New York: Columbia University Press, 2014. 304 pp. $50.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-231-16768-0.

by Nathaniel Isaacson | On 13 Aug 2015

Urban India 2011: Evidence

India’s urban transition has the potential to shift the country’s social, environmental, political and economic trajectory. Urbanisation will interact with the country’s ongoing demographic evolution...

by Indian Institute for Human Settlements | On 12 Aug 2015

Urban Policies and the Right to the City in India: Rights, Responsibilities and Citizenship

This publication highlights the relevance in India and the multiplicity of entry points of the right to the city as a vehicle for social inclusion and sustainable social development for Indian cities....

by Centre de Sciences Humaines CSH | On 12 Aug 2015

Social Enterprises and Employment: Mainstreaming SMEs and Employment Creation

This paper argues that mainstreaming SMEs and SE into various international treaties will require the assumption of positive externalities which markets cannot fully evaluate. To show this, the possib...

by Leonardo Lanzona | On 12 Aug 2015

Women, Mobility and Reproductive Health

The health conditions and mobility patterns of female migrant workers are subjects that sit at the crossroads of multiple pressing issues, best understood in the context of social, economic and politi...

by Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women (GAATW) | On 11 Aug 2015

Gender Equality and Social Dialogue in India

This paper forms part of a comparative research project that has the objective of demonstrating that gender equality and social dialogue are mutually beneficial fundamental values and crosscutting iss...

by R Madhav | On 11 Aug 2015

Prevention of Loss or Decline of Vernacular and Indigenous Languages in the Indian Sub-Continent

Asian Societies with linguistic diversity have faced serious problems of loss or decline of vernacular and indigenous languages in modern times. Globalisation and urbanisation have brought a sea chang...

by P. Ishwara Bhat | On 10 Aug 2015

Pathways of Transnational Activism: A Conceptual Framework

This paper presents a novel analytical framework to study transnational activism in the context of today’s international governance architecture. While there is a considerable amount of literature on...

by Sabrina Zajak | On 07 Aug 2015

Reaching Every Child for Primary Immunization: An Experience from Parsa District, Nepal

This document describes the activities and achievements of an effective approach used in Nepal to involve community leaders and local health workers, volunteers, and organizations in tracking children...

by Hari Krishna Shah | On 06 Aug 2015

Ways to Improve Job Training Policies for the Jobless

“In order to ensure that government policies do not produce government failure that impedes the vitality of the market and keeps disadvantaged individuals from becoming self-sufficient, the public ass...

by | On 06 Aug 2015

Mobile Labour and the New Urban

This set of three papers explores new urban spaces and accumulation under post-colonial capitalism, through the themes of infrastructure and the new urban political subject, migrant labour, and commun...

by Mithilesh Kumar | On 04 Aug 2015

A Reality Check on Suicides in India

In this paper, we study the data from the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) of India and disaggregate across demographic and leading causes of suicides. We find that mental and physical health are t...

by Shamika Ravi | On 02 Aug 2015

The Environments of the Poor in South Asia: Simultaneously Reducing Poverty, Protecting the Environment, and Adapting to Climate Change

Poverty and environmental factors are interlinked and hold crucial importance for economic development. The poor depend so much on their natural resource base and primary production sources that the d...

by | On 30 Jul 2015

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Ordinance 2014: A Process Perspective

This paper captures the policy processes leading to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Ordinance, 2014. It maps the role an...

by G. Raghuram | On 28 Jul 2015

When the Dish Knocked Down the Antenna: How Television Digitization is Impacting Low Income Viewers and Public Broadcasting

A technology switch in television affects different income groups differently. In India the digitization of TV signals is putting an end to the free-to-air telecast regime. This study,the first of its...

by Sevanti Ninan | On 26 Jul 2015

Brutal Silencing of Journalists in India

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (Wan-Ifra) and the World Editors Forum have condemned the vicious murders of two journalists in India and have called on the Indian authorities...

by | On 26 Jul 2015

The Sunday Edit: Compulsory Altruism Or, A National Moral Economy?

The Give It Up campaign opens as an appeal to altruism and then proposes a moral economy using a reasoning that aligns altruism with nationalism and a sense of national belonging

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 26 Jul 2015

To Consume or to Conserve: Examining Water Conservation Model for Wheat Cultivation in India

Constitutionally in India, the individual states have responsibility for water, forests, and agriculture. Major canal irrigation accounts for over 80 percent of India's irrigation. This paper observes...

by Zareena Begum Irfan | On 24 Jul 2015

Book Review: Partitioned Lives: Migrants, Refugees, Citizens in India and Pakistan, 1947-65

Review of Partitioned Lives: Migrants, Refugees, Citizens in India and Pakistan, 1947-65. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2012. xii + 254 pp. Rs. 521/-, ISBN 978-0-19-808177-7.

by Rohini Hensman | On 22 Jul 2015

The Sunday Edit: Textbooks and Governments

The burden of being politically correct has shackled social science writing for schools, and children’s literature too. When will we be able to recognize that the ‘politically incorrect may be educati...

by Anuradha Kumar | On 20 Jul 2015

Alternative Report on the State of Child Rights in Pakistan

The Alternative Report has been prepared by Save the Children UK (Pakistan office) and the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC). It reflects the views of a large number of civ...

by ECHO Save the Children (U.K) | On 17 Jul 2015

Caught in the ‘Net’: Fish Consumption Patterns of Coastal Regions in India

Fish is an important source of food and livelihood for people. Owing to their proximity to the sea, coastal communities have long depended on this resource to meet their nutritional needs. Does this,...

by Lavanya Ravikanth Anneboina | On 16 Jul 2015

Articulating a Vision for a Progressive BRICS Development Bank

Amidst calls for reform of international financial institutions and failure of existing development banks to satisfy the development financing needs of developing countries in general, and BRICS in pa...

by | On 16 Jul 2015

Child Work and Schooling in Pakistan - To What Extent Poverty and Other Demographic and Parental Background Matter?

In this study an attempt has been made to disentangle the child employment and schooling tradeoff with perspective to understand the effect of income deprivation measures and other non-income factors...

by Saman Nazir | On 15 Jul 2015

Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water

In 2000 the Member States of the United Nations signed the Millennium Declaration, which later gave rise to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Goal 7, to ensure environmental sustainability,...

by World Health Organisation (WHO) | On 15 Jul 2015

Climate Extremes and Child Rights in South Asia: A Neglected Priority

The links between climate change and disasters in South Asia, such as flooding in Pakistan or cyclones in Bangladesh, are increasingly evident. However, there is little recognition of the potentially...

by | On 14 Jul 2015

Gender, Masculinities & Sexual Health in South Asia

Good health is an objective that is socially determined, and gender relations form a crucial aspect of good sexual health. This study on gender, masculinity and SRH in South Asia sets out to examine ‘...

by | On 14 Jul 2015

Integrating South and Southeast Asia through Services Value Chain: The Case of India and Thailand

The objective of this paper is to understand the prospects of enhancing services trade, investment and co-operation between South and Southeast Asia, taking the example of India and Thailand, by focus...

by | On 13 Jul 2015

Regional Balanced Urbanization for Inclusive Cities Development: Urban–Rural Poverty Linkages in Secondary Cities Development in Southeast Asia

The impact of urbanization on growth and equality, and on urban and rural poverty are well-documented but do not discuss alternative models of urbanization. While the relationship between urbanizat...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 13 Jul 2015

Safeguard Implementation: How Can We Make It More Meaningful?

The report presents the (i) safeguard systems of Bhutan, India and Nepal; (ii) differences in national safeguard laws and institutional processes with the Asian Development Bank’s safeguards policy; (...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 13 Jul 2015

The Sunday Edit: Different Strokes

The processes followed in estimating and adjudicating damage in arriving at the recent settlement in the five-year old BP oil well disaster are an object lesson in what should have happened in the cas...

by Sathinath Sarangi | On 12 Jul 2015

Public Service Spending: Efficiency and Distributional Impact—Lessons from Asia

Efficiency and equity are cornerstones in rational service delivery in the public sector. This paper benchmarks efficiency and equity in public spending on health, education and social protection in a...

by | On 10 Jul 2015

Toward Regional Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the East Asian Seas

In an era where development issues concerning human security, health, and the environment transcend national boundaries, international cooperation has become more crucial than ever. This issue of the...

by Atty. Raphael Lotilla | On 10 Jul 2015

Engaging Civil Society to Promote Democratic Local Governance: Emerging Trends and Policy Implications in Asia

This paper discusses a wide range of issues in engaging civil society to deepen and sustain decentralization and local democracy. It examines the concepts of democratic local governance and decentrali...

by | On 07 Jul 2015

Structural Conditions and Agency in Migrant Decision-Making: A Case of Domestic and Construction Workers from Java, Indonesia

This working paper examines the migration drivers into the two low-paid and insecure occupations of domestic work and construction work from rural areas in Indonesia. While the ideas of migration exis...

by Khoo Choon Yen | On 06 Jul 2015

Waste Pickers in Pune, India

Recent statistics show the majority of workers in developing countries earn their livelihoods in the informal sector. For this paper, a sample of 150 was randomly drawn from the membership database of...

by Poornima Chikarmane | On 06 Jul 2015

Can Foreign Banks Contribute to Financial Inclusion?

If the entry of foreign banks results in a concentrated banking sector, as has been the case in several Central and Eastern European countries, then the goals of achieving financial inclusion are adve...

by Ramkishen S. Rajan | On 05 Jul 2015

Tributes: Praful Bidwai: 1949-2015

Praful Bidwai, eminent journalist, left activist and anti-nuke campaigner passed away recently. Two tributes.

by Anant Phadke | On 04 Jul 2015

Migration and Human Development in India

The paper discusses how gaps in both the data on migration and the understanding of the role of migration in livelihood strategies and economic growth in India, have led to inaccurate policy prescript...

by Priya Deshingkar | On 03 Jul 2015

Sex-ratio Imbalance in Asia: Trends, Consequences and Policy Responses

This paper offers a regional overview of the mechanisms and consequences of the growing gender imbalances, as observed today in Asia. The extent and timings of the trend towards more masculine populat...

by Christophe Z. Guilmoto | On 02 Jul 2015

Is Imperialism a Relevant Concept in Today’s World?

This paper explores some aspects of the imperialism/empire/new imperialism debate and looks at whether imperialism remains to be a valid theoretical category in analyzing contemporary economics and po...

by Subhanil Chowdhury | On 02 Jul 2015

Book Review: The Oxford Companion to Pakistani History

Review of The Oxford Companion to Pakistani History ed. Ayesha Jalal. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. 558 pp. Rs. 4,488.75. ISBN-13: 978-0195475784.

by Rohit Wanchoo | On 02 Jul 2015

The Global Economic Crisis and Asian Developing Countries: Impact, Policy Response and Medium Term Prospects

After several years of impressive growth, the world economy encountered an equally impressive downturn starting in the third quarter of 2008, triggered by financial fragility and imbalances generated...

by Yilmaz Akyuz | On 29 Jun 2015

Financial Education in Asia: Assessment and Recommendations

This paper assesses the case for promoting financial education in Asia. It argues that the benefits of investing in financial education can be substantial. Data are limited, but indicate low financial...

by | On 29 Jun 2015

The Sunday Edit: The House that Constitution Built

The right to acquire/rent property anywhere in the nation is a fantasy fostered by the Constitution and the rhetoric of modernisation and urbanisation.

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 28 Jun 2015

Relaxing Migration Constraints for Rural Households

There are an estimated 750 million internal migrants in the world, yet the effects of access to internal migration for rural households are not well understood. Internal migrants may provide wealth tr...

by Cynthia Kinnan | On 25 Jun 2015

Street Vendors and the Dynamics of the Informal Economy: Evidence from Vung Tau, Vietnam

The role of the informal economy in promoting genuine economic development remains a contested one: optimists believe potential entrepreneurs are capable of supporting themselves and their families, p...

by John Walsh | On 25 Jun 2015

Policy Issues on Street Vending: An Overview of Studies in Thailand, Cambodia and Mongolia

Street vending and urban space for micro enterprises constitute an important policy theme that needs to be advanced further in development literature and policy. In many countries, urban space tends t...

by Kyoko Kusakabe | On 24 Jun 2015

Reflections on India's Emergence in the World Economy

This paper attempts to capture how India embraced the world economy against the backdrop of the evolving domestic and international economic policy environment. It began with a brief overview of the...

by | On 24 Jun 2015

Urban Informal Workers: Representative Voice & Economic Rights

he purpose of this paper is to provide a summary analysis of five case studies prepared for the 2013 World Development Report team that illustrate why and how the representative voice and economic rig...

by Martha Chen | On 24 Jun 2015

The Risk of Disaster-Induced Displacement in South Asia

This technical paper provides evidence-based estimates of the likelihood of disaster-induced displacement in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It att...

by Justin Ginnetti | On 24 Jun 2015

Improving Children’s Lives, Transforming the Future – 25 years of Child Rights in South Asia

Despite rapid economic growth in South Asia, strong inequalities persist and children pay a heavy price. This publication examines latest trends and data on children in the eight countries of the regi...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 24 Jun 2015

Does Migration for Domestic Work Reduce Poverty? A Review of the Literature and an Agenda for Research

This review of the published academic literature on internal and regional migration for domestic work shows a dearth of studies on internal migration for domestic work in South Asia. The existing lite...

by Priya Deshingkar | On 23 Jun 2015

Fifteenth Report on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014

The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 was enacted to give effect to the Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of the...

by Lok Sabha Secretariat | On 22 Jun 2015

Mining Without Consent: Chromite Mining in Manipur

The recent identification of chromite deposits in two districts of Manipur, Ukhrul and Chandel, has led the government to grant mining clearances disregarding constitutional provisions. While environm...

by Franky Varah | On 21 Jun 2015

Global Peace Index 2015

The 2015 Global Peace Index shows that the world is becoming increasingly divided with some countries enjoying unprecedented levels of peace and prosperity while others spiral further into violence an...

by | On 17 Jun 2015

Maldives: The Case for a Resolution at the 29th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

As the UN Human Rights Council holds its 29th session from 15th June 2015 to 3 July 2015, it ought to adopt a resolution on the deplorable human rights situation in Maldives as a consequence of the si...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 15 Jun 2015

Religion: A Tool for Discrimination in South Asia?

The challenge of independence for South Asia was to weld diverse communities into composite nation states that recognised pluralism, respected human rights and guaranteed freedom and equality for all....

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 15 Jun 2015

Minorities and Inclusive Electoral Processes in South Asia

This overview brings together major findings and crosscutting issues in the “country situation reports” from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively, which were commissioned b...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 15 Jun 2015

The Sunday Edit: The Maggi Order

Indigestible noodle soup.

by S Srinivasan | On 15 Jun 2015

Implementation of Forest Rights Act: Undoing the Historical Injustices?

This paper is based on a critical literature review and looks into the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in India, with particular reference to the two states of Chhattisgarh and Gujarat....

by Madhusudan Bandi | On 09 Jun 2015

Gender and Migration: Negotiating Rights - A Women's Movement Perspective

This research responds to the growing demand by mass organizations, for better documentation of women’s migration in India amid reports from activists of great increases in and new and more vulnerable...

by Indu Agnihotri | On 08 Jun 2015

Archiving the Nation-State in Feminist Praxis: A South Asian Perspective

This essay mainly examines the relationship between feminism and nationalism as a point from which it looks at South Asian feminist scholarship. The historical circumstances in their respective countr...

by Uma Chakravarti | On 08 Jun 2015

Gender Mainstreaming in Mining: Experiences across Countries

Mining not only has a negative impact on livelihoods, communities, and the socioeconomic and physical environment; it specifically and profoundly affects women. This paper uses the gender analysis fra...

by Prajna Mishra | On 08 Jun 2015

Universal Health Coverage by Design: ICT Enabled Solutions are the Future of Quality Health Care and Resilient Health Systems

Obtaining universal health coverage (UHC) has been widely embraced in Asia and the Pacific. UHC is essential to inclusive growth, health security, and sustainable economic development. To achieve UHC,...

by Susann Roth | On 08 Jun 2015

India and Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement

Attempts have been made to arrive at a comprehensive settlement of the land boundary between India and Bangladesh (the erstwhile East Pakistan) since 1947. The Nehru-Noon agreement of 1958 and the agr...

by Ministry of External Affairs, GoI MEA | On 07 Jun 2015

The Myth and the Reality - The Noel D'Cunha Sunday Column

This Sunday Column remembers the proud past of print in India, with stories that we have condemned to amnesia. These are stories about books, about print education, and about GST

by Noel D'Cunha | On 07 Jun 2015

The Economics of Peace: A Nepalese Perspective

Understanding the importance of peace has been accorded high priority in many religions, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. In recent years, many economists have realized the monetary va...

by Hari Bansh Jha | On 05 Jun 2015

In Search of a Model Land Legislation the New Land Acquisition Bill and its Challenges

The draft Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on September 7, 2011 is one of the most important legislations waiting for Parliamentary appr...

by Niranjan Sahoo | On 05 Jun 2015

Renewable Energy: Market and Policy Environment in India

India's significant economic growth over the last decade has led to an inexorable rise in energy demand. Currently, India faces a challenging energy shortage. To grow at 9 per cent over the next 20 ye...

by Vivan Sharan | On 05 Jun 2015

Nepal's Continuing Quest for Federalism and Peace

Nepal is currently experiencing perhaps one of the most turbulent phases in its contemporary political history. In 2008, the 240-year-old institution of monarchy—for long seen as a symbol of unity, in...

by Akanshya Shah | On 05 Jun 2015

Impact of Interbank Liquidity on Monetary Transmission Mechanism: A Case Study of Pakistan

The transmission mechanism of policy-induced changes are is analysed in the discount rate and required reserves in Pakistan. The results suggest that the pass through to the lending rate is complete f...

by Muhammed Omar | On 05 Jun 2015

Can Better Houses Help Tackle Indoor Air Pollution - A Case Study of Sri Lankan Tea Pluckers

Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) is a major health hazard in many developing countries. The health impact of this type of pollution is obviously influenced by various facets of house design, such as room si...

by Ajantha Kalyanaratne | On 04 Jun 2015

'Look East through Northeast': Challenges and Prospects for India

This paper focuses on the considerable hurdles and limitations encountered in carrying forward India's 'Look East' through Northeast—problems caused by the nature of physical terrain, the history of v...

by Subir Bhaumik | On 04 Jun 2015

India's Small Satellite Mission: Time for the Next Leap Forward

India has always given importance to the development of space technology for peaceful purposes. The Indian space programme is one of the biggest national space programmes in the world, which has trans...

by Narayan Prasad | On 04 Jun 2015

Tackling Myanmar’s Corruption Challenge

Corruption is widespread in Myanmar, and this has significant negative effects on the country’s economic development. In response, President U Thein Sein has made fighting corruption a priority. Howev...

by Khaing Sape Saw | On 04 Jun 2015

The Dance of the Elephant and the Dragon: The Promise and Perils of Sino-Indian Relations

India and China, two of the world's oldest civilisations, have had little historically relevant interactions with one other. Separated by the world's highest mountain range, the Himalayas, neither of...

by Himanil Raina | On 04 Jun 2015

Women and Work in South Asia: Changes and Challenges

This paper examines a number of questions that have a bearing on women’s employment in South Asia. The characteristic features of the region such as the predominantly rural, agrarian economy; patriarc...

by | On 04 Jun 2015

Flawed Urban Development Policies in Pakistan

History and civilisation move in cities. All major scientific, social, political, economic and technological innovations have happened in human agglomerations known as cities. Great civilisations and...

by | On 04 Jun 2015

Making It Happen: Technology, Finance and Statistics for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific

This report assesses the state of progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and then considers how the international community can embark on a post-2015 development agenda and do so in an in...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 04 Jun 2015

A Value Chain Approach to Measuring Distortions to Incentives and Food Policy Effects (with application to Pakistan’s grain policy)

An extended Nominal Rate of Assistance (NRA) methodology is used to disentangle the welfare impacts of policies for various interest groups along the value chain (to disaggregate effects within the “p...

by Elena Briones Alonso | On 02 Jun 2015

Stateless in Law: Two Assessments

This report comprises two assessments. The first is a theoretical analysis of the prevention and reduction of statelessness under international laws. By acceding to the ICCPR and the ICSCER conventio...

by Charlotte-Anne Malischewski | On 02 Jun 2015

The Double Burden of Malnutrition: Case Studies from Six Developing Countries

This Food and Agriculture Organization publication assesses the extent of the "double burden" of malnutrition in six developing countries – China, Egypt, India, Mexico, the Philippines and South Afric...

by Food and Nutrition Division FAO | On 01 Jun 2015

Making it Happen: Technology, Finance and Statistics for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific:Asia-Pacific Regional MDGs Report 2014/15

This is a historic year: the end of 2015 is the target date for the Millennium Development Goals. Since 2001, governments across Asia and the Pacific have been striving to meet ambitious goals that ai...

by Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific ESCAP | On 31 May 2015

Maul in India - What Next?

Direct mail is in danger of being vanished from this country. Mismanagement and lack of interest from the government bodies has made mail’s future precarious, finds out PrintWeek India.

by PrintWeek India PWI | On 28 May 2015

Mail in India - What Next?

Direct mail is in danger of being vanished from this country. Mismanagement and lack of interest from the government bodies has made mail’s future precarious, finds out PrintWeek India

by PrintWeek India PWI | On 28 May 2015

Report of the Working Group on Outreach of Institutional Finance, Cooperatives and Risk Management for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17)

The working group is of the opinion that the credit strategy should be aligned to agriculture growth strategy which in turn has to address broader macro economy concerns of supply management and issu...

by Planning Commission | On 21 May 2015

Report of the Sub Group III on Fodder and Pasture Management

Policy prescriptions for strengthening convergence of forestry, agriculture, watershed development programmes with pastures and grazing land management in forests, nonconventional forest areas, villag...

by Planning Commission | On 21 May 2015

Employment, Planning and Policy for the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-2017)

The Working Group has taken cognisance to the issues of inclusive growth. It lays emphasis on the view that employment generation should be focused on different segments of labour force – organized, u...

by Planning Commission | On 21 May 2015

Report of the Working Group on Drugs & Food Regulations

Strengthening of Drugs Regulatory Mechanisms is one of the major public health interventions. This ensures that safe, efficacious and quality drugs are made available to the people. Keeping in view th...

by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare H & FW | On 21 May 2015

Euthanasia, a Dignified Death: Because Surviving is Not Living

After spending 42 years in a vegetative state, Aruna Shanbaug breathed her last in Mumbai on May 18, 2015. The junior nurse who was brutally assaulted and sodomised by a ward boy in 1973 and whose cas...

by Rituparna Dutta | On 20 May 2015

Labor Migration, Skills, and Student Mobility in Asia

This report is a summary of the major policy issues raised at discussions among experts and practitioners from various international organizations and several Asian countries at the Third Roundtable o...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 15 May 2015

Accountability of Local and State Governments in India: An Overview of Recent Research

The paper discusses the notion of accountability, followed by an introduction to the Downsian theory of electoral competition. This serves as a point for classifying different sources of accountabilit...

by Dilip Mookherjee | On 14 May 2015

Youth Participation in Civil Society and Political Life in Bihar

This policy brief documents the participation of youth in Bihar in civil society, the extent to which they uphold secular attitudes and their perceptions about and participation in political processe...

by Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute | On 12 May 2015

Youth Participation in Civil Society and Political Life in Andhra Pradesh

This policy brief documents the participation of youth in Andhra Pradesh in civil society, the extent to which they uphold secular attitudes and their perceptions about and participation in political...

by Population Council | On 12 May 2015

Punjab Youth Policy 2012

The policy covers all key issues of youth and has provided a framework that promises social, economic and political empowerment of youth. The central theme of the policy is integrated youth developmen...

by | On 12 May 2015

Obituary: Jyotiben Trivedi

Jyotiben Trivedi, former Vice chancellor of SNDT Women's University: A personal Tribute

by Vibhuti Patel | On 04 May 2015

The Violence of Disappearance: Reading the Boko Haram Kidnapping

‘To disappear’ is no longer a metaphysical-theological mystery or magic act, but a political invention that must be seen as integral to the violence of modern politics. Focusing on the disappearance o...

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 04 May 2015

Southern Thailand: From Conflict to Negotiations?

It has been a decade since the outbreak of one of Asia’s most serious insurgencies, the conflict between Malay Muslims and the Thai state in Southern Thailand. Often ignored and unremarked upon by the...

by Duncan McCargo | On 30 Apr 2015

Thailand: The Evolving Conflict in the South

After a decade of separatist violence in Thailand’s Malay/Muslim-majority southern provinces, insurgent capabilities are outpacing state counter-measures that are mired in complacency and political co...

by International Crisis Group | On 30 Apr 2015

The Umbrella Revolution and the Future of China-Hong Kong Relations

This article, written during the 2014 civil disobedience 'Umbrella Revolution' in Hong Kong, suggests that this protest became a turning point in China Hong Kong relations. Suggesting that the protest...

by Willy Lam | On 29 Apr 2015

Book Review: Civil Wars in South Asia: State, Sovereignty, Development

Review of Civil Wars in South Asia: State, Sovereignty, Development ed. Aparna Sundar and Nandini Sundar. New Delhi: Sage Publications, 2014. pp. 273. Rs. 850/-, ISBN: 9789351500407.

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 28 Apr 2015

Power, Voices and Rights

The report focuses on the critical question of advancing gender equality, as seen through the prism of women’s unequal power, voice, and rights. Despite the region’s many economic gains, the Report ch...

by United Nations Development Programme UNDP | On 24 Apr 2015

Is Long-Term Food Insecurity Inevitable in Asia

This article questions two widely accepted claims on long-term food insecurity in Asia, the world's (heterogeneous) region with the largest number of undernourished individuals. The first claim is tha...

by | On 23 Apr 2015

ASEAN Community 2015: Managing Integration for Better Jobs and Shared Prosperity

This joint study of the Asian Development Bank and the International Labour Organization examines the impact of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on labor. It highlights the challenges and opportunit...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 22 Apr 2015

Pakistan: New Cybercrime Bill Threatens the Rights to Privacy and Free Expression

ARTICLE 19 and Digital Rights Foundation Pakistan have serious concerns about measures contained in Pakistan’s proposed Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill (‘PEC Bill’). The Bill contains a number of...

by Article 19 | On 22 Apr 2015

Return of the Kashmiri Pandits: Need for Inclusive Dialogue

In context of contemporary debates about the government’s plan to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits, this paper presents perspectives on the creation of separate townships, grounding these in the historic...

by Sheetal Munshi | On 21 Apr 2015

Economic Policy Reforms in South Asia: An Overview and the Remaining Agenda

In the past few years, the pace of economic growth in South Asia has slowed considerably for two reasons: unfavourable global economic environment and the slowing pace of economic reforms that once we...

by | On 20 Apr 2015

The Internet and State Intervention in Asia: A Comparative Study of Selected Countries

In context of contemporary debates about censorship, net neutrality and the role of the state in today’s globalising world, it becomes vital to examine the stand taken by various Asian governments tow...

by Nandini Bhattacharya | On 17 Apr 2015

Book Review: Home, Uprooted: Oral Histories of India's Partition

Review of Home, Uprooted: Oral Histories of India's Partition. New York: Fordham University Press, 2014. 288 pp. Rs. 1875.00, ISBN 978-0-8232-5644-0.

by Nishat Zaidi | On 17 Apr 2015

Keeping the Internet Neutral: Net Neutrality and its Role in Protecting Political Expression on the Internet

As Internet-use rises and becomes more widely available, it has become an increasingly important medium of political communication. This article explores internet regulation frameworks in the United S...

by Jennifer L. Newman | On 15 Apr 2015

Realizing Sustainable Food Security in the Post-2015 Development Era: South Asia’s Progress, Challenges and Opportunities

This paper reviews South Asia’s progress, challenges and opportunities for realizing sustainable food security in the post-2015 development agenda. The review finds that South Asia’s average dietary e...

by | On 14 Apr 2015

Personalities and Public Sector Performance: Evidence from a Health Experiment in Pakistan

This paper provides evidence that the personality traits of policy actors matter for policy outcomes in the context of two large-scale experiments in Punjab, Pakistan. Three results support the releva...

by | On 14 Apr 2015

Women, Violence and Conflict in Pakistan

This report presents an overview of both legal frameworks that have institutionalised discrimination and fuelled religious intolerance and violence against women and a dysfunctional criminal justice s...

by International Crisis Group | On 13 Apr 2015

The Continual Breakdown of Democracy in Thailand: A Case Study on the Role of Elite Competition, Modernization and Political Institutions in the Democratization Process of Thailand

The paper provides an in-depth empirical analysis of Thai political history in an attempt to understand why democracy has failed to consolidate since the 1932 revolution that ended the absolute monarc...

by | On 08 Apr 2015

Pakistan: The Worsening IDP Crisis

Internally displaced persons operation was one of the first against armed anti-state fighters in the tribal belt, and marked the beginning of operations across the seven tribal agencies of the Federal...

by International Crisis Group | On 06 Apr 2015

Are Current Tax and Spending Regimes Sustainable in Developing Asia?

This study projects government spending on education, health care, and social protection in developing Asia up to 2050 as a result of demographic changes and economic growth.

by Sang-Hyop Lee | On 06 Apr 2015

Law, Society, and Capital Punishment in Asia

Students of capital punishment need to study Asia, the site of at least 85 percent and as many as 95 percent of the world’s executions. This article explores the varieties of Asian capital punishment...

by | On 01 Apr 2015

State Effectiveness, Growth, and Development

This paper discusses recent developments in the literature on state effectiveness. Each section covers the relevant theory with a special focus on the current knowledge about the mechanisms highlighte...

by | On 01 Apr 2015

Situation Analysis of Children and Women in Pakistan

This Situation Analysis shows that females in Pakistan face discrimination, exploitation and abuse at many levels, starting with girls who are prevented from exercising their basic right to education,...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 01 Apr 2015

Asian Development Outlook 2015 Financing Asia’s Future Growth

According to the Asian Development Outlook 2015, India is forecast to overtake China in terms of economic growth as the initial phase of government efforts to remove structural bottlenecks is lifting...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 01 Apr 2015

Improving Children’s Lives Transforming the Future

Despite rapid economic growth in South Asia, strong inequalities persist and children pay a heavy price. This publication examines latest trends and data on children in the eight countries of the regi...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 27 Mar 2015

Financial Inclusion, Poverty, and Income Inequality in Developing Asia

Understanding the link between financial inclusion, poverty, and income inequality at the country level will help policymakers design and implement programs that will broaden access to financial serv...

by | On 27 Mar 2015

Understanding South Asian Labor Migration

Migration has been a common phenomenon in South Asia for hundreds of years, especially between bordering countries. Apart from intraregional migration, the Gulf oil boom sparked a different type of la...

by | On 25 Mar 2015

Mapping Bangladesh’s Political Crisis

On 5 January, the first anniversary of the deeply contested 2014 elections, the most violent in Bangladesh’s history, clashes between government and opposition groups led to several deaths and scores...

by International Crisis Group | On 24 Mar 2015

Developing the Financial Sector and Expanding Market Instruments to Support a Post-2015 Development Agenda in Asia and the Pacific

The study discusses complementary initiatives in terms of legal and regulatory reforms necessary to sustainably support market-oriented financing options. Given market orientation, the paper is comple...

by | On 24 Mar 2015

Japan and ASEAN: Their Changing Security Relations

Southeast Asia has been one of the key components of Japan's foreign policy in the post-Cold War period. It is one region where Japan's diplomacy has accomplished considerable success in coming to ter...

by | On 24 Mar 2015

Pakistan’s Water Crisis

‘One of the most water-stressed countries in the world, not far from being classified as water scarce’, Pakistan faces an existential threat- one that could potentially hobble its already modest econo...

by | On 20 Mar 2015

Capturing the Demographic Dividend in Pakistan

Currently, 28 per cent of Pakistan is between ages 15 and 29. Translating this “youth bulge” into a “demographic dividend” is a principal challenge and the main theme of this volume. A key message is...

by Zeba Sathar | On 19 Mar 2015

Searching for Security: The Rising Marginalization of Religious Communities in Pakistan

Despite some recent signs of progress in Pakistan, there continues to be high levels of religious discrimination in the country. Drawing on an extensive review of the literature and interviews with a...

by | On 19 Mar 2015

Progress Towards the WSIS Targets in ESCAP and Regional Perspectives on Measuring ICT Development Objectives

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of regional progress in implementing the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Survey data collected in 2013 from ESCAP co...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UNESCAP) | On 19 Mar 2015

Nutrition in South Asia

Nutrition is key to children’s survival and development. Well-nourished children are healthier and cleverer than their undernourished peers, they grow and develop to their full potential, and they per...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 18 Mar 2015

Women in Indian Labour Market What Are the Emerging Options?

If women in the unpaid domestic employment categories were to be provided even part-time regular work, they would immensely contribute to the GDP. It is important to generate creative partnerships be...

by Bino Paul G.D | On 15 Mar 2015

Death Sentences and Executions 2012

This report covers the judicial use of the death penalty for the period January to December 2012. Amnesty International records figures on the use of the death penalty based on the best available info...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 13 Mar 2015

The Economic Impacts of Inadequate Sanitation in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the deterioration of the environment continues to harm livelihoods and health, increasing the vulnerability of the nation’s poor. It has long been clear that lack of access to clean wat...

by | On 13 Mar 2015

Are Schools Safe and Equal Places for Girls and Boys in Asia?

Research findings point to the need for focusing on gender equality in education and the need for a multi-level approach addressing barriers at the individual, community, school and policy levels if...

by | On 11 Mar 2015

Gender Equality and Food Security: Women’s Empowerment as a Tool against Hunger

This report explores how gender equality can contribute to food security. Its focus is on Asia and the Pacific, though developments in other regions are also referenced. The report describes the relat...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 10 Mar 2015

Global Imbalances and Bretton Woods II Postulate

The paper intends to revisit this argument, particularly in the light of the change in deficits and surpluses in the world economy. The paper tries to trace the genesis of BWII to the debates which or...

by Krishnakumar S | On 10 Mar 2015

What Holds Back Manufacturing in South Asia

The recent South Asian (other than that of Bangladesh) experience of a growing merchandise trade deficit and the challenge of job creation have forced attention back on the role of manufacturing. Bang...

by | On 09 Mar 2015

Contemporary Myanmar Challenges To Political Process and Reconciliation

This paper outlines the political reforms and reconciliation process presently underway in Myanmar and the challenges posed to it. A detailed analysis of changing power dynamics in Myanmar, and the...

by | On 04 Mar 2015

Union Budget 2015-16: Shocking Neglect of Health Care

The budget proposals are premised on the assumption that health care is an individual’s responsibiity. The government appears to be rapidly shedding its responsibilities to provide accessible health...

by Ravi Duggal | On 01 Mar 2015

On Rethinking Population Education: Challenging the Gender and Structural Violence of Prevailing Norms

The way population issues are taught in schools, colleges and universities can have a profound impact on the development of students’ worldviews, particularly regarding the root causes of poverty, mal...

by Betsy Hartmann | On 01 Mar 2015

Economic Survey 2014-15: Volume I

A flagship annual document of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, Economic Survey 2014–15 reviews the developments in the Indian economy over the previous 12 months, summarizes the performan...

by Ministry of Finance | On 28 Feb 2015

Democracy, Inclusion, and Prosperity

People want to live in a safe prosperous country where they enjoy freedom of thought and action, and where they can exercise their democratic rights to choose their government. But how do countries en...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 24 Feb 2015

Cracks in Budgetary Policies towards the Social Sectors

The union budget for 2014-15 offers few changes in terms of policy priorities from the United Progressive Alliance government interim budget for 2014-15, and it fails to recognise the cracks in the co...

by Subrat Das | On 20 Feb 2015

Budget Transparency and Participation: Recommendations to the Fourteenth Finance Commission

This paper explores the need for a Pre-Budget Statement, sub-national transparency and civil society participation to make the budgetary process in India more transparent, accountable and participator...

by Ravi Duggal | On 20 Feb 2015

Policy Framework for Finance SEZs

India is a large user of financial services, by virtue of a large and growing GDP and a high rate of investment and savings. At present, India is con- suming financial services produced onshore as wel...

by Ministry of Finance | On 19 Feb 2015

Bangladesh: Polarisation, Political Violence and An Undeclared Civil War

The report states that about 90 people have been killed and more than a thousand were injured in the ongoingviolent anti-government protests by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led 20-party alli...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 19 Feb 2015

Caste, Corruption and Political Competition in India

Voters in India are often perceived as being biased in favor of parties that claim to represent their caste. The caste bias is incorporated into voter preferences and examine its in influence on the...

by Avidit Acharya | On 12 Feb 2015

Indian Public Finance Statistics 2013-14

Indian Public Finance Statistics' is an annual publication prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance. This provides a comprehensive overview of the b...

by Ministry of Finance | On 10 Feb 2015

Impending Water Crisis in India and Comparing Clean Water Standards among Developing and Developed Nations

This paper is an overview of the issues surrounding India’s water scarcity, and also comparison of clean water standards between developing and developed nations. Water security is emerging as an incr...

by | On 06 Feb 2015

The Effect of Women’s Decision-Making Power on Reproductive Health Services Uptake - Evidence from Pakistan

A large body of research has attempted to explore the links between women's autonomy and their uptake of reproductive health services in the South Asia region, but the evidence so far is inconclusive...

by Xiaohui Hou | On 04 Feb 2015

Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election: Risks and Opportunities

This briefing discusses Sri Lanka’s presidential election promises. It promises more competition than was initially anticipated but with that comes a great risk of violence. Long-term stability and po...

by Crisis Group | On 02 Feb 2015

Research and Development and Extension Services in Agriculture and Food Security

This paper makes a case for sustained investments in research and extension to address the numerous challenges along the pathway from agriculture production and distribution to consumption and utiliza...

by | On 30 Jan 2015

New Challenges Before the Indian Nation

What are the new challenges before the Indian nation, its new government and the people's movement? (In Hindi)

by Abhay Kumar Dubey | On 29 Jan 2015

Addressing Inequality in Southeast Asia through Regional Economic Integration

The paper mainly discusses the issues and policies relating to inequality in Southeast Asia. Policies to reduce inequality include more efficient fiscal policies, improve infrastructure and generating...

by Josef Yap | On 29 Jan 2015

Promoting Agricultural Research and Development to Strengthen Food Security in South Asia

This study aims to highlight the status of agricultural R&D in South Asia and contends that creating an effective agricultural research and innovation systems is a vital element to ensure food securit...

by | On 22 Jan 2015

Annual Day Lecture of the Delhi School of Economics, India

The lecture focuses on the continuing relevance of the founding principles of the School, viz., academic freedom, academic excellence, social commitment with technical competence.

by C.H. Hanumantha Rao | On 21 Jan 2015

Economic Sociology and Political Economy: A Programmatic Perspective

The paper presents some of the ideas underlying the current research program of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG). It begins with a discussion of how the institute’s pro- gra...

by Jens Beckert | On 18 Jan 2015

Malnutrition in South-Asia: Poverty, Diet or Lack of Female Empowerment?

Despite economic growth, and a reduction in poverty, malnutrition is still rampant in South-Asia. This indicates that non-economic factors are important, and it used a nation-wide survey from Nepal to...

by | On 13 Jan 2015

Presidential Stakes and Sri Lanka's future

Across the great Eurasian plate these days, one can find leaders dispensing with truly competitive politics. But traverse the Himalayas to South Asia and the climate is different: Democracy is on a w...

by Chandrani Sharma | On 13 Jan 2015

Governance in Sri Lanka: Lessons from Post-Tsunami Rebuilding

This article applies complex evolving systems theory to investigating the governance factors affecting rebuilding in the wake of the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka. It also examines the crucial processes o...

by | On 13 Jan 2015

Jasodhara Bagchi : "The Women’s Movement and I"

A short post on PosterWomen that first appeared in July 25, 2011 in which Jasodhara Bagchi, the late feminist scholar and activist talks about her involvement with the women's movement in India.

by Jasodhara Bagchi | On 11 Jan 2015

‘Coin of Blood’: Savarkar’s 'The Indian War of Independence – 1857'

Savarkar’s chief claim from the outset is that the Revolution was the manifestation of deep underlying principles. Indeed this sense of the underlying principles can alone justify such massive loss of...

by Nikhil Govind | On 27 Dec 2014

China and Its Peripheries: Contentious Relations with North Korea

This brief discusses China's political, economic, territorial, and security relations with North Korea. It suggests that although China remains North Korea's most important ally as well as its biggest...

by | On 26 Dec 2014

India-Pakistan Trade: A Case Study of the Pharmaceutical Sector

This paper attempts to evaluate the possible gains and losses arising from the gradual opening up of pharmaceutical trade between India and Pakistan. The comparative advantages of both countries at a...

by Vaqar Ahmed | On 22 Dec 2014

Labour Migration in South Asia: A Review of Issues, Policies and Practices

This paper reviews migration policy frameworks in South Asia and their implications for governance of migration, protection of migrant workers and maximizing development benefits of migration. The pap...

by Piyasiri Wickramasekara | On 19 Dec 2014

Pakistan and Afghanistan: Understanding Islamabad’s Objectives and Strategies

Pakistan plays a vital role in Afghanistan and is its most prominent neighbor given its strategic location, geographical proximity, historical and cultural ties with the exception of political influen...

by | On 18 Dec 2014

Logged On : Smart Government Solutions from South Asia

Mobile technology is helping to fight corruption in Pakistan, improve health delivery in Bangladesh, provide access to government by the ordinary citizen in India, and help monitor elections in Afghan...

by Zubair Bhatti | On 18 Dec 2014

Empowerment of Women through Participation in Local Government: A case of Maharashtra

There is reservation for women in Maharashtra in the local governments. But their number is less. A case study is given.

by Ruby Ojha | On 12 Dec 2014

Cross-Sectional Time Series Analysis of Associations between Education and Girl Child Marriage in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan

Girl education is believed to be the best means of reducing girl child marriage (marriage <18 years) globally. However, in South Asia, where the majority of girl child marriages occur, substantial imp...

by Anita Raj | On 02 Dec 2014

Violence against Women in Politics A study conducted in India, Nepal and Pakistan

This study addresses the nature, extent and reasons for women’s political participation within India, Nepal and Pakistan. All three countries have recently elected or are in the process of electing th...

by Ranjana Kumari | On 27 Nov 2014

Asia Child Marriage Initiative: Summary of Research in Bangladesh, India and Nepal

Child marriage is one of the most prevalent and serious violations of human rights. The issue needs urgent attention in South Asia, where 46 per cent of children are married formally or in informal u...

by Ravi Verma | On 27 Nov 2014

State of World Population 2014 - The Power of 1.8 Billion: Adolescents, youth and the transformation of the future

Young people matter. They matter because an unprecedented 1.8 billion youth are alive today, and because they are the shapers and leaders of our global future. They matter because they have inherent h...

by United Nations Population Fund UNFPA | On 19 Nov 2014

Education System Reform in Pakistan: Why, When, and How?

Pakistan’s education system faces long-standing problems in access, quality, and equal opportunity at every level: primary and secondary schools, higher education and vocational education. In spit...

by Mehnaz Aziz | On 10 Nov 2014

Youth Employment in the Philippines

Youth unemployment and the difficulty of transiting from school to work has been a persistent and significant problem not just in the Philippines, but throughout the Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Th...

by Mark Canlas | On 04 Nov 2014

Towards a Food Secure India and South Asia: Making Hunger History

The paper begins with a detailed analysis of the various elements of food security, then it describes the various policy and programme restructurings and interventions to meet the challenges and const...

by R.B. Singh | On 29 Oct 2014

Employment for Youth – A Growing Challenge for the Global Community

Social and economic challenges facing young people today must be understood in terms of the complex interaction between unique demographic trends and specific economic contexts. There has been an...

by Ragui Assaad | On 27 Oct 2014

"I Already Bought You" Abuse and Exploitation of Female Migrant Domestic Workers in the United Arab Emirates

This Human Rights Watch report documents how the UAE’s visa sponsorship system, known as kafala, and the lack of labour law protections leave migrant domestic workers exposed to abuse. Domestic worker...

by Human Rights Watch | On 24 Oct 2014

Aspects of Youth Education, Gender Equality and Empowerment in the Caucasus and Central Asia

Increasing unemployment of youth and a poor quality of youth employment are among the key problems of the modern labour market. According to the ILO, the number of unemployed youth aged 15 to 24 has b...

by Marina Baskakova | On 16 Oct 2014

Global Hunger Index 2014: The Challenge of Hidden Hunger

A staggering 2 billion people get so little essential vitamins and minerals from the foods they eat that they remain undernourished, according to the 2014 Global Hunger Index (GHI) being released toda...

by International Food Policy Research Institute | On 14 Oct 2014

Institutional Credit in Rainfed Areas: District Level Analysis in Southern States

Dryland regions of the country, poorly endowed as they are with natural resources including water are likely to be disadvantaged in terms of access to credit. Within the dryland areas too inter-pers...

by Satyasai K J S | On 08 Oct 2014

Human Development Progress in South Asia: Achievements and Challenges

Rapid human development progress in India, Bangladesh and other South Asian nations is helping drive a historic shift in global dynamics, with hundreds of millions of people rising from poverty and bi...

by Rameshwar Jat | On 26 Sep 2014

India's Double Challenge

While climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, traditional system of flood management through lakes and connected water channels has been forgotten. This makes flood and d...

by Sunita Narain | On 22 Sep 2014

Reducing Poverty by Closing South Asia’s Infrastructure Gap

“Reducing Poverty by Closing South Asia’s Infrastructure Gap” reveals that the region’s growing demands for infrastructure has enlarged an existing infrastructure gap. According to the report, address...

by Luis Andrés | On 22 Sep 2014

Assessing the Costs of Climate Change and Adaptation in South Asia

With a population of 1.43 billion people, one-third of whom live in poverty, the South Asia developing members of ADB face the challenge of achieving and sustaining rapid economic growth to reduce pov...

by Sanjay Upadhyaya | On 19 Sep 2014

Creative Productivity Index: Analysing Creativity and Innovation in Asia

This report presents the results and analysis of the Creative Productivity Index (CPI) for a select number of Asian economies. The CPI was built by The Economist Intelligence Unit. The Asian Developme...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 19 Sep 2014

Asia-Pacific Aspirations: Perspectives for a Post 2015 Development Agenda

This report is the sixth in the series of Asia-Pacific MDG reports produced since 2004 by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific/Asian Development Bank/United Nations Development...

by United Nations Development Programme UNDP | On 19 Sep 2014

Labour Market Transitions of Young Women and Men in Asia and the Pacific

This report presents the results of the School-to-work transition surveys (SWTS) implemented in five countries in the Asia-Pacific region – Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Samoa and Viet Nam – in 2012 or...

by International Labour Organisation ILO | On 18 Sep 2014

Economic and Financial Outlook

A picture about the macroeconomy that is, the world economy and the domestic economy is given. The two recent regulatory measures are given here. [FICCI/IBA Annual Banking Conference].

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 18 Sep 2014

Rising Food Prices in South Asia: A Policy Framework to Mitigate Adverse Effects

The global economic crises that started in 2008 have exposed commodity markets to increasing price volatility and raised concerns for higher inflation, food security and poverty reduction. This seri...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 12 Sep 2014

Protecting the Girl Child: Using the Law to End Child, Early & Forced Marriage & Related Human Rights Violations

Cultural traditions and a lack of legal protections are driving tens of millions of girls around the world into early marriage, subjecting them to violence, poverty and mistreatment. Equality Now, in...

by Equality Now | On 12 Sep 2014

Economic Implications of Deeper South Asian–Southeast Asian Integration

South and Southeast Asian economic integration via increased trade flows has been increasing significantly over the past 2 decades, but the level of trade continues to be relatively low. This under pe...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 22 Aug 2014

Indian Planning Experience: A Statistical Profile

The Planning Commission completed 50 years of its setting up on 15th March, 2000. At the time it was set up the purpose of the Planning Commission was to formulate the five year and the annual plans f...

by Planning Commission | On 18 Aug 2014

Gandhi through the Eyes of a Disciple

Review of 'Mahatma Gandhi and Prema Kantak: Exploring a Relationship, Exploring History' Oxford University Press, India 2013; pp 368; Rs 850

by Surendra Bhana | On 13 Aug 2014

Finance and Opportunity in India

One of the greatest dangers to the growth of developing countries is the middle income trap, where crony capitalism creates oligarchies that slow down growth. If the debate during the elections is any...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 13 Aug 2014

The Political Economy of MGNREGS Spending in Andhra Pradesh

Are ostensibly demand-driven public programs less susceptible to political clientelism even when private goods are allocated? This is examined using expenditure data at the local level from India’s N...

by Megan Sheahan | On 01 Aug 2014

Tribute: Obaid Siddiqi: Bringing Science to Society

A Tribute to the scientist Obaid Siddiqi who passed away a year ago.

by Jaikishan Advani | On 30 Jul 2014

Event, Memory and Historical Analysis: A Reconstruction of Temple Destructions in India

This paper will highlight the myths that surround the question of mass conversion to Islam and the so called temple destructions by the Muslims during the formative years of the Sultanate and the Mugh...

by Amit K Suman | On 24 Jul 2014

The Din of Silence: Reconstructing the Keezhvenmani Dalit Massacre

This paper is an attempt to reconstruct the Keezhvenmani Dalit massacre of 1968 by placing it in the larger socio-political scenario, giving it a ‘pre-history,’ scouring the various narratives of the...

by Nithila Kanagasabai | On 24 Jul 2014

Power and Resistance: Silence and Secrecy in Avatar - The Last Airbender

In the American animated television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA), a visually Asian-influenced world of humans, animals and spirits plays out a history of violence, trauma and resistance....

by Gayatri Viswanath | On 24 Jul 2014

Union Budget 2014: New Government, Same Ol'Budget

If the Union Budget 2014 is anything to go by , the fiscal policy of the new government shows no change. In fact, there is an amazing continuity with the previous few Budgets. Significantly however,...

by Ravi Duggal | On 23 Jul 2014

Student Learning in South Asia: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Priorities

This report covers education from primary through upper secondary school. Given its importance for school readiness, this report also reviews early childhood development even though that is outside...

by Halil Dundar | On 11 Jul 2014

Employment Stagnancy in India: Policy Plus Monetary reform

The Indian economy is witnessing a dichotomous trend- an increasing share of employment in industry with decline in Value Added to output. When compared to other Asian economies, we’re adding workers...

by Aritra Chakrabarty | On 10 Jul 2014

Book Review - Indian Culture through a Television Screen

Book Review - Understanding India: Cultural Influences on Indian Television Commercials discusses Indian Television Commercials in the context of marketing interests and visual culture. The author exa...

by Hemali Sanghavi | On 09 Jul 2014

Determinants for the Demand and Supply of Texile Exports of Pakistan

This study analyses the demand and supply side determinants of textile and garments’ exports of Pakistan using time series data for the period 1972– 2010. Eight trading partners (US, UK, Canada, It...

by Rabia Latif | On 01 Jul 2014

Tribute: Manorama Savur

A tribute to Prof Manorama Savur by a student and admirer.

by Ravi Duggal | On 25 Jun 2014

Obituary: Manorama Savur (1927-2014)

Manorama Savur, professor of sociology, Mumbai University and well-respected academic and activist.

by Vibhuti Patel | On 25 Jun 2014

Sustaining Progress on Population and Development in Asia and the Pacific: 20 years after ICPD

The publication Sustaining Progress on Population and Development in Asia and the Pacific: 20 years after ICPD contains an analysis of the ICPD beyond 2014 Global Survey in Asia and the Pacific and th...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UNESCAP) | On 24 Jun 2014

Inter-Regional Report on Labour Migration and Social Protection

Since the 1970s in particular, the countries of Western Asia and those of the Asia-Pacific region have been closely linked to each other through highly extensive movements of people. Opportunities cre...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UNESCAP) | On 17 Jun 2014

The Global Labour Standards Controversy: Critical Issues for Developing Countries

This policy study seeks to move the debate on labour standards beyond the present stalemate onto a more constructive plane. While closely examining the economic arguments in this controversy, it is al...

by Ajit Singh | On 09 Jun 2014

Connecting South Asia to Southeast Asia: Cross-Border Infrastructure Investments

Most of the trade between South Asia and Southeast Asia is by sea. However, with improved infrastructure and easier border crossing procedures, land traffic could grow to boost trade in goods, service...

by Jean-Francois Gautrin Gautrin | On 02 Jun 2014

Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013: A Generation at Risk

This issue of Global Employment Trends for Youth provides an update on youth labour markets around the world, focusing both on the continuing labour market crisis and on structural issues in youth lab...

by International Labour Organisation ILO | On 30 May 2014

Marking Progress Against Child Labour

New estimates presented by International Labour Organization (ILO) indicate that 168 million children worldwide are in child labour, accounting for almost 11 per cent of the child population as a whol...

by International Labour Organisation ILO | On 27 May 2014

Organised Labour and Economic Liberalisation India: Past, Present and Future.

This paper examines the role of organised labour in India in a structural and historical context. It attempts to trace the economic, political and social effects of the trade union movement and its st...

by Debashish Bhattacharjee | On 23 May 2014

Higher Education in Asia: Expanding Out, Expanding Up

This report presents data and analysis to better understand the factors driving the expansion in undergraduate and graduate education across Asia. By looking at the system as a whole, the authors eval...

by David W. Chapman | On 16 May 2014

Water Security in South Asia: Issues and Policy Recommendations

It is estimated that by 2030, only 60 per cent of the world's population will have access to fresh water supplies. This would mean that about 3 billion people would be living without reliable source...

by Wilson John | On 15 May 2014

The Food Security Policy Context in South Africa

The analysis in this report leads to an overall conclusion that the IFSS is an excellent strategy on paper and a relevant framework for different stakeholders, but in reality it lacks implementing pow...

by Josee Koch | On 29 Apr 2014

Developing Democracies in Southeast Asia:Theorizing the Role of Parties and Elections 1 Forthcoming in Southeast Asia and Political Science: Theory, Region, and Method

Political parties and elections lie at the center of modern democratic politics. Elections function as the chief means of holding leaders accountable for their actions in democratic societies. Politic...

by Erik Kuhonta | On 28 Apr 2014

The Economic Cost of General Strikes in Nepal

This paper reviews the key aspects of general strikes and analyses the economic cost of such strikes in Nepal. Data analysis shows that average direct cost of general strikes stood at NRs. 1.8 billi...

by Min Bahadur Shrestha | On 11 Apr 2014

Politics and Public Policies: Politics of Human Development in Uttar Pradesh, India

In India, public policies for human development are politically contested for many reasons like diverse political interests, commitment to specific social bases by political regimes etc. They have r...

by Shyam Singh | On 10 Apr 2014

Elections 2014: What Do the Manifestos of Political Parties Promise Children?

A quick look at the manifestos of the five national political parties, Indian National Congress (INC), Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Aam Admi Party (AAP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) and S...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 10 Apr 2014

Indian Youth and Electoral Politics - An Emerging Engagement

Review of the book 'Indian Youth and Electoral Politics - An Emerging Engagement' edited by Sanjay Kumar; Fellow at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS); April 2014; pp 180; Rs 450.

by Nandini Bhattacharya | On 07 Apr 2014

Lok Sabha Elections, 2014: Fascism, Democracy’s Challenges and Role of Citizens

PUCL through this statement, wishes to bring to the attention of the people of India, the serious threat to democracy itself and the human rights challenges posed by the electoral alliances and cal...

by People's Union of Civil Liberties PUCL | On 03 Apr 2014

Debating Poverty

The first of a series of eSSays dossiers on issues of public concern. Guest editor: M.H. Suryanarayana. Contents: Poverty Line: Pursuit of an Elusive Minimum by M.H. Suryanarayana Fixing Poverty...

by eSocialSciences eSS | On 08 Mar 2014

Public Opposition Halts Violation of Environmental Norms: Case of APSEZ, Gujarat

All too often blinded by the dazzle of development people and planners do not see the trail of destruction that accompanies new initiatives. It need not be that way. As the case of Adani Ports and SEZ...

by Yogi Aggarwal | On 26 Feb 2014

Railway Budget 2014-15

Speech of Shri Mallikarjun Kharge introducing the Railway Budget 2014-15.

by Mallikarjun Kharge | On 14 Feb 2014

Jewels of the Qila: A Review

Review of Hugh J. M. Johnston's Jewels of the Qila, University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, 2012. 336 pp. $35.95 (paper), ISBN 978-0-7748-2217-6.

by Shezan Muhammedi | On 12 Feb 2014

Middle-Income Trap: Economic Myth, Political Reality

While Asia continues to set pace as the world’s fastest growing region, some Asian middle-income countries (MICs) are showing signs of economic slowdown and face stiff competition from lower-cost econ...

by ASIA FOUNDATION | On 10 Feb 2014

Medico Friend Circle Bulletin, 357-360, July 2013- Feb 2014

Contents? Social Discrimination in Health How to think of Discrimination? Why Casteism Persists Even in the 21st Century? Discrimination, Stigma and a Typology of Violence: Some Conceptual Reflect...

by Medico Friend Circle | On 08 Feb 2014

Why So Few Women in Politics? Evidence from India

In this paper we analyze women as political candidates in a representative democracy. Using 50 years of assembly elections data at the constituency level from the Indian states, we show that women are...

by Mudit Kapoor | On 30 Jan 2014

Public - Private Partnerships in Kolkata: Concepts of Governance in the Changing Political Economy of a Region

In order to conceptualize the transforming political and economic orders of today’s South Asia, the perspective of contemporary history is taken. For this, Public-Private Partnership – which is bei...

by Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee | On 24 Jan 2014

Connecting India To ASEAN: Opportunities and Challenges in India’s Northeast

As ASEAN and India celebrated two decades of friendship late last year, there was much lively discussion on how to bring the two growing regions closer together. Of the many ideas that were deliberate...

by South Asian Studies Institute of | On 23 Jan 2014

Sino-Indian Panchsheel and Japan’s overture to India

With 2014 designated as the “Year of Friendly Exchanges between India and China”, the two mega-state Asian neighbours will commemorate later this year the 60th anniversary of the enunciation of Five P...

by P S Suryanarayana | On 22 Jan 2014

The Way Forward for Northeast India

This paper seeks to explain the idea of linking Northeast India to Southeast Asia, which gained popular imagination following the release of the North Eastern Region Vision 2020 document in 2008. Howe...

by Laldinkima Sailo | On 22 Jan 2014

Conflicts in South Asia: Causes, Consequences, Prospects

Studying conflicts is a big intellectual enterprise. More than 60 per cent of the top 100 think-tanks listed in the University Pennsylvania survey (2012) study conflicts and issues related to conflict...

by S. D. Muni | On 22 Jan 2014

A Turbulent Pakistan: India’s Choices in Response

The fate and future of Pakistan has been an issue of considerable concern and anxiety not only inside Pakistan but in the world at large and South Asia in particular. The Fund for Peace project on the...

by S.D. Muni | On 22 Jan 2014

The Price of Steel-Human Rights and forced evictions in the POSCO-India Steel Project

The POSCO project in India is a story all too familiar. This is a story about attempts to forcibly evict thousands of families from their homes, their fields, and their forests to make way for a massi...

by Smita Narula | On 22 Jan 2014

India’s Regional Security Cooperation: The Nehru Raj Legacy

The paper explores the logic of continuity in independent India’s security policy from where the British Raj had left off. Much like the Raj, Nehru’s India sought to provide security to its smaller ne...

by prashant kumar | On 21 Jan 2014

Emerging Geopolitical Trends and Security in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the People’s Republic of China, and India (ACI) Region

The rapid economic growth in the region consisting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and India has begun to change the strategic landscape of...

by C. Raja Mohan | On 21 Jan 2014

Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Operational Plan, 2013–2020

Gender equity is one of the five drivers of change in the Asian Development Bank(ADB) Strategy 2020. ADB recognizes that without harnessing the talents, human capital and economics potential of women,...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 20 Jan 2014

Asian Development Bank Sustainability Report

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Sustainability Report has been issued every 2 years since 2007. The current Sustainability Report contains selected performance highlights of ADB’s operations and corp...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 20 Jan 2014

Governance and Development Outcomes in Asia

The relationship between governance and economic development is one of the most important areas of research in international development. Much of the previous literature has focused on whether better...

by Kunal Sen | On 20 Jan 2014

Under the Thumb of History? Political institutions and the Scope for Action

This paper discusses the two leading views of history and political institutions. For some scholars, institutions are mainly products of historical logic, while for others, accidents, leaders, and dec...

by Abhijit V. Banerjee | On 20 Jan 2014

Community Resilience and Critical Urban Infrastructure: Where Adaptive Capacities Meet Vulnerabilities

In many of Southeast Asia’s cities, critical infrastructure development is concentrated in affluent areas; and poor communities, lacking access to basic services, often resort to alternatives that may...

by Sofiah Jamil | On 15 Jan 2014

Maritime Territorial Disputes in East Asia: A Comparative Analysis of the South China Sea and the East China Sea

This article systematically compares maritime territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas. It draws on the bargaining model of war and hegemonic stability theory to track the record of confl...

by Andy Yee | On 02 Jan 2014

Hostage to History: Japan-South Korea Relations

With the two leaders of Japan and South Korea having failed to hold an official meeting between them since coming to office, historical issues remain a thorn in the the betterment of Japanese-South K...

by Bert Edström | On 02 Jan 2014

Providing Income Security for the Elderly

Despite high and long-lasting economic growth, inequalities are widening in most countries in Asia and the Pacific. Currently over 1.6 billion people in the region live on less than $2 per day, of whi...

by United Nations Economic and Social Commission (UNESCAP) | On 23 Dec 2013

The Return of the Prodigy Son: Do Return Migrants Make Better Leaders?

This paper investigates the impact of political leaders’ migration experience on the quality of their leadership. A database is constructed on the personal background of 932 politicians who were at...

by Marion Mercier | On 20 Dec 2013

Reducing Vulnerability and Exposure to Disasters

The past two years have been challenging ones for the Asia-Pacific region in several respects, but 2011 has been particularly unforgettable for how it has focused the attention of so many people on th...

by ... CEHAT | On 13 Dec 2013

China-ASEAN Relations: Consensus on Principles, Differences on Specifics

ASEAN, for China, is the focal point for Chinese diplomacy with Southeast Asian countries. Beyond ASEAN, China’s overall relations with Russia, Central Asia and most South Asian countries are relative...

by Chaobing Qiu | On 29 Nov 2013

Political Stability and Economic Growth in Asia

This paper has investigated the effects of various factors of political instability on economic growth in selected ten Asian economies during 1990-2005. The empirical findings show a close relationshi...

by Muhammad Younis | On 28 Nov 2013

A Review of Internal and Regional Migration Policy in Southeast Asia

This working paper provides an overview of migration policy analysis in academic and policy (‘grey’) literature for Southeast Asia, as well as a brief outline of the current migration policy environme...

by Maureen Hickey | On 27 Nov 2013

Asia's Rising Power and America's Continued Purpose

This paper examines a range of possible outcomes in strategic Asia and evaluates the likelihood of each outcome based on the prospective performance of the U.S and the Chinese economies, potential pol...

by Aaron Friedberg | On 26 Nov 2013

Ethical Issues in Community Based Monitoring of Health Programmes: Reflections from India

This paper explores the different sets of power relationships and resultant ethical dilemmas that arise when developing community monitoring systems. Community Based Monitoring and Planning, as part o...

by Renu Khanna | On 22 Nov 2013

The Future of the World Trade Organization

The continued difficulties of the World Trade Organization to achieve further multilateral trade liberalization in the Doha Round negotiations have raised questions about its continued relevance. This...

by Biswajit Dhar | On 19 Nov 2013

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership: Reform Challenges and Key Tasks for the Philippines

The paper calls the attention of policymakers to address critical constraints affecting the effective utilization of free trade agreements, growth, trade facilitation and customs administration, servi...

by Gilberto M. Llanto | On 15 Nov 2013

Girl Power in Agricultural Production: How Much Does it Yield? A Case-Study on the Dairy Sector in India

This paper provides empirical evidence of the impact of female intra-household decision-making power on dairy productivity in India, based on evidence from a household-level dataset which was collecte...

by Astrid Sneyers | On 07 Nov 2013

When  Ideas Trump Interests :  Preferences, World Views, and Policy  Innovations

The contemporary approach to political economy is built around vested interests -- elites,  lobbies, and rent-seeking groups which get their way at the expense of the general public. The  role of id...

by Dani Rodrik | On 06 Nov 2013

Southeast Asia’s Food Security Challenge: More than ‘Stock’ Solution Needed

Countries in Southeast Asia face a fresh challenge to their food security as food consumption patterns change, and reliance on imports increases to meet such shifts. Consequently, they may be left wit...

by Belinda Chng | On 01 Nov 2013

Social Inclusion of Internal Migrants in India

Social Inclusion of Internal Migrants in India aims to provide an overview of existing innovative practices that increase the inclusion of internal migrants in society and act as a living document tha...

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 21 Oct 2013

Global Hunger Index 2013 - The Challenge of Hunger: Building Resilience to Achieve Food and Nutrition Security

The 2013 Global Hunger Index (GHI), which reflects data from the period 2008–2012, shows that global hunger has improved since 1990, falling by one-third. Despite the progress made the level of hunger...

by International Food Policy Research Institute | On 16 Oct 2013

Transforming State-Citizen Relations in Food Security Schemes: The Computerized Ration Card Management System in Kerala

In this paper the application of ICTs to the improvement of state-citizen relations in a developing country context. To maximise the responsiveness of the government, ICTs need to target the structura...

by Silvia Masiero | On 07 Oct 2013

Rural Poverty and the Public Distribution System

Presented are estimates of the impact of India’s Public Distribution System on rural poverty, using National Sample Survey data for 2009-10 and official poverty lines. At the all India level, the PD...

by Jean Dreze | On 27 Sep 2013

Caste, Land, and Migration: A Preliminary Analysis of a Village Survey in an Underdeveloped State in India

This paper explores migration from Bihar, one of the most underdeveloped states in India, by paying particular attention to social class (caste) and landholdings. After describing details of individu...

by Yuko Tsujita | On 27 Sep 2013

A Human Tragedy Unfolds As the State Watches: A Preliminary Citizens' Report

n September 17-18, 2013, an 11-member team from five organizations based in Lucknow, Chitrakoot, Muzaffarnagar and Delhi, respectively visited relief camps in two affected districts of Muzaffarnagar a...

by Vanangana Vanangana | On 23 Sep 2013

Fifty Ninth Report on the Functioning of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation

The Committee is of the firm opinion that most of the ills besetting the system of drugs regulation in India are mainly due to the skewed priorities and perceptions of CDSCO. For decades together it h...

by Parliamentary Standing Committee Health and Family Welfare | On 15 Sep 2013

Report of the Fact Finding Investigation Conducted to Ascertain Facts in the Case of Alleged Rape and Murder of Dalit girl in Jind district of Haryana

On August 24, 2013, a 20 year old Dalit girl was brutally raped and murdered in Jind, Haryana, while she was on her way to write an examination. Her body was found near a canal the next day by the pol...

by Nivedita Menon | On 14 Sep 2013

A Critique: HIV/AIDS and the Legal and Policy Framework in Sri Lanka

This paper discusses and comments on the legal and policy dimension and the obstacles it poses to a sustainable and effective response to HIV/AIDS as many do not come forward to obtain medical servic...

by Bhavani Fonseka | On 14 Sep 2013

How will India Facilitate a Credible and Independent Investigation in Sri Lanka?

At the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) 22nd session in Geneva India quietly registered its dismay at the lack of progress made by Sri Lanka since its commitments at the Council in 2009. While urging...

by Raghu Menon | On 14 Sep 2013

Madras Cafe: A Timely Interrogation

The film, MAdras Cafe, offers us an opportunity to revisit memory and ask important questions as to what happened in the early years of the civil war in Sri Lanka. An introspection that is necessary i...

by Aaranya Rajasingam | On 13 Sep 2013

Celebratory Memoirs of the Life of Comrade Sunila Abeysekera

Sri Lanka’s top UN Human Rights award winner Sunila Abeysekara died at a private hospital in Colombo on Monday afternoon after a long battle with cancer. A founder of Sri Lanka’s feminist movement, Ms...

by Lionel Bopage | On 12 Sep 2013

Vital Stats: Parliament in the Monsoon Session 2013

The Monsoon Session ended with the passage of Bills on food security, land acquisition, companies, and pension. During the session, significant time was lost due to frequent disruptions over issues su...

by Kusum Malik | On 12 Sep 2013

Economic and Environmental Impacts of Bt Cotton: Evidence from Pakistan

This study estimates the benefits from adopting Bt cotton seeds in Punjab, Pakistan over two cropping seasons in 2008 and 2009. This study uses reduced-form panel models to determine the average eff...

by Khuda Bakhsh | On 11 Sep 2013

Crystallizing Fault-lines: Turkey’s Democratic Durability at Risk

In the aftermath of the anti-governmental Gezi demonstrations of May-June and the conclusion of the Ergenekon trial earlier this month, clear fault-lines are crystallizing in the Turkish political lan...

by Ozan Serdaroglu | On 05 Sep 2013

Do Open Sewers Lead to a Reduction in Housing Prices? Evidence from Rawalpindi, Pakistan

The Hedonic property value method is used to estimate how a dismenity, bad odor from an open sewer system, affects housing prices in the city of Rawalpindi in Pakistan. An estimate of the benefits of...

by Mohammad Irfan | On 05 Sep 2013

Poverty Impedes Cognitive Function

The poor often behave in less capable ways, which can further perpetuate poverty. The authors hypothesize that poverty directly impedes cognitive function and present two studies that test this hypoth...

by Anandi Mani | On 04 Sep 2013

Scientist and Intellectual: Obaid Siddiqi and His Larger Family

Obaid Siddiqi, one of the most outstanding scientists of modern India, died in a freak accident in Bangalore on July 26. While he was out on a walk on July 21, a moped being driven by a young person o...

by Prabhat Patnaik | On 30 Aug 2013

Five Years of Leading the Reserve Bank: Looking Ahead by Looking Back

This Tenth Nani A. Palkhivala Memorial lecture lecture centres around the role and responsibility of a central bank in a democratic structure. Central banks make macroeconomic policy that influences t...

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 30 Aug 2013

A Comprehensive Approach to Mental Illness

The Draft Mental Health Bill that will hopefully become law soon is indeed a marked improvement on the older Mental Health Law, 1987. Besides taking into account current practices, it also prescribes...

by Sangeeta Rege | On 26 Aug 2013

Obituary: Narendra Dabholkar

An obituary and tribute to the rationalist, social activist and crusader against superstition and black magic who was murdered in broad daylight in Pune, India.

by Anant Phadke | On 24 Aug 2013

FDI in Defence: Wrong Diagnosis, Wrong Remedy

FDI in the defence sector, with lower or higher caps, will not result in the massive inflow of investments as are being touted. Nor will it bring in advanced technologies. These would happen, if at al...

by D.Raghunandan | On 24 Aug 2013

Death of a Rationalist Crusader

The murder of Narendra Dabholkar is emblematic of the deep fear of knowledge and its democratization.

by Amit Sengupta | On 23 Aug 2013

On Calling a Revolution, a Revolution and a Coup, a Coup

It is a sad thing for an academic to have to explain the difference between a revolution and a coup d'état to other academics, especially those who have described the Egyptian military coup against it...

by Amr Othman | On 18 Aug 2013

Goa: A Postcolonial Society between Cultures

David Jackson is a Professor of Spanish and Portuguese. His research interests include Portuguese and Brazilian Literatures; Camões, Machado de Assis, Fernando Pessoa; modernist, vanguardist, and inte...

by Yale University | On 14 Aug 2013

Historical Changes in Relations Between China and Neighboring Countries (1949–2012)

In China’s foreign affairs and security studies, the concept of the ‘neighborhood’ (zhoubian) has a special meaning that has changed gradually over time. As China has developed, its leadership has be...

by Zhang Chi | On 12 Aug 2013

Asia: ‘The Explosive Transformation’

There is a growing literary assessment of the ideology and practice of Asian capitalism. In Sea of Poppies and River of Smoke, the first two volumes of a projected trilogy of novels, Amitav Ghosh pano...

by Pankaj Mishra | On 10 Aug 2013

The '4 in 1' Training Programme: Capacity Building Initiative for Building Health/Nutrition Workers’ Skills in Infant and Young Child Feeding Counseling

Breastfeeding is the optimal nutrition for infants and reduces the risk of infectious diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia substantially.4 Breastfeeding may also enhance the effect of some vaccines....

by Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India BPNI | On 06 Aug 2013

Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Poverty Line

Interview on the recent released poverty line.

by Planning Commission | On 05 Aug 2013

Cyberwarfare: Logged and Loaded, but Wither Asia?

Cyber operations could have as devastating an impact on populations as conventional military weapons. With militaries already in the process of developing cyberwarfare as a means of battle, there is a...

by Elina Noor | On 26 Jul 2013

Perils of the Drug Trade: Implications and Challenges of Central Asia’s “Northern Route”

The international trade in Afghan drugs is one of the most significant transnational threats emanating from Central Asia. Exacerbated by weak border management, corruption, and lack of income-generat...

by Lars-Erik Lundin | On 26 Jul 2013

A Good Model for Grievance Redressal? Kerala’s Award-Winning Mass Contact Programme

Kerala’s innovative programme for redressing grievances and rooting out corruption has won the chief minister accolades even as it served to connect people to political leaders directly.

by Amrutha Jose Pampackal | On 22 Jul 2013

As Dear As Salt: The Story of Neglect in a Traditional Occupation in Goa

Salt has been an important produce of the coastal region of Goa on the west coast of India for centuries and has been exported from there to countries in Africa and the rest of Asia. But today, the tr...

by Frederick Noronha | On 22 Jul 2013

Draft National Sports Development Bill, 2013

To provide for promotion and development of sports and welfare measures for sportspersons, promotion of ethical practices in sports (including elimination of doping practices, fraud of age and sexual...

by Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs YAS | On 12 Jul 2013

Innovation, Efficiency, Productivity and Intellectual Property Rights: Evidence from a BRIC Economy

The innovation, efficiency and productivity responses to the stronger protection of intellectual property rights post-TRIPs, with reference to manufacturing industry in India is studied. The fact that...

by Sunil Kanwar | On 12 Jul 2013

The Health Effects of Motorization

The decisions taken by countries will determine the levels of physical activity, vehicular emissions, and crash risks, and thus influence Non-Commucable Diseases (NCD) and injury rates for future gene...

by Kavi Bhalla | On 12 Jul 2013

An Economic Investigation of Corruption and Electricity Theft

Theft and corruption are common in electricity distribution systems worldwide. Electricity theft is analysed in the framework of an individual’s choice under uncertainty and through a three-layered pr...

by Faisal Jamil | On 10 Jul 2013

Land, Labour and Migrations: Understanding Kerala’s Economic Modernity

This paper seeks to map out the historical trajectory leading to a series of migrations in and from the erstwhile princely state of Travancore during 1900-70 in order to acquire and bring land under c...

by V. J. Varghese | On 26 Jun 2013

Federal Budget in Brief 2013-14: Pakistan

Budget brief Pakistan 2013-14. [Government of Pakistan]. URL:[http://www.finance.gov.pk/budget/Budget_in_Brief_2013_14.pdf].

by Minister of Finance Pakistan | On 14 Jun 2013

Does Political Competition Influence Human Development? Evidence from the Indian States

Recently, it has been argued that political competition may have similar effects on economic performance as market competition. This study empirically examines this proposition by linking political co...

by Bharatee Bhushan Dash | On 05 Jun 2013

Market Power and Industrial Performance in Pakistan

Using a panel of eight Pakistani manufacturing industries, We have examined the changes in price-cost margin (gross profitability) during 1998-2009. In this study the traditional industrial organizati...

by Akbar Ullah | On 23 May 2013

Addressing Long - term Challenges to Food Security and Rural Livelihoods in South Asia

Notwithstanding its impressive economic growth, food insecurity in South Asia continues to be a stark reality for a large number of households. Despite several successful policy interventions by Gover...

by K.S. Kavi Kumar | On 23 May 2013

Media monitoring on Corruption in Indian print Media

To explore how much coverage is given by Leading Indian newspaper to 2G Scam and Common Wealth Games during the period of study. To explore what kind of image of India is famed by all four newspape...

by Daniel Drache | On 25 Apr 2013

The Political Economy of Food Pricing Policy in China

The overall goal of this paper is to analyse the political economy of food price policies in China during the global food crisis. The results show that given China’s unique economic and political co...

by Jikun Huang | On 18 Apr 2013

Motivating Knowledge Agents: Can Incentive Pay Overcome Social Distance?

This paper studies the interaction of incentive pay and social distance in the dissemination of information. BREAD Working Paper No. 380. URL: [http://ipl.econ.duke.edu/bread/papers/working/380.pdf].

by Erlend Berg | On 16 Apr 2013

Social Media and Lok Sabha Elections

A study finds that Facebook users may be the new vote bank Indian politicians have to now worry about.

by IRIS Knowledge Foundation IKF | On 12 Apr 2013

Promoting Democracy in Myanmar: Political Party Capacity Building

The importance of the political parties in Myanmar and their role as the creators of the future of the country. The course of the present developments relies on the ability of the political parties....

by Aung Aung (IR) | On 09 Apr 2013

Options and Determinants of Rice Residue Management Practices in the South-West Region of Bangladesh

This study examines options for managing rice residue and the factors that determine its management in the south-west region of Bangladesh. Study results indicate that while straw length, low-elevatio...

by Mohammed Ziaul Haider | On 29 Mar 2013

Federal Budget Pakistan: 2012-13

Budget speech by Minister of Finance. [Ministry of Finance]. URL:[http://www.finance.gov.pk/budget/budget_Speech_12_13.pdf].

by Minister of Finance Pakistan | On 22 Mar 2013

The Lancang-Mekong River Basin: Reflections on Cooperation Mechanisms Pertaining to a Shared Watercourse

The ambitious development plans for the Lancang-Mekong River Basin (LMRB) could have serious environmental, social, cultural and even geopolitical ramifications that could in turn destabilise the Meko...

by Apichai Sunchindah | On 15 Mar 2013

Women Political Leaders, Corruption and Learning: Evidence from a Large Public Program in India

In the paper there is a use of nation-wide policy of randomly allocating village council headships to women to identify the impact of female political leadership on the governance of projects implemen...

by Farzana Afridi | On 07 Mar 2013

Nine years later…

Is the Finance Minister going to do a salvage operation? [BS week end ruminations].

by T.N. Ninan | On 27 Feb 2013

Historical Sources of Institutional Trajectories in Economic Development: China, Japan, and Korea Compared

This essay provides a game-theoretic, endogenous view of institutions, and then applies the idea to identify the sources of institutional trajectories of economic development in China, Japan, and Kore...

by Masahiko Aoki | On 22 Feb 2013

An Investigation into Changes in Nagaland's Population between 1971 and 2011

Nagaland’s population decreased during 2001–11 after growing at abnormally high rates during the past few decades. This is the first time since independence that a state in India has witnessed an ab...

by Ankush Agrawal | On 21 Feb 2013

Indian Special Economic Zones: The Difficulties of Repeating China’s Triumph

New Delhi launched its SEZ revolution in April 2000 to secure the country a two digit growth rate, copying from China what during the previous two decades proved to be an excellent strategy, this pa...

by Claudia Astarita | On 21 Feb 2013

Connecting the Dots: The Urban Informal Sector and Climate Vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia’s Megacities

In the megacities of developing Southeast Asia, the informal sector plays an important role in supporting economic development. Yet, in discussions of the ramifications of climaterelated natural haz...

by Sofiah Jamil | On 13 Feb 2013

Nutrition Policies in Developing Countries: Challenges and Highlights

There are many nutrition policies in developing countries. What are the challenges faced by these malnutrition policies? There are many countries which have successfully included nutrition in their d...

by Olivier Ecker | On 12 Feb 2013

Metabolism Of Mumbai- Expectations, Impasse and the Need For a New Beginning

As population and human activities expand they exert heavy environmental pressure through the resource requirement, their production and consumption. Hence, it is important to understand the resource...

by B. Sudhakara Reddy | On 12 Feb 2013

The Changing Perspective of Mental Health of Children and Adolescents

Review of the book 'Child and Adolescent Mental Health' edited by Usha Nayar, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children; February 2013; pp 363; Rs 115...

by Aarti Salve | On 07 Feb 2013

Juvenile Justice in Different Countries: Age of Criminal Responsibility and Treatment of Juvenile Offenders

In the world, there are three models that inspire administration of juvenile justice: • The Welfare Model • The Justice Model or Control model - Retributive • The Restorative Model The age of c...

by HAQ Centre for Child Rights HAQCRC | On 06 Feb 2013

New Frontiers, New Struggles: Press Freedom in South Asia 2011-12

Journalism in South Asia is facing many challenges with physical security being a major issue in most of the region. Several countries may have improved relatively due to decisions to reduce the risks...

by International Federation of Journalists IFJ | On 04 Feb 2013

Trade in Health Services in South Asia: An Examination of the Need for Regional Cooperation

This study was conducted in three South Asian countries viz: India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The study examines the opinions of patients, hospitals owners and doctors involved in this service trade. A to...

by Arindam Banik | On 22 Jan 2013

Land Acquisition for Industrialization and Compensation of Displaced Farmers

This paper addresses the question of how farmers displaced by acquisition of agricultural land for the purpose of industrialization ought to be compensated. Prior to acquisition, the farmers are leasi...

by Maitreesh Ghatak | On 22 Jan 2013

Political Clientelism and Capture: Theory and Evidence from West Bengal, India

There are relatively few theoretical models or empirical analyses of clientelism which analyse the sources and consequences of clientelism. Data from household surveys in rural West Bengal are used t...

by Pranab Bardhan | On 14 Jan 2013

How to Tackle Food Insecurity in Asia

Review of the book Food Security in Asia, by Amitava Mukherjee Sage Publications India 2011 pp. xix+392, Rs 895/-.

by Rudra Narayan Mishra | On 04 Jan 2013

Women Workers from Asia to Gulf: Its Outcomes

Review of the book 'Migration of Women Workers from South Asia to the Gulf' By Rakkee Thimothy, S.K. Sasikumar, UN Women, 2012

by R. S. Reshmi | On 24 Dec 2012

The Intellectual Origins of the New Asia

Essayist, journalist and novelist Pankaj Mishra was at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) September 19, 2012, to discuss his new book From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Agains...

by Pankaj Mishra | On 07 Dec 2012

Provide Human Security through Human Development

Review of the book 'Peace is Everybody's Business: Strategy for Conflict Prevention' by Arjun Ray. Number of pages: 264, Price Rs. 495/-.

by Irfan Engineer | On 03 Dec 2012

Effects of Climate Change in Asia-Pacific Region

Review of the book 'Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific: How Can Countries Adapt?' Venkatachalam Anbumozhi; Meinhard Breiling; Selvarajah Pathmarajah; Vangimalla R. Reddy (Eds) SA...

by Sunil Nautiyal | On 21 Nov 2012

Learning and Capability Acquisition: A Case Study of the Indian Automobile Industry

This study analyzes the impact of government policy regime on the learning and capability acquisition of firms over time. Through a case study analysis of the Indian automotive industry, the study d...

by Madhuri Saripalle | On 19 Nov 2012

Review of Input and Output Policies for Cereals Production in Pakistan

This report reviews the input and output policies for cereals implemented in Pakistan during the period 1996–2010. Pakistan has a long and varied history of intervening in farm input and output market...

by Abdul Salam | On 16 Nov 2012

Demographics, Labor Mobility, and Productivity

This paper considers two major issues that need to be treated as matters of urgency. First, internal (within country) migrations in the Asian (ACI) region are mostly undocumented and large. It is show...

by E J Wilson | On 05 Nov 2012

Security Sector Governance (SSG) and Conflict Management in Indonesia: The Aceh Case

This paper examines the evolution of security sector governance (SSG) in Indonesia, focusing in particular on the effects of security sector reform (SSR) on the management of the secessionist conflict...

by Rizal Sukma | On 26 Oct 2012

Tackling Urban and Rural Food Wastage in Southeast Asia: Issues and Interventions

Food wastage is prevalent in Southeast Asia and has significant implications for the region’s food, environmental and economic security. It is likely that the region wastes approximately 33 per cent o...

by Paul S Teng | On 08 Oct 2012

On China’s Traditional Culture and Peaceful Development Strategy

This article discusses the cultural basis and origins of the idea of this strategy from the point of view of China’s traditional culture and historical development and analyzes the the reality of C...

by Wang Dewen | On 27 Sep 2012

Notional Contracts: The Moral Economy of Contract Farming Arrangements in India

This study examines the moral economy of firm-farmer contracts in contract farming schemes in India, bringing together data from field surveys, conducted between 2007 and 2010, of 42 agribusinesses a...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 20 Sep 2012

The Heterogeneous Welfare Impacts of Participation in Contract Farming Schemes: Evidence from Southern India

The heterogeneity of welfare impacts of contract farming participation is demonstrated by estimating an endogenous switching model using survey data for 474 farmers in four commodity sectors, gherkin...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 06 Sep 2012

The Air that We Breathe: Addressing the Risks of Global Urbanization on Health

The Editors examine the lack of correlation between the size of a city and its air quality, noting that the strength of environmental laws and the accountability of the country's government have a gre...

by PLoS Medicine Editors | On 30 Aug 2012

Japan’s Post-Triple-Disaster Growth Strategy

This paper discusses the scope of the many challenges and sets out a long-term strategy for overcoming them and putting the Japanese economy on a stable growth path. [Working Paper No. 376]. URL:[http...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 24 Aug 2012

Nationalist Sentiments Run High in Asian Territorial Disputes

Spot fire disputes have sparked across Asia, with the winds of nationalism spurring them on. If one flares up it could ignite a region. Escalating tensions should have mediators vigilant and with pai...

by Elliot Brennan | On 24 Aug 2012

Applying an Equity Lens to Maternal Health Care Practices in Pakistan

The focus of this study is to see how equitable the access and utilisation of health services are among married women in Pakistan. It examines the changes in the pattern of maternal health care prac...

by Naushin Mahmood | On 20 Aug 2012

The Group of Twenty: Input and Output Legitimacy, Reforms, and Agenda

The paper examines the debates and makes specific policy recommendations by which regionalism, the engagement of small states (through the role of Singapore and the 3-G coalition), and the expansion o...

by Andrew F Cooper | On 09 Aug 2012

Constraints Faced by Industry in Punjab, Pakistan

What are the main impediments to investment and industrial productivity in Punjab which have contributed to this unprecedented decline in growth? This is done by analyzing the 2007 Investment Climate...

by Syed Turab Hussain | On 08 Aug 2012

Capitalism as a System of Contingent Expectations: Toward a Sociological Microfoundation of Political Economy

Political economy and economic sociology have developed in relative isolation from each other. While political economy focuses largely on macrophenomena, economic sociology focuses on the level of soc...

by Jens Beckert | On 07 Aug 2012

Environmental Changes and Ripples for Water Security in Southern States

Environmental change is regarded by many geopolitical experts as one of the biggest threats to international security in the coming years. In Southern Asia, its impact on rivers, and thus water secur...

by Dhanasree Jayaram | On 07 Aug 2012

Pilot Intervention of Improved Cook Stoves in Rural Areas: Assessment of Effects on Fuel Use, Smoke Emission and Health

This study aims to explore the impact of improved cook stoves (ICS) on fuel expenditure (consumption), smoke emission, and health of women (cook) in rural households of Bangladesh. In the follow-up...

by Nepal C. Dey | On 06 Aug 2012

Western Myanmar Unrest: Partisan Portrayals Risk Extremist Implications

The violence in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State appears to have died down. However, partisan portrayals of the violence risks jeopardising the security of locals and Myanmar’s reform process with extr...

by Kyaw San Wai | On 31 Jul 2012

Examination of Intense Climate-Related Disasters in Asia-Pacific

The frequency of intense floods and storms is increasing globally, particularly in Asia-Pacific, amid the specter of climate change. Associated with these natural disasters are more variable and ext...

by Vinod Thomas | On 26 Jul 2012

Obituary: Mrinal Gore (1928-2012)

Obituary: Mrinal Gore (1928-2012)

by Vibhuti Patel | On 23 Jul 2012

The Salween River Basin: Dam Cascades Threaten Biological and Cultural Diversity

F rom its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau to its estuary in Burma, the Salween River supports over ten million people. For many decades, it was the longest free-flowing river in Southeast Asia. It...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 17 Jul 2012

Ensuring Food and Nutrition Security in a Green Economy

What are the implications of a green economy for the poor and hungry? How can the poor benefit from and thrive under a green economy? What role can agriculture play? What are the possible trade-off...

by Shenggen Fan | On 17 Jul 2012

Climate Change Mitigation and Green Growth in Developing Asia

Developing Asia is the driver of today's emissions intensive global economy. As the principle source of future emissions, the region is critical to the task of global climate change mitigation. Reflec...

by Stephen Howes | On 16 Jul 2012

How Close Does the Apple Fall to the Tree? Some Evidence on Intergenerational Occupational Mobility from India

Using data from the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) 2005, intergenerational occupational mobility in India is examined, an issue on which very few systematic and rigorous studies exist. Individ...

by Sripad Motiram | On 12 Jul 2012

Patients as People

Review of Putting Women First: Women and Health in a Rural Community Rani Bang with Sunanda Khorgade and Rupa Chinai; Stree, Kolkata, India; November 2010; pp 650; Rs 350.

by Anuja Jayaraman | On 11 Jul 2012

Political Strongholds and Budget Allocation for Developmental Expenditure: Evidence from Indian States, 1971-2005

This paper examines the effects of political factors on allocation of revenue budget for developmental expenditure by the sub-national governments, using data from 15 major states in India during the...

by Arun Kaushik | On 10 Jul 2012

Intra- and Inter-national University-Industry Linkage and Innovation in Emerging Economies: Evidence from China

The different role of intra- and inter-national university-industry collaboration in industrial innovation in emerging economies are investigated. Based on a national firm-level survey database from...

by Xiaolan Fu | On 09 Jul 2012

Intrinsic Inflation Persistence in a Developing Country

This study estimates degree of intrinsic inflation persistence in Pakistan using aggregate price index, group level price indices, and individual commodity prices. Monthly data from 1959 to 2011 is us...

by Muhammad Nadim Hanif | On 09 Jul 2012

Engaging Small and Medium Enterprises in Production Networks: Firm-level Analysis of Five ASEAN Economies

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are under scrutiny for their engagement in production networks following recent emphasis on increasing intra-reg...

by Ganeshan Wignaraja | On 06 Jul 2012

State Health Insurance and Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditures in Andhra Pradesh, India

In 2007, the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India began rolling out the Aarogyasri health insurance to reduce catastrophic health expenditures in households “below the poverty line.” The program...

by Victoria Fan | On 05 Jul 2012

Growth of Asian Pension Assets: Implications for Financial and Capital Markets

Pension assets have seen rapid growth world-wide over the past decades, although they suffered large losses during the global financial crisis of 2007–2008. Such growth is notably due to both structur...

by Yuwei Hu | On 02 Jul 2012

Responsibility to Protect in Southeast Asia: Enlarging Space for Civil Society

The concept of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is relatively new to many Southeast Asians, who have traditionally relied on the state for security and therefore faced a sense of hopelessness when such...

by Pavin Chachavalpongpun | On 27 Jun 2012

Women in Indian Engineering: A Preliminary Analysis of Data from the Graduate Level Engineering Education Field in Kerala and Rajasthan

Are there substantial changes in the relationship between women and engineering in recent times? This is a fascinating question to explore especially since it has been so little studies especially in...

by Sreelekha Nair | On 11 Jun 2012

The Effects of Democratization on Public Goods and Redistribution: Evidence from China

This study investigates the effects of introducing elections on public goods and redistribution in rural China. A large and unique survey was collected to document the history of political reforms and...

by Yang Yao | On 05 Jun 2012

Are Drone Strikes Effective in Afghanistan and Pakistan? On the Dynamics of Violence between the United States and the Taliban

Strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, have been the primary weapon used by the United States to combat the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This paper examines the dynamic...

by David A. Jaeger | On 01 Jun 2012

Awake the Sleeper Within: Releasing the Energy of Stifled Domestic Commerce!

Policy in Pakistan has been fairly path-dependant, placing a higher weight on export promotion and domestic industrialisation development than on domestic commerce. Yet domestic commerce is growing...

by Nadeem Ul Haque | On 28 May 2012

Cambodia’s Hydropower Development and China’s Involvement

The research was undertaken to better understand the current policy and plans of the Cambodian government for the electricity sector; map the decision-making process; develop a greater understanding...

by Carl Middleton | On 25 May 2012

Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security

This paper takes a broader view and explores the multiple effects that global warming and climate change could have on food production and food security. Dealing with climate change would require stre...

by S. Richa | On 24 May 2012

The Impact of 1998 and 2008 Financial Crises on Profitability of Islamic Banks

The paper investigates the profitability of 78 Islamic banks in 25 countries for the period of 1992-2009. The Fixed Effect Model (FEM) used to analyse profitability shows that profit efficiency is pos...

by NOR HAYATI BT AHMAD | On 24 May 2012

The Cost of Unserved Energy: Evidence from Selected Industrial Cities of Pakistan

This study is an attempt to explore the cost of unserved energy due to power outages in Pakistan that started in 2007. The study is based on a survey conducted for four major industrial cities of Pu...

by Rehana Siddiqui | On 24 May 2012

Obituary: Leela Dube (1923-2012)

Obituary: Leela Dube (1923-2012)

by Vibhuti Patel | On 22 May 2012

How Much is a Life Worth? Examining the Risk-Wages Trade Off in Pakistan

Governments across the world use estimates of people’s willingness to pay for a reduction in the probability of death and injury to develop a wide range of environmental, industrial and developmenta...

by South Asian Network for Development SANDEE | On 21 May 2012

Integrating Urban Datasets: The Path to Effective Socio-Economic Planning in Urban Pakistan

Effective urban policy making and implementation in Pakistan is impeded by the problem of integrating data containing incompatible spatial references. There is great heterogeneity across spatial units...

by Sohaib Khan | On 16 May 2012

Adolescent Fertility in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Effects and Solutions

Adolescent fertility in low- and middle-income countries presents a severe impediment to development and can lead to school dropout, lost productivity, and the intergenerational transmission of pover...

by Kate McQueston | On 15 May 2012

Narrowing the Gaps through Regional Cooperation Institutions and Governance Systems

Regional governance systems and national frameworks to address climate change and accelerate green growth in Asia are reviewed and tools to address climate change are outlined. Options for regional le...

by Heinrich-Wilhelm Wyes | On 11 May 2012

The Domestic Workers Convention 2011: Implications for Migrant Domestic Workers in Southeast Asia

The recent International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers (Domestic Workers Convention 2011) offers an opportunity to finally address the longstanding...

by Pau Khan Khup Hangzo | On 09 May 2012

The Political Economy of Deforestation in the Tropics

Tropical deforestation accounts for almost one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and threatens the world.s most diverse ecosystems. The prevalence of illegal forest extraction in the tropi...

by Robin Burgess | On 08 May 2012

Studying India's Plurality

Book note on Cultural Pluralism: The Indian Scenario Edited by S.A. Azeez Saheb, B Francis Kulirani, K.K. Mishra. Gyan Publishing, New Delhi, 2012.

by Rudolf C. Heredia | On 30 Apr 2012

Developing Asia’s Pension Systems and Old-Age Income Support

A broad overview of the current state of pension systems in the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam is provided. An anal...

by Donghyun Park | On 30 Apr 2012

Trans-boundary River Basins in South Asia: Options for Conflict Resolution

India's trans-boundary riparian policies affect four countries - Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh - on three river systems - the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra-Mehgna. China's riparian pol...

by Gopal Siwakoti Chintan | On 25 Apr 2012

The Demographic Dividend: Effects of Population Change on School Education in Pakistan

This study examines how the changing demographics in Pakistan, resulting primarily from fertility transition, would affect educational attainment of school-age population during the next two decades...

by Naushin Mahmood | On 23 Apr 2012

The Negative Consequences of Overambitious Curricula in Developing Countries

Learning profiles that track changes in student skills per year of schooling often find shockingly low learning gains. Using data from three recent studies in South Asia and Africa, it is shown that ...

by Lant Pritchett | On 23 Apr 2012

Nepal: Elusive Democracy and Uncertain Political System

Persistence and breakdowns of democracy are the dominant features of Nepali politics.Democracy continues to be attractive amidst setbacks and discontinuity. So it remains perennially elusive, desp...

by Lok Raj Baral | On 23 Apr 2012

Philippine Economy: Sluggish in 2011, Bullish in 2012?

The Philippine domestic economy shrunk to 3.7 percent in 2011, after a growth of 7.6 per cent in 2010. Outlook for 2012 is relatively sanguine with the government hinging its optimism on robust ...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 20 Apr 2012

Journalism in Democracies During Times of War: Examining the Role of Indian and US Media

This paper examines the larger issue of how a ‘free’ media performs during times of war with particular reference to US and India using case studies. It focuses on ‘national security’ becoming a maj...

by Aradhana Sharma | On 20 Apr 2012

Research Study on Women’s Empowerment, Good-governance and Decentralisation : Assuring Women’s Participation in Panchayats of Two Backward Districts of Northern Part of West Bengal

The study focused on the factors and forces behind the participation of women in Panchayat Structure specially after the seventy third Constitution Amendment Act. The role performance, role awarenes...

by Dilip Kumar Sarkar | On 20 Apr 2012

The BRICS Report: A Study of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa with Special Focus on Synergies and Complementarities

Th is study, which is supported by the ministries of fi nance and the central banks of the BRICS, focuses on synergies and complementarities between the economies, highlighting their role as growth ...

by Ministry of Finance | On 18 Apr 2012

Labour Migration and Remittances in Uttarakhand

The type, volume, and mode of transfer of remittances in Uttarakhand is analysed. The impact of remittances, in terms of both financial flows and transfer of new skills and the perceptions in relat...

by Anmol Jain | On 18 Apr 2012

Innovative Approaches to Managing Longevity Risk in Asia: Lessons from the West

This paper discusses what is longevity risk, why it is important, approaches used by the West to manage longevity risk and what lessons can be learnt by Asian countries from the experiences of the Wes...

by Amlan Roy | On 18 Apr 2012

Brides for Sale: Cross-Border Marriages and Female Immigration

Every year, a large number of women immigrate as brides from developing countries to developed countries in East Asia. This phenomenon virtually did not exist in the early 1990s, but foreign brides...

by Daiji Kawaguchi | On 16 Apr 2012

Development Trajectory, Emission Profile, and Policy Actions: Thailand

Thailand has made significant progresses toward green and low-carbon development; however, there is a need to further address the issue. The country has to focus on the implementation of no-regret pol...

by Qwanruedee Chotichanathawewong | On 16 Apr 2012

Construction and Seasonal Patterns of Islamic Hijri Calendar Monthly Time Series: An Application to Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Pakistan

Time series data are compiled and analysed in accordance with Gregorian calendar, given its world-wise use. This paper presents a simple method of constructing time series in accordance with Hijri Cal...

by Riaz Riazuddin | On 13 Apr 2012

West Bengal Budget Speech: 2012-13

Speech by Amit Mitra, Minister of Finance. [Government of West Bengal]. URL:[http://www.wbfin.nic.in/writereaddata/Budget_Speech/2012_English.pdf].

by West Bengal Government | On 13 Apr 2012

What is the Role of Social Pensions in Asia?

The main objective of this paper is to explore the potential role of social pensions and other noncontributory schemes in Asia, informed by insights from theory and international experience. The paper...

by Armando Barrientos | On 13 Apr 2012

The view, outside in

What India has to do to overcome the dents that India has suffered in its international image? India will have to play a delicate game of exercising autonomy in its pursuit of national objectives with...

by T.N. Ninan | On 10 Apr 2012

Monetary Transmission in Pakistan: The Balance Sheet Channel

Using data of non-financial listed firms over a period of 1999-2010, this paper investigates the effectiveness of balance sheet channel in monetary transmission mechanism in Pakistan. By classifying f...

by Safia Shabbir | On 09 Apr 2012

Jayati Ghosh on aid to India

Interviewed at the Guardian's Open Weekend festival, Indian economist Jayati Ghosh says aid from Britain benefits the UK more than it does India, and makes a negligible difference to relieving poverty...

by Jayati Ghosh | On 07 Apr 2012

The State of Juvenile Justice in Karnataka

The situation of juveniles in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection across India is precarious. Nothing underlines this more than the situation in Karnataka. While the State Hu...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 05 Apr 2012

Chronicling the Hindutva Threat

Review of The Saffron Condition, Politics of Repression and Exclusion in Neo Liberal India By Subhash Gatade; Three Essays Collective, New Delhi; Pp. 475, Rs 500.

by Ram Puniyani | On 04 Apr 2012

India’s Call on BRICS : Aligning with China without a Deal

China–India association in the BRICS bloc of countries is an example of multilateralism at its height. For China, the BRICS group holds a strategic significance as it is targeted towards the Western...

by Jagannath P Panda | On 04 Apr 2012

Approaches to the Development of Renewable and Clean Energy in Brazil, China, Egypt, India and South Africa: Lessons of Emerging Countries

The populous, fast growing emerging economies of Brazil, China, Egypt, India and South Africa face daunting challenges on the energy, environment and climate change fronts. These five countries accoun...

by Kirit Parikh | On 02 Apr 2012

Price and Income Elasticity of Imports: The Case of Pakistan

The paper estimates the elasticity of Imports with respect to relative prices and income for Pakistan from 1971 to 2009. What distinguishes this paper from the earlier studies is the use of robust est...

by Khurram Ashfaq Baluch | On 30 Mar 2012

Care Seeking for Neonatal Illness in Low- and Middle- Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Despite recent achievements to reduce child mortality, neonatal deaths continue to remain high, accounting for 41% of all deaths in children under five years of age worldwide, of which over 90% occur...

by Hadley K Herbert | On 29 Mar 2012

Historical and Contemporary Factors Govern Global Biodiversity Patterns

Jetz and Fine that we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction event on this planet and the cause is us. By achieving greater understanding of the underlying causes and correlates of current-...

by Jonathan Chase | On 29 Mar 2012

Causes of Emissions from Agricultural Residue Burning in North-West India: Evaluation of a Technology Policy Response

The burning of agricultural field residue, such as stalks and stubble, during the wheat and rice harvesting seasons in the Indo-Gangetic plains results in substantial emissions of trace gases and pa...

by Ridhima Gupta | On 28 Mar 2012

Political Determinants of the Allocation of Public Expenditures: A Study of the Indian States

This study examines whether the allocation of public expenditures of the Indian states are significantly influenced by government specific political characteristics. Three types of government specif...

by Bharatee Bhusana Dash | On 27 Mar 2012

Myanmar’s Ethnic Insurgents: UWSA, KNU and KIO

Since the elections of 2010, Myanmar’s political landscape has changed significantly; the old military junta has officially been dissolved and a new civilian government, led by President Thein Sein,...

by Christopher O’Hara | On 27 Mar 2012

Janam: Narratives of Urban Theatre

Review of A History of the Jana Natya Manch: Plays for the People By Arjun Ghosh Sage, New Delhi; 2012, pp 328, Rs. 695.

by Nikhil Govind | On 25 Mar 2012

In Search of Food Security: Addressing Opacity and Price Volatility in ASEAN's Rice Sector

The availability of rice has long been considered a key indicator of food security in Southeast Asia. However for largely strategic reasons there is paucity of information in the public domain on rice...

by Sally Trethewie | On 22 Mar 2012

The Conclusion of a Korean Peace Treaty and the U.S. Strategy in the Asia Pacific Region

The current century has witnessed every country locked in a hot race to increase its national power through peaceful development, which made Koreans ever more desirous of peace. But why has the Kore...

by Ho Hak Rim | On 20 Mar 2012

Is Community Forest Management Good for the Environment and the Poor? – A Review

Over the last two decades, community-based forest management has graduated from being an experimental strategy to becoming a much more mainstream approach. In developing countries, an estimated 22 p...

by Priya Shyamsundar | On 19 Mar 2012

Health Care Financing Reforms in India

The transfer system in India is discussed and analyses expenditure needs of States to provide essential health infrastructure. It also analyzes the fiscal space for health care in terms of stimulati...

by M Govinda Rao | On 19 Mar 2012

Prevalence, Distribution, and Impact of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Latin America, China, and India: A 10/66 Population-Based Study

Rapid demographic ageing is a growing public health issue in many low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a construct frequently used to define groups of people...

by Ana Luisa Sosa | On 19 Mar 2012

Railway Budget 2012-2013

Budget 2012-2013

by Dinesh Trivedi | On 14 Mar 2012

Federal Budget of Pakistan-2011-12

BUDGET SPEECH 2011-2012 by DR. ABDUL HAFEEZ SHAIKH, Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Planning & Development.

by Minister of Finance Pakistan | On 12 Mar 2012

The Global Race for Excellence and Skilled Labour: A Status Report

In this context, higher education as well as research and development (R&D) have long since ceased to be purely the domain of the developed Western economies. Numerous regions of the world, some in th...

by Ingo Rollwagen | On 09 Mar 2012

The Age Distribution of Missing Women in India

Relative to developed countries, there are far fewer women than men in India. Estimates suggest that more than 25 million women are "missing". Sex selection at birth and the mistreatment of young g...

by Siwan Anderson | On 09 Mar 2012

Time Poverty, Work Status and Gender: The Case of Pakistan

Time is an important economic resource that can be spent in a variety of ways. Diverse demands on a person’s time may reach a point where the individual may be categorized as time poor. Time poverty...

by Najam us Saqib | On 09 Mar 2012

Asia’s Wicked Environmental Problems

The developing economies of Asia are confronted by serious environmental problems that threaten to undermine future growth, food security, and regional stability. This study considers four major envir...

by Stephen Howes | On 06 Mar 2012

Taiwan’s Role in the Breakout of the Taiwan Strait Crises: A Historical Perspective

The implications of the rule of Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo in Taiwan (1950–1988) for the Taiwan Strait Crises is examined, especially the third one af??ter the Cold War and potenti...

by Lu Jinghua | On 05 Mar 2012

On the Road: Access to Transportation Infrastructure and Economic Growth in China

This paper estimates the effect of access to transportation networks on regional economic outcomes in China over a twenty-period of rapid income growth. It addresses the problem of the endogenous pl...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 02 Mar 2012

Capital Accumulation and Convergence in a Small Open Economy

Outward-oriented economies seem to grow faster than inward-looking ones. Does the literature on convergence have anything to say on this? In the dynamic Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson model, with factor-pr...

by Partha Sen | On 28 Feb 2012

Can Institutions be Reformed from Within? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment with the Rajasthan Police

Institutions in developing countries, particularly those inherited from the colonial period, are often thought to be subject to strong inertia. This study presents the results of a unique randomized t...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 27 Feb 2012

Climate Change and Migration in Southeast Asia: Responding to a New Human Security Challenge

The paper aims at understanding the reasons which influence migration and mobility choices, ways by which vulnerabilities can be managed and the role that local, national and regional policy responses...

by Lorraine Elliot | On 24 Feb 2012

Terms of Trade and Its Implications: Bangladesh Perspective

This paper explores the key reasons behind the movements in the terms of trade and the real net gain and loss from trade in the long run. Like some selected Asian countries (Vietnam, China and South...

by Mohammad Masuduzzaman | On 23 Feb 2012

Electoral Rules, Forms of Government and Redistributive Policy: Evidence from Agriculture and Food Policies

The effect of electoral rules and forms of government on public policy outcomes using a new dataset on agriculture and food policies from 74 countries over the 1960-2005 period is investigated. Using...

by Alessandro Olper | On 22 Feb 2012

Presidential Election in South Korea and Inter-Korean Relations

The post-Kim Jong Il situation on the Korean Peninsula remains tense. This year will be a critical year for the peninsula. Will the new North Korean leadership be successfully stabilized or not? The...

by Sangsoo Lee | On 21 Feb 2012

Regional and Global Monetary Cooperation

The increasing occurrence of national, regional, and global financial crises, together with their rising costs and complexity, have increased calls for greater regional and global monetary cooperation...

by Mario Lamberte | On 21 Feb 2012

Drawn into Violence: Evidence on 'What Makes a Criminal' from the Vietnam Draft Lotteries

Draft lottery number assignment during the Vietnam Era provides a natural experiment to examine the effects of military service on crime. Using exact dates of birth for inmates in state and federal pr...

by Jason Lindo | On 19 Feb 2012

Foundations of Collective Action in Asia: Theory and Practice of Regional Cooperation

This paper argues that the collective action in Asia by its regional organizations has historically suffered from a “capability–legitimacy gap”: a disjuncture between the capability (in terms of mat...

by Amitav Acharya | On 17 Feb 2012

Estimating Standard Error of Inflation in Pakistan: A Stochastic Approach

Standard errors (S.Es.) of month on month and year on year inflation in Pakistan are estimated based on data for the period of July 2001 to June 2010 using stochastic approach as well as extended s...

by Javed Iqbal | On 15 Feb 2012

Formalizing the Informal Economy: Women’s Autonomous Self-Employment in Rural South India

This paper considers the effects of contemporary restructuring of women and men’s employment in rural south India alongside ongoing efforts to recast India’s poor rural women as entrepreneurs. This s...

by Samantha Watson | On 15 Feb 2012

Myanmar Economy: A Comparative View

A stated objective of Myanmar is to become a modern developed nation that will stand shoulder to shoulder – proud, dignified and tall – with the countries of the world. How far has Myanmar come in a...

by U Myint | On 15 Feb 2012

From REDD to Green: A Global Incentive System to Stop Tropical Forest Clearing

A prototype incentive system is developed for promoting rapid reduction of forest clearing in tropical countries. The proposed Tropical Forest Protection Fund (TFPF) is a cash-on-delivery system that...

by David Wheeler | On 09 Feb 2012

Bank Lending and Monetary Shocks: Evidence from a Developing Economy

This paper investigates the role of credit market frictions in the transmission of monetary shocks in Pakistan. First, using macro data, it is shown that banking spreads are countercyclical, even it i...

by M. Ali Choudhary | On 08 Feb 2012

Is Caste Destiny? Occupational Diversification among Dalits in Rural India

he caste system – a system of elaborately stratified social hierarchy – distinguishes India from most other societies. Among the most distinctive factors of the caste system is the close link betwee...

by Ira Gang | On 07 Feb 2012

Estimating the Middle Class in Pakistan

Using the Pakistan Social and Living Measurement Survey (PSLM), conducted in 2007-08, the paper measures the magnitude of the middle class (definition given by Thurow (1987); Birdsall, Graham and Pe...

by Durr-e- Nayab | On 06 Feb 2012

Shaking Embedded Gender Roles and Relations: An Impact Assessment of Gender Quality Action Learning Programme

The Gender Quality Action Learning programme initiated a village level intervention in 2007 in 10 districts to increase knowledge, change perception, attitudes, and practice/behaviour of the villagers...

by Md. Abdul Alim | On 03 Feb 2012

Malaysia-Singapore Energy Cooperation: Prospects and Challenges

Singapore and Malaysia are considering sharing electricity. Will this pave the way for an ASEAN-wide electricity grid, or even cooperation in the supply of nuclear energy? [RSIS No. 007/2012]. URL:[ht...

by Alvin Chew | On 01 Feb 2012

The Complexity of Immigrant Generations: Implications for Assessing the Socioeconomic Integration of Hispanics and Asians

Much of the socioeconomic mobility achieved by U.S. immigrant families takes place across rather than within generations. When assessing the long-term integration of immigrants, it is therefore impo...

by Brian Duncan | On 31 Jan 2012

Transparency in Parliament: A Review of the Procedures and Practices in South Asia along with Recommended Guidelines for Increasing Openness

This paper examines the functioning of Parliaments in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka1 in order to gauge the extent of openness and access from the point of view of both Members of Parliam...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 31 Jan 2012

Global Health and the New Bottom Billion: How Funders Should Respond to Shifts in Global Poverty and Disease Burden

After a decade of rapid economic growth, many developing countries have attained middle-income status. But poverty reduction in these countries has not kept pace with economic growth. As a result, mos...

by Amanda Glassman | On 31 Jan 2012

Child Gender And Parental Investments In India: Are Boys And Girls Treated Differently?

Although previous research has not always found that boys and girls are treated differently in rural India, son-biased stopping rules imply that estimates of the effect of gender on parental investmen...

by Silvia H. Barcellos | On 30 Jan 2012

More and Better Jobs in South Asia

This report investigates how more and better jobs can be created in South Asia. It does so for two reasons. First, this region will contribute nearly 40 percent of the growth in the world’s workin...

by Reema Nayar | On 30 Jan 2012

Findings From the Rapid Survey of Severely Malnourished Children in 11 Districts of Karnataka

A rapid survey was undertaken in Karnataka to understand access of severely malnourished children to health and child care services, understand these families’ experience of seeking care in PHC and an...

by Republic of Hunger RoH | On 30 Jan 2012

Frozen Food Products Marketing and Distribution Challenges in a Developing Country Case Study: Pakistan

The aim of this case study is to understand the challenges the frozen food industry in a developing country like Pakistan has faced in the past, and is facing currently. The study reveals that inste...

by Shehla Riza Arifeen | On 27 Jan 2012

Third Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2011-12

This policy review is set in the context of a highly uncertain global environment and a delicately poised domestic balance between growth and inflation. It should be read and understood together...

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 25 Jan 2012

Worldwide Incidence of Malaria in 2009: Estimates, Time Trends, and a Critique of Methods

Measuring progress towards Millennium Development Goal 6, including estimates of, and time trends in, the number of malaria cases, has relied on risk maps constructed from surveys of parasite prevale...

by Richard E Cibulskis | On 25 Jan 2012

The Relationship between Inflation and Relative Price Variability in Pakistan

This paper explores the relationship between inflation and relative price variability (RPV) by using disaggregated CPI data for Pakistan. Three methods have been used to assess the functional form and...

by Muhammad Akmal | On 25 Jan 2012

Faith in Exile: The Lessons of Tibet

For the last half-century, the Tibetan people have endured the brunt of some of the Chinese governments most brutal policies. In the 1990's, an international activist movement, which attracted a small...

by Anthony Lappe | On 25 Jan 2012

Diviya Kapur, and An Unusual Bookshop in Goa

Lawyer Diviya Kapur chose to trade her education at the prestigious National Law School of India University (Bangalore) with running a bookshop in Goa, India. Her ideas resulted in Literati, an innova...

by Frederick Noronha | On 25 Jan 2012

Studies in Goan Migration: Dr Stella Mascarenhas Keyes

Prominent researcher in Goan migration, Dr Stella Mascarenhas-Keyes, did some of the first detailed academic research (infact, her PhD) on Goan migration. She was down in Goa recently, and she spoke t...

by Frederick Noronha | On 24 Jan 2012

To Bt or Not to Bt? Risk and Uncertainty Considerations in Technology Assessment

Production costs and crop incomes in drought years are analyzed to test a simplistic theory of risk based on first principles. A mixed-methods framework is employed to draw inferences by combining da...

by Sarthak Gaurav | On 24 Jan 2012

Myanmar’s Reforms: The Challenges Ahead

The release of many high-profile political prisoners by Myanmar’s government has been applauded by the international community. Many obstacles to reform still exist, but they are not the usual suspect...

by Kyaw San Wai | On 24 Jan 2012

Stop the 'Chindia' talk

While studying the economic growth of the two rising giants of Asia (India and China) it is seen that India is far behind China in many aspects. URL:[http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/t-n-ni...

by T.N. Ninan | On 23 Jan 2012

Engines of Development: How Cohesive?

Review ofEconomy, Democracy and the State: The Indian Experience, By Ramashray Roy, Sage Publications, New Delhi; 2009, Pages: viii + 247, Rs 650.

by Bhanoji Rao | On 22 Jan 2012

Environmental Sustainability and Strategic Stakeholder Management: The Coca-Cola Company in Turkey and Water Management

The future of almost any business depends on the sustainability of water resources. One of the global corporations using high amount of water during its production process and also a bottled water man...

by Inci Cinarli | On 22 Jan 2012

The Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Regulation) Bill - 2010

With the enormous advances in medicine and medical technologies, today 85 percent of the cases of infertility can be taken care of through medicines, surgery and/or the new medical technologies such a...

by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare H & FW | On 21 Jan 2012

Rural to Urban Migration in Pakistan: The Gender Perspective

This paper analyses gender dimensions in rural to urban migration (age 10 years and above) in Pakistan. The study is based on Labour Force Surveys 1996-2006. The findings of the study show that over...

by Shahnaz Hamid | On 20 Jan 2012

Second Universal Periodic Review of India-Draft

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process of the Human Rights Council which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The reviews are cond...

by Ministry of External Affairs, GoI MEA | On 19 Jan 2012

Antiques and Adat: The Changing Face of Paka’s Mini-museum, Kampung Benuk, Penrissen, Kuching

This paper is an account of recent developments at Paka's mini-museum, which culminated in the production of English text panels for its collection in March 2005. As it turned out, working on these...

by Liana Chua | On 19 Jan 2012

Power, Profits and Inflation: A Study of Inflation and Influence in Pakistan

The analysis seeks to look at inflation as a political economic phenomenon, based on a framework devised by Jonathan Nitzan and christened differential accumulation. The theory of differential accumul...

by Syed Ozair Ali | On 05 Jan 2012

The Five-Phases of Economic Development and Institutional Evolution in China and Japan

Based on the variable rate of gross domestic product per capita growth and its sources, this paper first identifies five phases of economic development that are common to China, Japan, and Korea: M...

by Masahiko Aoki | On 04 Jan 2012

Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth in Pakistan: A Sectoral Analysis

This paper establishes an empirical relationship between industry -specific foreign direct investment (FDI) and output under the framework of Granger causality and panel cointegration for Pakistan o...

by Muhammad Arshad Khan | On 03 Jan 2012

Contribution of Services Sector in the Economy of Pakistan

The services sector has provided steady support to Pakistan’s economic growth. It share in GDP now stands a more than 50 percent. The paper analyses its continuation in the growth of the economy in...

by Ayaz Ahmed | On 29 Dec 2011

Economic Dynamics and Forest Clearing: A Spatial Econometric Analysis for Indonesia

This paper uses a large panel database to investigate the determinants of forest clearing in Indonesian kabupatens since 2005. The study incorporates short-run changes in prices and demand for palm...

by David Wheeler | On 28 Dec 2011

The Evolving Dynamics of Global Economic Power in the Post-crisis World: Revelations from a New Index of Government Economic Power

This paper develops an index for measuring the economic power of governments viewed as entities in themselves. The basic idea is to encapsulate the economic representative power of a nation’s governme...

by Kaushik Basu | On 27 Dec 2011

A Conceptual Overview of Structural Equation Modeling

A synthesized version of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and its possible applications in Management problems is presented. The main contribution of the paper is its simple description of a some...

by Tathagata Banerjee | On 27 Dec 2011

Insights into Workers and ‘Political’ Union

Review of the book Workers, Unions and Global Capitalism: Lessons from India, Rohini Hensman, Tulika Books, New Delhi, 2011, pp. xix + 415

by Sharit Bhowmik | On 27 Dec 2011

Leveraging Environment and Climate Change Initiatives for Corporate Excellence

The paper reviews selected initiatives taken by Asian countries to comply with emerging global sustainability standards, reporting, and management systems, and tracks the response of Asian businesses...

by Venkatachalam Anbumozhi | On 26 Dec 2011

Poverty Dynamics of Female-headed Households in Pakistan: Evidence from PIHS 2000-01 and PSLM 2004-05

The paper attempts to empirically test a naïve version of what is rather stylistically termed as “feminisation of poverty”, using the sub-sample of female -headed households (FHHs) from two househol...

by Umer Khalid | On 21 Dec 2011

Seasonal Migration and Risk Aversion

Pre-harvest lean seasons are widespread in the agrarian areas of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, these seasonal famines force millions of people to succumb to poverty and hunger. An incentive...

by Gharad Bryan | On 20 Dec 2011

Public Sector Performance: A Global Perspective

The public sectors of different countries are shaped by many factors, but they share common challenges. Those challenges make public sector performance management more complex than it is in the privat...

by Louise Ross | On 14 Dec 2011

Exposing the Plight of Farmers in Punjab

Review of the book 'Debt and Death in Rural India: The Punjab Story' by Aman Sidhu and Inderjit Singh Jaijee Sage Publications India, New Delhi, 2011, Rs 750/-, pp 360.

by Gursharan Singh Kainth | On 13 Dec 2011

The Effect of Foreign Remittances on Schooling: Evidence from Pakistan

The underlying study intends to show the impact of foreign remittances on the educational performance of children in the households receiving these remittances. Much of the literature in this area c...

by Muhammad Nasir | On 13 Dec 2011

Estimating the Value of Statistical Life in Pakistan

The study estimates the Value of Statistical Life and Limb in Pakistan based on the compensating wage differential among blue-collar industrial workers in the city of Lahore. The data for this study...

by Mohammad Rafi | On 07 Dec 2011

Quality of Maternal Health Care: A Call for Papers for a Maternal Health Task Force–PLoS Collection

The MHTF–PLoS Collection in 2011–12 will focus on quality of maternal health care, as it is clear that such a focus is now a global imperative [9]. The quality of maternal health care is highly va...

by Samantha R Lattof | On 02 Dec 2011

Rejigging the Elephant Dance

India's development challenges. The India growth story was thrown off track by the global financial crisis which engulfed virtually every country in the world. We recovered from the crisis sooner than...

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 30 Nov 2011

Fifth Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series: Moving Towards Universal Access to Health Care- 5

The Fifth Anusandhan Trust’s Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series on Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Sciences was held on January 5, 2011. The speakers were Dr. K. Srinath Reddy (Chairperson o...

by Hansa Thapliyal | On 29 Nov 2011

Fifth Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series: Moving Towards Universal Access to Health Care- 4

The Fifth Anusandhan Trust’s Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series on Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Sciences was held on January 5, 2011. The speakers were Dr. K. Srinath Reddy (Chairperson o...

by Hansa Thapliyal | On 29 Nov 2011

Fifth Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series: Moving Towards Universal Access to Health Care- 3

The Fifth Anusandhan Trust’s Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series on Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Sciences was held on January 5, 2011. The speakers were Dr. K. Srinath Reddy (Chairperson o...

by Hansa Thapliyal | On 29 Nov 2011

Reading Gandhi with Gandhians

Review of: Understanding Gandhi: Gandhians in Conversation with Fred J Blum edited by Usha Thakkar and Jayashree Mehta; Sage Publications India, New Delhi, 2011, Rs. ISBN 9788132105572

by Nikhil Govind | On 26 Nov 2011

Draft of combined Fourth and Fifth Periodic Reports of India to CEDAW

This Report covers developments in implementation of the Convention in India from 2006 to 2011. The harmonised guidelines for preparation of Common Core Document and the reporting Guidelines of the...

by Government of India Ministry of Women and Child Development | On 25 Nov 2011

The Politics of Water Discourse in Pakistan

The policy brief explores the evolving discourse on water issues in Pakistan where the process of political articulation, securitization and mobilization which often links water to Kashmir is studied....

by Medha Bisht | On 24 Nov 2011

Assamese Newspapers—Losing out to Local News Channels?

Two recent IRS quarterly surveys have shown that readership of newspapers is declining in Assam. Why is this happening?

by Nava Thakuria | On 22 Nov 2011

Global South: SEPHIS e-magazine, October 2011: Visual Encounters: Beyond the Written and Toward the Sensory

What is 'visual methodologies? How is it defined? What are the challenges in grappling with the interdisciplinary nature of this multifaceted research approach? This issue of Global South features e...

by SEPHIS | On 22 Nov 2011

Torture in India 2011

Torture in India series have been instrumental for bringing national and international spotlight on torture in india. The Government of India regrettably has been reluctant to address torture. It draf...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 21 Nov 2011

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011

A bill to provide for the establishment of an Authority to promote old age income security by establishing, developing and regulating pension funds, to protect the interests of subscribers to sche...

by Parliamentary Research Service PRS | On 17 Nov 2011

Juveniles of Jammu and Kashmir: Unequal Before the Law and Denied Justice in Custody

While the arrests of dozens of juveniles during the mass uprising in the Kashmir valley from June to September 2010 brought the abuse of the Public Safety Act against the children in conflict with the...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 16 Nov 2011

Where is the Virtue in the Middle Class?

It is widely agreed by economists and political scientists that the middle class is vital to progress because of its many virtues. But it is difficult to define a middle class by income in a manner t...

by Charles Kenny | On 16 Nov 2011

The Impossible Trinity and Capital Flows in East Asia

The Impossible Trinity doctrine still holds a powerful sway over policymakers, advisors (particularly the International Monetary Fund [IMF]) and academia. In East Asia over the past decade, however,...

by Stephen Grenville | On 15 Nov 2011

Millenium Development Goals: How is India Doing?

This paper evaluates the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) as a framework for measuring development and, subject to qualifications arising from that evaluation, assesses how India is doing in terms o...

by Sudipto Mundle | On 11 Nov 2011

Financing Infrastructure for Connectivity: Policy Implications for Asia

This paper discusses Asia’s infrastructure needs and its corresponding financing needs and challenges. It proposes ways to address financing gaps by identifying potential financing sources and instr...

by Biswa Nath Bhattacharyay | On 09 Nov 2011

The G20: Engine of Asian Regionalism?

The paper scrutinizes the functioning of the G20 and its role in increasing coordination. and cooperation between Asian countries. It highlights divergent agendas amongst the A6 as regards the future...

by Hugo Dobson | On 09 Nov 2011

Institutionalising Democracy

Review of Economy, Democracy and the State: The Indian Experience by Ramashray Roy, Sage Publications, New Delhi;2009, pp. viii + 247, Rs 650.

by Bhanoji Rao | On 07 Nov 2011

Reading Savarkar: Disequilibriums in Hindutva’s Notion of National-Unity-at-all-Costs

Sarvarkar’s case for Unity is at best a cumulative network of agile concepts that are open-ended, and can be used by future sympathetic thinkers. To not grasp this agility is to fundamentally misunder...

by Nikhil Govind | On 03 Nov 2011

The Financial Accelerator: An Emerging Market Story

In support of the financial-accelerator theory, evidence is found on countercyclical price-cost banking margins possibly explaining the amplifications of business cycles in Pakistan. [WP 41]. URL:[ht...

by Shah Hussein | On 03 Nov 2011

"Ramanujan's Essay Depicts Multiplicity of Views Through Many Ramayanas."

The deletion of Three Hundred Ramayanas from B.A. History course of Delhi University. Professor Biswamoy Pati of History Department of D.U. calls this intolerance a dangerous trend. Video interview o...

by Jyotsna Singh | On 02 Nov 2011

Draft National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Policy, 2011 (NPPP 2011)

The Drug Policy, 1994 needed to be revised to  meet  the  challenges  brought  about  by  the  competitive  international  pharmaceutical  industry  in  a  globalised  economic  environment,  as muc...

by Pharmaceuticals Department of | On 02 Nov 2011

Complex, Historical, Self-reflexive: Expect the Unexpected!

The object world of the social sciences is complex, historical and self-reflexive. It generates nonlinear effects, it is unique, and it is able to understand the theories developed about it and resp...

by Sandra Mitchell | On 01 Nov 2011

Gender, Governance and Women’s Rights in South Asia

This study focuses on gender equality and democratic governance in the five largest states of the South Asian region, namely, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Beginning with a general...

by Seema Kazi | On 20 Oct 2011

Environmental Journalism in South Asia

Book review 'The Green pen: Environmental Journalism in India and South Asia' by Keya Acharya and Frederick Noronha (eds) Sage, 2010, page 312, Rs 395.

by Vrijendra | On 19 Oct 2011

Who Drives Change? Comparing the Evolution of Domestic Climate Governance in India and South Africa

This paper compares and contrasts the nature and scope of change in the domestic climate governance of India and South Africa between 2007 and 2010. It uses an actor-centered approach to analyze the d...

by Babette Never | On 18 Oct 2011

Does Participatory Development Legitimise Collusion Mechanisms? Evidence from Karnataka Watershed Development Agency

While examining participatory development projects, existing contributions have demonstrated how aid resources are often captured by local elites. This paper hypothesises that another possible source...

by G.Ananda Vadivelu | On 18 Oct 2011

Voice and Accountability: The Role of Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Committee

The study aims to explore how the MNCH committee encouraged community participation and how its communication activities empowered the community people to ensure the healthcare needs of the poor and...

by Margaret Leppard | On 17 Oct 2011

Evaluation of Value-Added Agricultural Advisory Services: Case Study of Agriclinics in Southern India

The Indian national program of agriclinics and agribusiness centers, started in 2002, aims to provide farmers with a reliable alternative to the private input dealer by subsidizing technically trained...

by Claire J Glendenning | On 14 Oct 2011

Paraiyans’ Self-assertion for Identity

Review of Nandanar’s Children: The Paraiyans’ Tryst with Destiny Tamil Nadu 1850—1956, Raj Sekhar Basu, Sage India, New Delhi, 2011, 492 pp, Rs 895

by Rajesh Komath | On 11 Oct 2011

ASEAN Auto Market Growing in the Shadow of China and India

The automobile industry in the ASEAN countries has expanded rapidly over the last few years. The growth potential of the ASEAN auto market and its now very major absolute importance for the industr...

by Eric Heymann | On 03 Oct 2011

Openness, Economic Growth and Labour Migration in times of Global Downturn: with Special Reference to Asian Examples

This paper starts by examining some of the variables that have been considered important determinants of openness and how views of these have changed over the last twenty years. It then considers th...

by Kenneth E Jackson | On 29 Sep 2011

Global Production Networks in Electronics and Intra-Asian Trade

The growth of East Asia’s intra-regional trade is driven largely by increased component trade within global electronics production networks. Data on both electronics trade and production elucidate a...

by Byron Gangnes | On 29 Sep 2011

Rights, Responsibilities and Resources: Examining Community Forestry in South Asia

This paper seeks to understand whether decentralized management of forests can reduce forest loss in developing countries. [SANDEE Working Paper, No 59 - 11]. URL:[http://www.sandeeonline.org/upload...

by Priya Shyamsundar | On 28 Sep 2011

Cross-LoC trade in Kashmir: From Line of Control to Line of Commerce

This study examines how business entities and individuals in Jammu and Kashmir view trade transactions with the other side and perceptions about the economic viability of Cross-LoC trade. More speci...

by Altaf Hussain Kira | On 28 Sep 2011

Labour Market in Urban Agglomerations: A case from an Indian Global City

The study explores different aspects of employment and labour market prevalent in large in UAs, in particular global cities. To capture the role of labour market in urban agglomeration, particularly...

by G.D Bino Paul | On 27 Sep 2011

Valuing the Recreational Uses of Pakistan’s Wetlands: An Application of the Travel Cost Method

This study applies a single-site truncated count data travel cost model in order to estimate the value visitors place on recreation in Keenjhar. The recreational use value associated with Keenjhar...

by Ali Dehlavi | On 27 Sep 2011

The Lok Pal Bill Debate: Lack of Accountability, not Anna Hazare's Fast, Should be the Focus

The paper analysis the current situation of corruption in India, the protests against it, the role of NGOs and the Lok Pal Bill

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 19 Sep 2011

Iraq’s Last Window: Diffusing the Risks of a Petro-State

This paper, examines the possibility of adopting Oil- to- Cash scheme in Iraq. Here, a new opportunity is identified which aims for direct distribution of Iraqi oil rents in the planned production exp...

by Johnny West | On 19 Sep 2011

Opening India’s Garments Sector to South Asia

This paper examines the competitiveness of the Indian garments industry vis-à-vis the other South Asian countries Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Under the SAFTA agreement, many of the garment i...

by Saon Ray | On 16 Sep 2011

Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries

How does innovation impact on development? How, and under what conditions, do entrepreneurs in developing countries innovate? And what can be done to support innovation by entrepreneurs in develo...

by Wim Naude | On 16 Sep 2011

Pakistan: 10 Year Banking Strategy Paper for the Banking Sector Reforms

This paper maps out a strategy for banking sector reforms over the next decade. It is formulated by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and is centered on reforms involving the SBP. But the Banking Secto...

by State Bank of Pakistan SBP | On 15 Sep 2011

Agrofuels – A Boost of Energy for the Mekong Region?

This background paper seeks to brief readers on the extent of the development, production and consumption of agrofuels, particularly liquid fuels for transport, in the Mekong region. The area of focu...

by Rebeca Leonard | On 12 Sep 2011

Trans-border Identities: (A Study on the Impact of Bangladeshi and Nepali Migration to India)

This paper deals with migration into India from adjoining neighbours and its impact on security and other issues of national interest. Unlike other studies on migration, it focuses on the ethnic ident...

by Subhakanta Behera | On 26 Aug 2011

The Role of Macroeconomic Policy in Rebalancing Growth

The aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2007–2009 has called the export-led growth model of Asian economies into question. This paper describes the contribution that macroeconomic policy can m...

by Peter Morgan | On 23 Aug 2011

EU-Asia Free Trade Areas? Economic and Policy Considerations

This paper analyses key aspects of the changing economic relationship between the European Union (EU) and Asia, and explored the potential economic ramifications of deeper EU-Asian economic cooperatio...

by Michael Plummer | On 22 Aug 2011

From Economic Meltdown to Social Crunch – Impact of the Global Economic Recession on Social Capital Building in Developing Countries and What We still Don't Know!

This paper draws on the experiences of the Far East Economic Crisis in 1998 and argues that: (1) the poor depended heavily on bonding social capital during the Crisis, but the crunch-point beyond wh...

by Sam Wong | On 22 Aug 2011

Predicting Recessions and Slowdowns: A Robust Approach

This paper defines business and growth rate cycles and describes the importance of key coincident indicators and reference chronologies, following reflections on the definition of a recession. The rob...

by Pami Dua | On 18 Aug 2011

Climate Change, Rural Livelihoods and Agriculture (focus on Food Security) in Asia-Pacific Region

The objective of this paper is to identify climate change related threats and vulnerabilities associated with agriculture as a sector and agriculture as people’s livelihoods (exposure, sensitivity, a...

by S. Mahendra Dev | On 17 Aug 2011

India-Pakistan Trade

On the basis of a survey conducted in three cities viz., Delhi, Mumbai and Amritsar the paper examines the characteristics of firms engaged in Indo- Pakistan trade. It also estimates the transaction...

by Nisha Taneja | On 11 Aug 2011

Bond Market Development in Asia: An Empirical Analysis of Major Determinants

This study attempts to identity the major determinants of bond market development in Asian economies, through examining its relationship with selected key financial and economic factors, and to provid...

by Biswa Nath Bhattacharyay | On 10 Aug 2011

The Challenge of Aid in Pakistan: Is Cash on Delivery Part of the Solution?

This brief examines options for a (Cash on Delivery) COD Aid contract in Pakistan’s education sector and its potential benefits for improving the relationship between official donors and the governm...

by Wren Elhai | On 08 Aug 2011

More Than the Sum of Its Calories: Rice and Modernity in Canton

Review of Gourmets in the Land of Famine: The Culture and Politics of Rice in Modern Canton Seung-joon Lee; Stanford University Press, 2011. 320 pp. $55.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-8047-7226-6. H-Net R...

by Edward Melillo | On 07 Aug 2011

Food Quality in Domestic Markets of Developing Economies: A Comparative Study of two Countries

Food quality has become an important determinant of success in global food trade and growers for international markets have to continuously adjust to buyers’ requirements. It is however not clear to w...

by Anneleen Vandeplas | On 03 Aug 2011

Chronic Poverty in South West Madhya Pradesh: A Multidimensional Analysis of its Extent and Causes

The structuralist perspective envisages poverty, especially in rural India, as a long duration phenomenon. Over time, most of the structural features of poverty have remained more or less intact. As a...

by Amita Shah | On 02 Aug 2011

Stepping Stones: Principal Career Paths and School Outcomes

More than one out of every five principals leaves their school each year. In some cases, these career changes are driven by the choices of district leadership. In other cases, principals initiate the...

by Tara Béteille | On 27 Jul 2011

“Indian” Literatures Today: English and Bhasha Literatures in an Uneasy Relationship

Review of Other Tongues: Rethinking the Language Debates in India. Edited byNalini Iyer, Bonnie Zare,Rodopi, Amsterdam. 2009. 248 pp. $71.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-90-420-2519-6.

by KumKum Chatterjee | On 23 Jul 2011

On Researching Organisations

Review of Anthropologists Inside Organisations: South Asian Case Studies Edited by Devi Sridhar, Sage India , New Delhi; 2008, 184 pp., Rs 585.

by Dhanwanti Nayak | On 12 Jul 2011

Understanding the Impact of the Economic Crisis on Child and Maternal Health among the Poor: Opportunities for South Asia

The economic crisis hit many countries in 2007 and the effects are still being felt, especially in poorer developing nations. Much of the debate surrounding the economic crisis and its impacts has foc...

by Azra Abdul Cader | On 11 Jul 2011

Kiranas 'Kicked' by Malls

The unorganized retail sector in India compriises small stores located in every nook and corner. People bought their day to day requirements and hoarded monthly stock from the kirana (mom-and-pop) sto...

by Sakshi Bhatnagar | On 11 Jul 2011

How has the Opening of Malls/ Big Marts Affected Consumers?

Malls and Big Marts are rapidly coming up in Mumbai as they are in most cities. This research study was aimed at finding out the effect of these on consumers. The study was conducted in Inorbit Mall...

by Preeti Rohra | On 10 Jul 2011

Socio-Economic Characteristics of the Tall and not so Tall Women of India

New studies are increasingly appearing based on historical data across the world that better socio-economic status is associated with taller men and women. This study based on a recent Indian data ana...

by Brinda Viswanathan | On 08 Jul 2011

The Don Sahong Dam: Potential Impacts on Regional Fish Migrations, Livelihoods and Human Health

This paper focuses on the Don Sahong Dam (DSD’s) potential impacts on fish and fisheries, and particularly the project’s regional implications in relation to fisheries, including its possible impact...

by Ian Bird | On 08 Jul 2011

Board Interlocks and Their Impact on Corporate Governance: The Indian Experience - Coping with Corporate Cholesterol

Board interlocks and corporate elites are an engaging field of ongoing academic and policy research around the world, especially because of the concentration of economic power in few individuals or en...

by Bala N Balasubramanian | On 08 Jul 2011

Media and Much Else

Review of Political Economy of Communications in India: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly by Pradip Ninan Thomas; Sage, India; 2010, Rs 650.

by Vrijendra | On 07 Jul 2011

Doha or Dada: The World Trade Regime at an Historic Crossroads

This study was not alone in demonstrating that a deal on the Doha Round could be of huge benefit to the global economy. Assuming plausible enhancements in the course of further negotiations, the big...

by Klaus Deutsch | On 06 Jul 2011

Detection and Forecasting of Islamic Calendar Effects in Time Series Data: Revisited

This paper is an attempt to revisit the pioneering work of Riazuddin and Khan (2002). A complete business cycle has been elapsed (2002-2010) since their study, so there is need to review the results ...

by Syed Kalim Hyder Bukhari | On 05 Jul 2011

Understanding Foreign Direct Investment in East Asia

The authors recount East Asia's experience with foreign direct investment (FDI). They document that, contrary to the Rybczynski theorem, capital flows in the region cause the host country's labor-inte...

by Willem Thorbecke | On 04 Jul 2011

The Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Trade in East Asia

This paper considers how exchange rates affect East Asian trade. The evidence indicates that exports produced within regional production networks depend on exchange rates throughout the region while l...

by Willem Thorbecke | On 01 Jul 2011

U.S. Trade Policy and Global Development

Polls show that many Americans increasingly see the country’s trade openness asmore of a threat than an opportunity, and the bipartisan political consensus in favor of openmarkets is badly frayed....

by Kimberly Ann Elliot | On 01 Jul 2011

Public Infrastructure Investment and Non-Market Work in India: Selective Evidence from Time Use Data

Theory of allocation of time revealed that historically market-time has never consistently been greater than the non-market time and therefore the allocation and efficiency of latter may be equally...

by Lekha S. Chakraborty | On 29 Jun 2011

A De Facto Asian-Currency Unit Bloc in East Asia: It Has Been There but We Did Not Look for It

Pegging in a coordinated way to a regional basket currency is considered by many as optimal for east-Asian countries. By contrast, according to existing empirical studies, these countries have most of...

by Eric Girardin | On 29 Jun 2011

Unemployment in Kerala at the Turn of the Century: Insights from CDS Gulf Migration Studies

This Working Paper is about the unemployment situation in Kerala. It is based on the findings of the two Gulf Migration Studies, Kerala Migration Study (KMS) and South Asia Migration Study (SMS), c...

by K. C. Zachariah | On 27 Jun 2011

Diversification in Rural Livelihood Strategies: A Macro-Level Evidence from Jammu and Kashmir

The paper attempts to understand broadly the dynamics of rural livelihood diversification in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This paper also throws up some issues, which one can delineate at micro-lev...

by Rajeev Sharma | On 20 Jun 2011

Drivers of Escape and Descent: Changing Household Fortunes in Rural Bangladesh

This paper analyses a panel dataset on 379 rural households in Bangladesh interviewed in 1987/88 and 2000. Using a ‘livelihoods’ framework it contrasts the fortunes of ascending households (which es...

by Binayak Sen | On 16 Jun 2011

Media Under Fire: Press Freedom Lockdown in Sri Lanka

In October 2008, a delegation from the International Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression Mission undertook a solidarity and advocacy mission to Sri Lanka to assess the current media situation...

by Int Press Freedom & Freedom of Expression Mission IPF&FE | On 13 Jun 2011

Access to Land and Land Policy Reforms

The objective of this research and policy brief is to analyse different mechanisms of access to land for the rural poor in an era when redistribution through expropriative land reform is largely incon...

by Alain de Janvry | On 10 Jun 2011

Estimating Output Gap for Pakistan Economy: Structural and Statistical Approaches

The objective of this study is to estimate potential output vis-à-vis output gap for Pakistan’s economy. This paper reviews six commonly used techniques to estimate potential output and from that the...

by S. Adnan H. A. S. Bukhari | On 09 Jun 2011

Macroeconomics of Poverty Reduction: India Case Study

India, located in South Asia is a large country that ranks second in the world in terms of population and seventh in terms of geographical area. Its civilization is very old dating back to at least...

by Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research | On 09 Jun 2011

Globalization Crises, Trade, and Development in Vietnam

Vietnam has been among the most successful East Asian economies, especially in weathering the external shocks of recent globalization crises—the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the 2008-09 great...

by Philip Abbott | On 02 Jun 2011

Beyond Bullets and Bombs: Fixing the U.S. Approach to Development in Pakistan

In a new CGD report, U.S. and Pakistani development experts urge a substantial revamp of the U.S. approach to Pakistan, saying that U.S. efforts to build prosperity in the nuclear-armed nation with a...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 02 Jun 2011

India Pakistan Trade Possibilities and Non-tariff Barriers

This paper aims to identify the bilateral trade possibilities and non-tariff barriers between India and Pakistan. The study shows that there is a large untapped trade potential between the two coun...

by Nisha Taneja | On 31 May 2011

An Enquiry into the Historical Roots of Industrial Backwardness of Kerala - A Study of Travancore Region

The relative industrial backwardness of Kerela is a problem of very wide concern among scholars as well as administrators and political activities in the state. The contribution of the industrial sect...

by T.M. Thomas Issac | On 31 May 2011

History Revisited: Narratives on Political and Constitutional Changes in Kashmir (1947-1990)

One of the main conflicts prevailing in South Asia today is that of the row over Kashmir. The long history of the conflict, the states involved in the conflict and its geo-political position has...

by Khalid Wasim Hassan | On 26 May 2011

Kashmir - A Report to the Nation

This report documents the crisis situation facing Kashmir in the 90s and the role of PUCL delegates in its intervention. URL: [http://www.pucl.org/major_reports/Kashmir_A_Report_To_The_Nation_part-1.p...

by Rajinder Sachar | On 23 May 2011

The HPV Vaccine ‘Demonstration Projects’: A Media Note

The HPV Vaccine ‘demonstration project’ in Andhra Pradesh was suspended by the central government when people’s health organization raised questions about its conduct. The Enquiry Committee set up ha...

by Resource Group for Women's Health SAMA | On 18 May 2011

Book Review: Kale on Menon 'Women of the Hindu Right'

Everyday Nationalism: Women of the Hindu Right in India Kalyani Devaki Menon; University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia; 224 pp. $49.95(cloth). [H-Net Reviews.https://www.h-net.org/reviews/s...

by Sunila S. Kale | On 17 May 2011

Spatial Heterogeneity and Population Mobility in India

Mobility is one of the important aspects of human nature, which is often guided by socio-economic, political as well as environmental factors. The nature, pattern and direction of population mobili...

by Jajati Keshari Parida | On 16 May 2011

Towards Open and Equitable Access to Research and Knowledge for Development

Unequal access to and distribution of public knowledge is governed by Northern standards and is increasingly inappropriate in the age of the networked “Invisible College”. Academic journals remain the...

by Leslie Chan | On 14 May 2011

Bengal Diary: On the Eve of Change: SMS Updates of a West Bengal Tour, April 2011

A tour of West Bengal on the eve of the elections and the results, April 19 – 27, 2011, recorded by a young journalist-in-the-making in a collection of SMS messages.

by Kranti S. Bhatewara | On 13 May 2011

The Future of Development Finance

Development finance is at a turning point. There is talk about a “triple revolution of goals, actors and tools.” As much of Asia grows its way out of poverty, aid will increasingly be focused on Afr...

by Nemat Shafik | On 13 May 2011

What Constrains Business? The Role of the ‘Single Window’ in Gujarat, India

The investment climate of a region reflects the location specific factors that provide opportunities and incentives for firms to invest, create jobs, and expand. A good investment cl...

by Errol D'souza | On 11 May 2011

Trafficking of Women into Hong Kong for the Purpose of Prostitution: Preliminary Research Findings

The trafficking of women for the purposes of prostitution into certain parts of Asia, in particular into Thailand, India and Japan, is now relatively well-documented. However, there is very little in...

by Robyn Emerton | On 11 May 2011

REalisation of 'Self'n Vijay Tendulkar's 'Kamala'

In India, today too, majority of educated women are unaware of their true self and still stuck in the process of self realisation. Moreover, there are some women who are aware of their self, their rig...

by Sachin S. Bhumbe | On 09 May 2011

History in Bengali Literature: A Study of Selected Bengali Novels

Great novelists through their writings placed the history of the Indian national and social awakening movement in literature.The context of this article is great three novels of three great littérat...

by Sarmistha Ghoshal | On 09 May 2011

Statement Delivered by Secretary of the Ministry of Finance

This paper presents the Statement Delivered by Mr. Krishna Hari Baskota, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance in the 44th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development in the capa...

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Nepal | On 09 May 2011

South Asians for Human Rights' Minority Right Reports (India 2009)

This paper presents the condition of minority in India in the year 2009. URL: [http://www.southasianrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Minority-Right-Situation-in-India.pdf]

by South Asians for Human Rights | On 09 May 2011

India: Kal, Aaj Aur Kal

All across the board growth forecasts for this year are being revised downwards. What has changed in the last few months? http://www.indicus.net

by Sumita Kale | On 08 May 2011

New media: problems and prospects

The author advocates liberal and secular ideas in a country, Pakistan, too-often torn by religious extremism and strives for the defence and promotion of press freedom under difficult circumstances an...

by Najam Sethi | On 08 May 2011

Book Review: Distance Education: A Growing Sector in Asia

Review of Policy and Practice in Asian Distance Edited by Belawati Tiawati and Baggaley Jon Education, Sage, Publications, India 2010, 260 pages, Rs. 650/-

by Madhu Parhar | On 06 May 2011

Nepal and the Pax Indianus

In May 2009, the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) warned of growing threats to sustainable peace in Nepal. Since that time, Nepal’s politics have continued to polarize. Nepal still has two ar...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights | On 04 May 2011

Armed Conflict, Violence aganist Women and Right to Health

Two of the key highlights of the training were: the absence of counselling services, especially for women in Kashmir given the nature and scale of violence and; the denied right of conflict affected...

by ... CEHAT | On 29 Apr 2011

Enhancing Intra-SAARC Trade: Pruning India’s Sensitive List under SAFTA

The study suggests an approach to reduce India’s sensitive list under SAFTA. The concept of Revealed Comparative Advantage has been used to pair the RCAs for products on India’s sensitive list with th...

by Nisha Taneja | On 29 Apr 2011

Targeting and Distribution of Post-Tsunami Aid in Sri Lanka : A Critical Appraisal

In this study, two types of aid transfers - boats and houses are examined- that were made to rehabilitate tsunami-affected fishery households in Sri Lanka. The goal is to investigate the distributio...

by Asha Gunawardena | On 20 Apr 2011

Ramadan Effect on Price Movements: Evidence from Pakistan

This paper attempts to verify the widespread perception that general price level tends to rise due to the month of Ramadan in Pakistan. For this purpose, the ARIMA methodology (simple and extended f...

by Muhammad Akmal | On 19 Apr 2011

National Youth Policy 2010 (NYP 2010)

The NYP 2010 is a step forward from the earlier Policy formulated in 1988 and, later, in 2003. It reaffirms commitment of the nation to the holistic development of the young people of the country....

by Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs YAS | On 19 Apr 2011

Financial Regulatory Harmonization in East Asia: Balancing Domestic and International Pressures for Corporate Governance Reforms

Focusing on corporate governance, which many see as a critical part of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and which is also seen as unresponsive to calls for change, this paper argues that such harmoniz...

by Richard W Carney | On 12 Apr 2011

Container Shipping: Successful Turnaround

Global container throughput rose by at least 11% last year, after declining for the first time ever in 2009 (-9%). The level of global container throughput was thus higher again than before the cri...

by Eric Heymann | On 12 Apr 2011

An Alternative to Conventional Public Water Service: "User Group Networks" in a Mumbai Slum

This article is a research on the water services available in north eastern parts of Mumbai. It aims as highlighting the ability of communities to design and run functional systems to overcome the sho...

by Rémi de BERCEGOL | On 08 Apr 2011

Assam: Alienating the Natives

The issue of Bengali speaking Muslims has been brought up in Assam time and over again and this point has also been used at the time of elections to polarize the communities along religious lines.

by Ram Puniyani | On 05 Apr 2011

Organic Crops or Energy Crops? Options for Rural Development in Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

The agricultural sectors of developing Asian countries are experiencing two important new developments: the growth of organic agriculture (OA) and the increasing use of land to grow energy crops...

by Anil Markandya | On 01 Apr 2011

Conference on Psychosocial Care and Mental Health Services in Disasters: Summary and Recommendations

Psychosocial care has been incorporated into the disaster management program only recently. Now, emphasis is being placed on long-term care, disaster preparedness and strengthening of community harmon...

by National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciencn NIMHANS | On 30 Mar 2011

Assessing East-Asian Export Performance

For decades until the crisis hit in mid-1997, East Asian economies led the developing world in achieving high rates of economic growth, accomplishing what had come to be known as the East Asian Mira...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 30 Mar 2011

Of Human Bondage: An Account of Hostage Taking in Bastar

An event of great political and historical significance occurred on 11 February 2011 inside the dense forests of Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh with the CPI (Maoist) releasing five policemen of Chhatti...

by People's Union for Democratic Rights PUDR | On 29 Mar 2011

Rural Development & Energy Policy: Lessons from Agricultural Mechanisation in South Asia

The purpose of this paper is to reopen policy debates on the role of agricultural mechanisation in rural development. The paper examines very different and diverse patterns of agricultural mechani...

by Stephen Biggs | On 29 Mar 2011

Potential Role in Corporate Governance by Employees of Asian Enterprises

Large publicly-held corporations or business groups in developing Asian economies are typically controlled (and managed) by families, and tend to suffer from poor corporate governance. Even though s...

by Sang-Woo Nam | On 29 Mar 2011

Was Tsunami Aid Well Targeted? An Examination of Disaster Assistance in Sri Lanka

As countries in South Asia ready themselves for climate change and the possibility of increased frequency in natural disasters, it is useful to understand how well post disaster operations work to...

by South Asian Network for Development SANDEE | On 28 Mar 2011

Globalization and the Women’s Movement in India

From the early 1990s, the principal economic, social and political problems experienced by the mass of Indian women have, in one way or another, become inextricably linked with the processes and pol...

by Centre for Women's Development Studies | On 28 Mar 2011

How to Boost Environmental Literacy – A Case Study from Bangladesh

South Asia, faces a range of environmental problems. Environmental education and increased awareness play an important role in addressing these challenges. [Policy Brief No. 45 -10] URL: [http://ww...

by M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury | On 25 Mar 2011

Iron and Steal: The POSCO India Story

This  report  presents  a  comprehensive  analysis  of  the  claims  advanced  by  the  State  and  Central  governments  and  the  POSCO  company  itself,  of  the  various  benefits  that  would  ac...

by Anu Mandavilli | On 25 Mar 2011

Employees in Asian Enterprises:Their Potential Role in Corporate Governance

Large publicly-held corporations or business groups in developing Asian economies are typically controlled (and managed) by families, and tend to suffer from poor corporate governance. Even though s...

by Sang-Woo Nam | On 24 Mar 2011

It’s Here, the Privatisation of Higher Education in India

Apart from the sweeping change in the nature of academics itself, the university system is being remoulded in the image of the private sector – with silent, atomised workers, bitchy and competitive to...

by Sunalini Kumar | On 22 Mar 2011

A Veteran's Asia Reflections

The report reflects on a wealth of impressions from the emerging continent. Political and economic developments from the Hindukush to Japan are assessed and put into a global context. The issues addre...

by Norbert Walter | On 22 Mar 2011

Anti-worker Stance of Higher Courts of Pakistan: Brewing Protests

With Pakistan’s higher courts’ growing trend towards discriminatory judgements in cases involving workers or on labour issues, protests are brewing.

by Farooq Tariq | On 22 Mar 2011

Book Review: Power, Identity, and Moral Order in the Indian Railway

Lines of the Nation: Indian Railway Workers, Bureaucracy, and the Intimate Historical Self by Laura Bear. The Culture of History Series, Columbia University Press, New York 2007. 360 pp. $49.00 (cloth...

by David A. Campion | On 22 Mar 2011

A ‘Lawless Law’: Detentions under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act

Hundreds of people are locked up on spurious grounds under the Public Safety Act in Jammu and Kashmir every year. This report exposes a catalogue of human rights violations associated with the use of...

by Amnesty International AI, | On 21 Mar 2011

Trade in Services and Human Development: A First Look at the Links.

Some services directly produce outputs that are important for human development, such as basic human services. Many other services are important inputs into the production and distribution of goods th...

by Ben Shepherd | On 21 Mar 2011

Was Tsunami Aid Well Targeted? An Examination of Disaster Assistance in Sri Lanka

The Tsunami in 2004 devastated Sri Lanka. In its aftermath, followed aid and support from multiple sources. As countries in South Asia ready themselves for climate change and the possibility of in...

by Asha Gunawardena | On 18 Mar 2011

Relationship Banking and Its Role in Corporate Governance

Bank-based systems of corporate governance are certainly an alternative in many Asian economies. In spite of the great efforts directed to strengthening corporate governance along the Anglo- America...

by Sang-Woo Nam | On 18 Mar 2011

Sri Lanka Budget 2011-12

Budget speech by Finance Minister.

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 17 Mar 2011

Political Economy of Tribal Development: A Case Study of Andhra Pradesh

The paper delineates the situation of the Scheduled Tribes in the background of various policies of the state during the successive plan periods and its impact on their socio-economic mobility. Pol...

by M. Gopinath Reddy | On 16 Mar 2011

Counting the Costs of Vehicular Pollution in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhaka, like so many other cities in South Asia, is struggling to cope with traffic congestion and air pollution. This policy brief examines the economic costs associated with illness caused by traf...

by Tanzir Ahmed Chowdhury | On 15 Mar 2011

Ethnic Fertility Differentials in Vietnam and their Proximate Determinants

Southeast Asia‘s rapid economic growth and demographic change have brought divergent fertility behaviors, particularly those of socially excluded groups, into sharper focus. In Vietnam, while the ma...

by Sajeda Amin | On 15 Mar 2011

Overview of PRC in East Asian Trade

PRC’s economic emergence over the last two decades, and in particular its recent WTO accession initiative, portend a dramatically changed landscape of East Asian trade. This has aroused concern arou...

by David Roland Holst | On 15 Mar 2011

Track Record of Microfinance for the Poor

Major investments have been made in developing microfinance in Asia with reducing poverty as one of the frequently stated objectives. A variety of institutional forms of microfinance are being introdu...

by Richard Meyer | On 14 Mar 2011

The Global Impact of the Southern Engines of Growth: China, India, Brazil and South Africa

This Policy Brief focuses on links between the developing countries of Brazil, India, China and South Africa and the global economy, with a special emphasis on the implications of China’s spectacular...

by Amelia U. Santos Paulino | On 11 Mar 2011

Poverty Targeting in Asia: Experiences from India, Indonesia, the Philippines, People’s Republic of China and Thailand

Poverty targeting, defined as the use of policy instruments to channel resources to a target group identified below an agreed national poverty line, is used by all governments in Asia in one form or...

by John Weiss | On 11 Mar 2011

Future Role of Foreign Banks in Asia

Although the Asian Crisis has brought consensus on the necessity of strong domestic financial systems, there is less agreement as to the role of foreign banks in achieving the goals of economic grow...

by Heather Montgomery | On 10 Mar 2011

Survey of Corporate Governance Practices in Indonesia, Thailand and Korea

Poor corporate governance is viewed as one of the structural weaknesses responsible for the outbreak of the Asian crisis in late 1997. Controlling family owners could pursue private interests with r...

by Sang-Woo Nam | On 09 Mar 2011

Support by Migrants to their Elderly Parents in Rural Cambodia and Thailand: A Comparative Study

Internal migration in Southeast Asia raises questions about strains upon traditional systems of support for older adults. While remittances to parents’ households play a role in rural household econ...

by Zachary Zimmer | On 08 Mar 2011

Panchayats and Economic Development

The objective of this study is to review the analytical literature on the relationship between decentralisation and development, bring out the impact of decentralisation on economic development from...

by M.Govinda Rao | On 07 Mar 2011

Report Cards: The Impact of Providing School and Child Test-scores on Educational Markets

Recent evidence on the impact of information provision on service delivery has been mixed, with overall outcomes even worsening in certain cases. We examine the market-wide impact of an experimental i...

by Tahir Andrabi | On 07 Mar 2011

Union Budget 2011-12: High Growth Not Reflected in Public Spending

With shrinking public spending, State’s health care concerns are specious. The rise in allocations on the health sector will only have limited impact on its efficiency and availability.

by Ravi Duggal | On 06 Mar 2011

Budget 2011-12 High Growth Not Reflected in Public Spending

With shrinking public spending, State’s health care concerns are specious. The rise in allocations on the health sector will only have limited impact on its efficiency and availability.

by Ravi Duggal | On 06 Mar 2011

Draft Food Security Bill, 2010

While the Government of India has several schemes for augmenting agricultural production and ensuring adequate availability of food for different segments, a Bill to provide a statutory framework to e...

by Government of India GOI | On 04 Mar 2011

Feedback received until 28th February, 2011 on the Framework note on NFSB

Based on the recommendations the National Advisory Council had already communicated to the Government, as a first step towards preparing the draft National Food Security Bill, a detailed Framework Not...

by National Advisory Council NAC | On 04 Mar 2011

Draft National Food Security Bill: Explanatory Note

This Explanatory Note highlights the rationale and major considerations that form the basis of the NAC proposals on food security. It supplements (i) the NAC recommendations on food security relea...

by National Advisory Council NAC | On 04 Mar 2011

Note on the Draft National Food Security Bill

As agreed by the NAC at its meeting on July 14th, 2010, a Working Group of Members of the NAC was constituted on the National Food Security Bill. After due deliberations and wide ranging consultations...

by Harsh Mander | On 04 Mar 2011

Conversation and a Democratic Classroom

Conversation  has  always  been  one  of  the  essential  tools  of  teaching  and  the  best  teacher  uses  it  with  flair  and  precision.  However,  conversation  is  much  more  than  an  aid  t...

by Jitendra Kumar | On 04 Mar 2011

Of Education, Politics and Ideology

This interview-based article elaborates on the evolving education and political scenario in a small town of Madhya Pradesh and reflects on issues that have influenced it over at least three generation...

by Rinchin Rinchin | On 04 Mar 2011

Sri Lanka: Budget Speech, 2011

In the aftermath of the long war in the north, the prime minister anf finance minister launched Mahinda Chintana - Vision for the Future” that targets a per capita income in excess of US$ 4,000 by 201...

by Mahinda Rajapaksa | On 26 Feb 2011

Indian Railway Budget 2011-12

Railway Budget 2011-12.

by Mamata Banerjee | On 25 Feb 2011

Teacher Absence as a Factor in Gender Inequalities in Access to Primary Schooling in Rural Pakistan

Public-sector education in many countries in western and southern Asia, including Pakistan, is characterized by separate schools for boys and girls at the primary and secondary levels. In this paper...

by Sharon Ghuman | On 25 Feb 2011

The Impact of Climate Change on Indian Agriculture

In India, as elsewhere in the world, climate change is now high on the political and public agenda. In the subcontinent, particular attention is being paid to the impact of climatic changes on agri...

by K.S. Kavi Kumar | On 22 Feb 2011

Explaining the incidence of catastrophic expenditures on health care: Comparative evidence from Asia

Out-of-pocket (OOP) financing of health care leaves households exposed to the risk of unforeseen expenditures that absorb a large share of the household budget. Here, they explain variation in the inc...

by Eddy van Doorslaer | On 21 Feb 2011

Are Housing Prices Rising Too Fast in China?

Sharp increase in house prices combined with the extraordinary lending growth in Mainland China during 2009 has led to concerns of an emerging real estate bubble. We find that, for China as a whole...

by Ashvin Ahuja | On 19 Feb 2011

South Asian Integration Prospects and Lessons from East Asia

In the context of the low levels of regional cooperation among South Asian countries when compared with the successful results from cooperation in East Asia (consisting of South East and East Asian...

by Ramesh Chandra | On 18 Feb 2011

Punishing the Poor? A Look at Evidence and Action Regarding User Fees in Health Care

This policy brief aims to summarise evidence and discuss various concerns about charging user fees from a low-income perspective.

by ... CEHAT | On 16 Feb 2011

Evolving Regional Financial Architecture in East Asia

Ten years have passed since the Asian financial crisis that devastated not only the currency values and the financial systems of Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand, but also t...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 16 Feb 2011

Industrial and Competition Policy: Conflict or Complementarity?

Developing countries in Asia debate the following policy question: Should we allocate scarce resources to promote competition and thereby procure resulting efficiency gains, or would we do better to f...

by Douglas H. Brooks | On 15 Feb 2011

Who Pays for Health Care in Asia?

This paper describes the structure and the distribution of health care financing in 13 territories that account for 55% of the Asian population. Survey data on household payments are combined with Hea...

by Owen O’ Donnell | On 11 Feb 2011

Australia and China in the World

Australia’s engagement with, and serious study of, China is not a recent phenomenon. It has been a strong part of our heritage, as this lecture series amply demonstrates. But this does not mean that...

by Kevin Rudd | On 10 Feb 2011

Capitalizing on the Demographic Transition: Tackling Noncommunicable Diseases in South Asia

Increasing life expectancy in South Asia is resulting in a demographic transition that can, under the right circumstances, yield dividends through more favorable dependency ratios for a time. With ag...

by Michael Maurice Engelgau | On 10 Feb 2011

Key Principles Underlying the New Modes of Aid Governance in Asia

Based on the recent experience of several Asian developing countries and interviews in Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos with aid practitioners from donor institutions and Non Government Organizations (NGOs...

by Caroline Brassard | On 10 Feb 2011

Games the State Plays: A Follow-up Report on the Violations of Workers’ Rights in Commonwealth Games Related Construction Sites

The Commonwealth Games have been an eye opener in several ways. Behind the glitz of fancy stadiums, hotels, and apartments, lies the murky and sensitive death knell of a large majority of people whose...

by People's Union for Democratic Rights PUDR | On 10 Feb 2011

India and the Civil War in Sri Lanka:   On the Failures of   Regional Conflict Management in South Asia 

The  paper  provides  an  assessment  of  India’s  role  in  the  final  years  of  the  civil  war  in  Sri  Lanka  (2003‐2009).  In  particular,  it  looks  for  explanations  for  India’s  in...

by Sandra Destradi | On 10 Feb 2011

Book Review: Last Man First

The late LC Jain’s new book titled Civil Disobedience: Two Freedom Struggles, One Life (The Book Review Literary Trust, Delhi, 2011, Rs. 375) illustrates how corruption has become the norm and ‘India...

by Nandana Reddy | On 10 Feb 2011

Revitalizing the Planning Commission: Some Recommendations

This paper considers the key problems confronting the Pakistan Planning Commission; briefly examines the essentials of planning for a mixed economy; draws lessons from the experience of countrie...

by Khalid Ikram | On 09 Feb 2011

Valuing the Environment in Developing Countries: Modeling the Impact of Distrust in Public Authorities’ Ability to Deliver on the Citizens’ Willingness to Pay for Improved Environmental Quality

This paper employs the choice experiment method to estimate local  citizens’ valuation of a public intervention which proposes to improve the  quality of an important environmental resource, namel...

by Ekin Birol | On 09 Feb 2011

Proceedings and Resolutions of the Sixth Session of the First Parliament of Bhutan

The 6th Session of the First Parliament commenced on the auspicious 13th Day of 10th Month of Iron Male Tiger Year corresponding to November 19, 2010 with Zhugdrel Phuensum Tshogpai ceremony where His...

by Jigme Tshultim | On 08 Feb 2011

Resolutions of the Sixth Session of the First Parliament of Bhutan

The following bills were resolved to be passed with corrections: The Child Care and Protection Bill; Penal Code Amendment Bill; Anti Corruption Act 2010; and others

by Jigme Tshultim | On 08 Feb 2011

Address of President Zillur Rahman to the First Session of 2011 of the Ninth Jatiya Sangsad

The Presidential address to parliament at its first session of the year pays tribute to the heroes and martyrs of the nation, elaborates on Bangaldesh's achievement in industry, agriculture, education...

by Zillur Rahman | On 08 Feb 2011

Global South, Sephis e-magazine, Vollume 7:1, 2011

List of Contents Articles Arindam Samaddar, Prabir Kr. Das and Stephen R. Morin, 'Technology Adoption and its Constraints: The Cascading Effects in Two West Bengal Villages' Erick Tejada Sanchez, '...

by SEPHIS | On 07 Feb 2011

Asymmetric Shocks and Co-movement of Price Indices

This paper is an attempt to gauge the relationship between the long run paths of consumer price index and wholesale price index of Pakistan. For the empirical analysis the Johansen cointegration tec...

by Nasir Hamid Rao | On 07 Feb 2011

The Global Economic Crisis and Rebalancing Growth in East Asia

Since the beginning of the second quarter of 2009, Asia has staged an impressive recovery. The People’s Republic of China (PRC), Indonesia, Republic of Korea, and Singapore grew by an average annua...

by Yung Chul Park | On 07 Feb 2011

Approaches to Combat Hunger in Asia and the Pacific

This paper aims to trace the progress of efforts to reduce hunger in Asia and the Pacific, to identify reasons for their successes and failures, and to suggest policy initiatives to help make tangib...

by Shiladitya Chatterjee | On 04 Feb 2011

The Global Financial Crisis and Macroeconomic Policy Issues in Asia

The purpose of this policy brief is to draw lessons from the recent and ongoing macroeconomic policy experience of Asia’s economies. To do so, in each of three policy areas (monetary, fiscal, and e...

by Shinji Takagi | On 04 Feb 2011

Ageing, Socio-economic Disparities and Health Outcomes: Some Evidence from Rural India

Employing data from Census 2001and the NSS 52nd and 60th rounds, this study examines the following: (i) inter-state variations in the distribution of rural aged by three broad social groups and a host...

by Moneer Alam | On 02 Feb 2011

Conditionality and Endogenous Policy Formation in a Political Setting

The paper examines two issues associated with aid and fiscal policy. First, how best the conditionality behind foreign aid, sometimes non-economic, is complied within a principal-agent framework. In...

by S Mansoob Murshed | On 01 Feb 2011

Central-Bank Government Relationship in the Context of Emerging Economic Environment

This is a analysis of relationship between the Central Bank of Sir Lanka and the Sri lankan Government. It views the relationship in context of emerging economic environment and global economy.

by P. B. Jauasundera | On 30 Jan 2011

Report of the Sub-Committee of the Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India to Study Issues and Concerns in the MFI Sector

While this growth is impressive, a number of studies both in India and abroad have questioned whether growth alone is effective in addressing poverty and what the adverse consequences of a too rapid g...

by Reserve Bank of India | On 30 Jan 2011

Book Reviews: Common Origins, Divergent Paths

Philip Oldenburg. India, Pakistan, and Democracy: Solving the Puzzle of Divergent Paths. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2010. x + 273 pp. $145.00 (cloth), $39.95 (paper). [H-Net Review]

by Sumit Ganguly | On 30 Jan 2011

On the Economics of Regional Powers: Comparing China, India, Brazil, and South Africa

As the conception of and debates on regional powers have been led by political science, this paper aims to contribute to the discussion from an economics perspective. Based on the discussion of differ...

by Robert KAppel | On 28 Jan 2011

Shared Goals: Measuring Overall Development in Pakistan

Five possible indicators are suggested that illustrate the type of measurable targets that could help the United States and Pakistan meet shared goals for effective and transparent development. [CGD...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 17 Jan 2011

The French Nuclear Energy Experience: Lessons for India

This study seeks to derive lessons from the French nuclear energy experience that can be used to guide the Indian programme as it steps on the pedal to fast track nuclear expansion. [Occasional Paper...

by Manpreet Sethi | On 13 Jan 2011

The Financial Crisis in the Gulf and its Impact on South Asian Migrant Workers

The impact of the global crisis on the (Gulf Corporation Council) GCC economies is first analyzed in terms of the sectors of the economy affected, the changes in GDP growth and employment of expatr...

by S. Irudaya Rajan | On 08 Jan 2011

Responding to Violence Against Women: Role of Health Care Providers

Report of a training workshop for health care providers on responding to violence organised by the Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT), Mumbai.

by Yavnika Tanwar | On 28 Dec 2010

Globalization, Production and Poverty

The impact of globalization on poverty is a matter of keen debate but empirical work in this area has been dominated by cross-country regressions. This paper attempts to link the more macro impact...

by Rhys Jenkins | On 23 Dec 2010

Of-Meta Narratives and 'Master' Paradigms: Sexuality and Reification of Women in Early India

The paper analyzes the past and present condition of women in India.

by Uma Chakravarti | On 22 Dec 2010

From Invalidation and Segregation to Recognition and Integration: Contemporary State Responses to Disability in India

This paper traces the engagement of the Indian state with the issue of disability over the past three decades as a discourse of charity and welfare gives way to one of equality and human rights. Using...

by Renu Addlakha | On 22 Dec 2010

Women’s Status and Child Labour in Nepal

This paper uses data from the Nepal Living Standards Survey 2 (2003/2004) to find evidence to whether children are less likely to work and more likely to attend school in a household where the mothe...

by Milla Nyyssölä | On 20 Dec 2010

Asymmetric Federalism in India

The paper examines the asymmetric features in Indian federalism and evaluates its contribution. There are discussions on the special arrangements in the Indian constitution to accommodate special ca...

by M Govinda Rao | On 14 Dec 2010

The Future of Financial Liberalization in South Asia

The paper defines financial liberalization, distinguishing between liberalization of domestic financial markets and capital account convertibility. It then examines the stages and the strategy of Ind...

by Ashima Goyal | On 14 Dec 2010

The Asian Currency Crisis: Origins, Lessons and Future Outlook

This paper has three objectives. First, to explain what led to the crisis in the East and the South East Asia in the 1990s and how did this spread throughout the region; second, to analyse the lessons...

by Abdur R. Chowdhury | On 13 Dec 2010

Aid and Development Policy in the 1990s

The 1990s will be the first decade after the revolutionary upheavals in the world economic and political system following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Democracy ha...

by Arjun Sengupta | On 13 Dec 2010

Does Exporting Raise Productivity? Evidence from Korean Microdata

This paper explores a plausible channel through which exporting could have made both a substantial and a persistent contribution to export-oriented economic growth in Korea and by extension other East...

by Sanghoon Ahn | On 10 Dec 2010

More than Money: Impact Investing for Development

Much of development policy is geared toward increasing investment and creating the conditions that allow private capital flows to take the place of development assistance. The renowned development s...

by John Simon | On 10 Dec 2010

Technology and Indonesia’s Industrial Competitiveness

This paper will discuss the major factors, which affect Indonesia’s industrial competitiveness, specifically the determinants of its industrial technology development, which is crucial to raising Indo...

by Thee Kian Wie | On 09 Dec 2010

At Different Speeds: Policy Complementarities and the Recovery from the Asian Crisis

This paper begins with a short review and discussion of the literature on policy complementarities and their implications in terms of (sustainable) growth strategies and the possible emergence of a ne...

by Bruno Rocha | On 09 Dec 2010

Agribusiness in South Asia: A Fact Sheet

Agribusiness is the single largest sector of the economy in many developing countries and is growing fast. The present paper examines the situation of agribusiness in different countries of South Asia...

by Sukhpal Singh | On 09 Dec 2010

Decline in Birth rate in Kerala

The rapid decline in mortality rates, rendered possible by the spread of modern medicine and public health services, and the high and unchanging fertility rates are generally considered portents...

by P R Gopinathan Nair | On 07 Dec 2010

Asian Century: A Comparative Analysis of Growth in China, India and other Asian Economies

The paper argues that if the Chinese economy had failed, mainstream economics would have described this as completely predictable, given the extent and nature of involvement of the Chinese state in th...

by Kaushik Basu | On 06 Dec 2010

Free Trade Agreement between People’s Republic of China and India: Likely Impact and Its Implications to Asian Economic Community

Open regionalism and trade cooperation between the world’s two largest developing countries, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and India, can foster outward-oriented development and intra-regio...

by Swapan K. Bhattacharya | On 06 Dec 2010

Contemporary lessons in Economic Philosophy drawn from two recent Indian Films

The aim of this paper is to derive some important lessons in economic philosophy from two recent Indian films. The two films, Mani Ratnam’s Guru (2007) and Madhur Bhandarkar’s Corporate (2006), are...

by Tejas A Desai | On 29 Nov 2010

Thailand’s Commercial Banks’ Role in Financing Dams in Laos and the Case for Sustainable Banking

This paper puts forward the case for Thailand’s commercial banks to move towards more sustainable banking practices that proactively contribute towards socially and environmentally sustainable and j...

by Carl Middleton | On 25 Nov 2010

Determinants of Trade Misinvoicing

Traditional explanations for trade misinvoicing -- high custom duties and weak domestic economies — are less persuasive in a world of high growth emerging markets who have low trade barriers. A 35- ...

by Ila Patnaik | On 22 Nov 2010

Measurement and Explanation of Inequality in Health and Health Care in Low-Income Settings

This paper describes approaches to the measurement and explanation of income-related inequality and inequity in health care financing, health care utilization and health and considers the applicab...

by Eddy van Doorslaer | On 16 Nov 2010

China in Africa: A Macroeconomic Perspective

In recent years, China has dramatically expanded its financing and foreign direct investment to Africa. This expansion has served the political and economic interests of China while providing Africa...

by Benedicte Vibe Christensen | On 15 Nov 2010

Southern Engines of Global Growth: Very Long Cycles or Short Spurts?

This article views the four economies of the South in a long run historical perspective of 1500-2000. It contrasts the history and the initial endowments of the two Northern hemisphere economies C...

by Meghnad Desai | On 15 Nov 2010

Regional Heterogeneity and Fertility Behaviour in India

This paper examines regional heterogeneity both from statistical and cartographic perspectives, using factor analysis of non-demographic data, models of fertility determinants and district-wise mapp...

by Christophe Z. Guilmoto | On 11 Nov 2010

The Asian Development Bank Loan for Kerala (India): The Adverse Implications and Search for Alternatives

The privileging of internal resources over external finance is not only the most democratic but also the most politically desirable option. The implications of the ADB loan for Kerala is situated ag...

by K. Ravi Raman | On 09 Nov 2010

Monetary Policy Strategies in the Asia and Pacific Region: What Way Forward?

Monetary policy frameworks in the Asia and Pacific region have performed well in the past decade as judged by inflation outcomes. We argue that this is due to three principal factors: (i) central bank...

by Andrew Filardo | On 08 Nov 2010

Impacts of Current Global Economic Crisis on Asia’s Labor Market

The paper investigates the labor market and social impacts of the global financial and economic crisis in Asia and the Pacific as well as national policy responses to the crisis. It draws on recent ma...

by Phu Huynh | On 08 Nov 2010

Temptations of power

China is not only on the path to Great Power status, it also means to exercise its newfound muscle. What is difficult to understand is why it wants to behave like a rogue power when the world would wa...

by T.N. Ninan | On 05 Nov 2010

Age Structural Transition and Economic Growth: Evidence from South and Southeast Asia

Age structural transition is a process and a consequence of shifting age structure from a young aged population to old aged population. It is well known that economic growth in the East Asian countr...

by K. Navaneetham | On 04 Nov 2010

Korea’s Unemployment Insurance in the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis and Adjustments in the 2008 Global Financial Crisis

This paper analyzes the impacts of the 1998 and 2008 financial crises on the Korean labor market. They study the historical background of the Korean Employment Insurance System and the change of labor...

by Sung Teak Kim | On 04 Nov 2010

Prospects for Regional Cooperation between Latin America and the Caribbean Region and the Asia and Pacific Region: Perspective from East Asia

The Asia and Pacific region and Latin America and Caribbean region are two regions divided not only by vast geographic distance, but also by disparities in economics, politics, culture, and history. M...

by Erlinda M. Medalla | On 04 Nov 2010

Incarnating into Cross-Cultural Values: An Effective way to Deliver Experiences

The present paper examines the cultural orientation of foreign students who secured admission in Osmania University (Andhra Pradesh, India) in terms of time orientation and event orientation, dichot...

by S. V. Satyanarayana | On 03 Nov 2010

Incomplete Contracts, Incentives and Economic Power

This paper formalizes ideas from classical and radical political economy on task allocation and technology adoption under capitalism. A few previous studies have attempted this, but the framework an...

by Sripad Motiram | On 03 Nov 2010

Rebalancing Growth in the Republic of Korea

The current account surplus of the Republic of Korea (henceforth Korea) increased significantly in the immediate recovery period after the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis. Since then the surplus has...

by Joonkyung Ha | On 03 Nov 2010

Financing Asia’s Infrastructure: Modes of Development and Integration of Asian Financial Markets

Asia faces very large infrastructure funding demands, estimated at around US$750 billion per year for energy, transport, telecommunications, water, and sanitation during 2010–2020 (ADB/ADBI 2009). Asi...

by Biswa Nath Bhattacharyay | On 03 Nov 2010

The Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization: Origin, Development and Outlook

This paper discusses the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM); its origin, development and future outlook. It puts forward a number of proposals to make the liquidity support role of the C...

by Chalongphob Sussangkarn | On 02 Nov 2010

The Internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises in Regional and Global Value Chains

Production networks and the regional division of labor have been established in East Asia resulting in massive vertical intra-industry trade in parts and components within the region. This phenomenon...

by Hank Lim | On 02 Nov 2010

The Challenges Posed by Globalization for Economic Liberalization inTwo Asian Transitional Countries: Laos and Vietnam

This paper examines the impact of globalization on two transitional economies in Asia. Both countries have undergone a radical economic reform process over the past decade, assisted by increases in...

by Nick. J Freeman | On 01 Nov 2010

Socioeconomic Impacts of Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure Development in South Asia

Although the overall economic performance of economies in South Asia in recent years has been impressive, there is concern that an aging and increasingly inadequate infrastructure may limit the potent...

by John Gilbert | On 01 Nov 2010

Impact of Remittances on Poverty in Developing Countries

Remittances are increasingly becoming an important source of external financing for the developing countries. For some of the developing countries, it forms almost 40-50% of their GDP. Though there is...

by Rashmi Banga | On 29 Oct 2010

New Agriculture Technology, Skill Formation, Food Security and Poverty Reduction in Rural Asia: A Comparison of Three Projects from India, China and Bangladesh

The present paper compares the strategies, capacity building processes and outcomes/impacts of three projects during the period 2005-10. The project area covered by the study are located as follows: ...

by Neela Mukherjee | On 29 Oct 2010

Asian Trade and Global Linkages

In the run-up to the 2008 global financial crisis, there was frequent discussion of Asia having decoupled from economic shock transmission originating in Europe or North America. Much of the basis f...

by Douglas H. Brooks | On 29 Oct 2010

ASEAN Open Skies and the Implications for Airport Development Strategy in Malaysia

“Open Skies,” in general, refers to the liberalization of aviation markets that can be pursued on a bilateral, regional, or multilateral basis. At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)...

by Siew Yean Tham | On 29 Oct 2010

Regional Cooperation, Infrastructure, and Trade Costs in Asia

International trade has played an essential role in Asia’s remarkable growth, development, and integration in recent decades. Infrastructure, both hard and soft, has played an integral part in facil...

by Douglas H. Brooks | On 28 Oct 2010

Asia’s Infrastructure Challenges: Issues of Institutional Capacity

The Asian region has experienced substantial growth over the past several decades. Indeed, a quarter of all world exports now come from East Asia. Strong infrastructure underpinnings have often been...

by Susan Stone | On 28 Oct 2010

Linking Asia’s Trade, Logistics, and Infrastructure

Infrastructure services, from both hard and soft infrastructure, play a vital role in facilitating Asia’s export-led growth by keeping the prices of delivered goods in export markets competitive. Ef...

by Douglas H. Brooks | On 28 Oct 2010

Global Determinants of Stress and Risk in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Infrastructure

This study analyzes the determinants of stress in public-private partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure investment. While project failures seldom occur, there are many stresses that hinder success. O...

by Renato E. Reside, Jr. | On 27 Oct 2010

Reform of the International Financial Architecture: An Asian Perspective

It has taken two crises—the Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998 and the global financial crisis of 2007-2009—for the international community to seriously focus on the reform of the international finan...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 23 Oct 2010

Political Economy of East Asian Regional Integration and Cooperation

In the last decade, East Asia has engaged in constructing numerous mechanisms to enhance regional cooperation in the areas of trade and finance. However, the region’s economic architecture exhibits ce...

by Saori N. Katada | On 21 Oct 2010

Fiscal Developments and Outlook in India

The paper identifies those elements in the configuration of fiscal parameters confronting the country that give cause for concern, and examines whether the fiscal reform measures taken address these...

by Indira Rajaraman | On 20 Oct 2010

Accelerating Economic Growth and Reducing Poverty: The Road Ahead

It outlines the broad framework and the strategy for poverty reduction based on four pillars: (a) accelerating economic growth while maintaining the macroeconomic stability; (b) improving the govern...

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, | On 19 Oct 2010

Tapioca Production and Utilization in India: (An Analysis of Past Trends and Projections for 2000)

Tapioca in grown in India for a number of years and its origin is traced back to either Brazil from where it was introduced by Portuguese during the 17th Century or brought from South America in 1840....

by P.S. George | On 18 Oct 2010

Foreign Bond Markets and Financial Market Development: International Perspectives

The domestic bond markets of the Asia and Pacific region have grown considerably since the Asian financial crisis of 1997, although they remain undeveloped relative to the region’s weight in the w...

by Jonathan A. Batten | On 18 Oct 2010

China, India, Brazil and South Africa in the World Economy: Engines of Growth?

This paper attempts to analyse the economic implications of the rise of China, India, Brazil and South Africa, for developing countries situated in the wider context of the world economy. It exami...

by Deepak Nayyar | On 15 Oct 2010

Imperatives of Regional Economic Integration in Asia in the Context of Developmental Asymmetries: Some Policy Suggestions

Regional economic integration agreements are considered to be important policy mechanisms to address regional developmental asymmetries. The Asian reality is characterized by developmental asymmetri...

by Ram Upendra Das | On 15 Oct 2010

Impacts of the Global Financial Crisis on Small and Medium Enterprises in the People’s Republic of China

This paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the impacts of the global financial crisis on the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It also provides relevant policy...

by Xiangfeng Liu | On 15 Oct 2010

Developing Asian Local Currency Bond Markets: Why and How?

This paper examines the motivation for, and the success of, regional efforts in Asia to promote local currency bond markets. The analysis demonstrates that Asian local currency bond markets made sub...

by Mark M. Spiegel | On 14 Oct 2010

Supply Chain Dynamics in Asia

Supply chain management in Asia is a relatively new topic but is a key challenge for all Asia based manufacturers and traders trying to integrate into the “global market.” The purpose of this paper...

by Ruth Banomyong | On 14 Oct 2010

Financial Crisis, Trade Finance, and SMEs: Case of Central Asia

This paper surveys studies of the importance of Central Asian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the economy and their experience during the Russian financial crisis. It also uses survey dat...

by Gloria O. Pasadilla | On 13 Oct 2010

The Role of State Intervention in the Financial Sector: Crisis Prevention, Containment, and Resolution

This paper discusses the role of state intervention for prevention, containment, and resolution of financial crises based mainly on the Korean experience during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Crises...

by Yoon Je Cho | On 12 Oct 2010

Applying the Lessons of Asia: The IMF’s Crisis Management Strategy in 2008

The paper examines the recent European crisis management programs of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to see how the lessons of Asia were applied. Compared to the Asian programs of 1997, the Euro...

by Shinji Takagi | On 11 Oct 2010

Trade and Investment Policies and Regional Economic Integration in East Asia

The global economic crisis has affected the East Asian economies via trade and investment. The export-led model which had been responsible for the “East Asian Miracle” now must redirect the basis of g...

by Siow Yue Chia | On 08 Oct 2010

Asian Property Markets: No Significant Bubbles-Yet!

After house price bubbles burst in many OECD countries, investors are keeping a very watchful eye for price developments on asset markets that signal a bubble.

by Steffen Dyck | On 08 Oct 2010

Special and Differential Treatment in Agricultural Negotiations

Over the past four decades or so, the issues that have dominated WTO/GATT negotiations have generally fallen in the prototype of either a transatlantic conflict or a North-South divide. The latter has...

by Anwarul Hoda | On 07 Oct 2010

Impact of Global Recession on Sustainable Development and Poverty Linkages

The global financial crisis and the resulting economic slowdown may be assumed to have at least the benefit of also reducing environmental degradation in the individual countries. This paper discu...

by Venkatachalam Anbumozhi | On 07 Oct 2010

Constructions of Community in Communication Research: A Study of Radio Broadcasting in India

The paper attempts to capture the construction of 'community' in Indian communication research. This paper attempts to trace the genealogy, interrogates its usage in Indian communication studies and s...

by Biswajit Das | On 05 Oct 2010

Beyond Short-Term Thinking: How to Spend Billions Well in Pakistan, for Them and for Us

This essay draws on the work of the Center for Global Development’s Study Group on U.S. Development Strategy in Pakistan and on the ideas in the group’s open letters to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 05 Oct 2010

Nutrition in India: Facts and Interpretations

The Indian economy has recently grown at historically unprecedented rates and is now one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Real GDP per head grew at 3.95 percent a year from 1980 to 2...

by Angus Deaton | On 05 Oct 2010

Fiscal Policy Coordination in Asia: East Asian Infrastructure Investment Fund

East Asian countries were seriously affected by the 2008 global crisis through a steep fall in exports. This experience exposed the vulnerability of the East Asian growth model and emphasized the impo...

by Mahani Zainal Abidin | On 05 Oct 2010

Appropriate Economic Space for Transnational Infrastructural Projects: Gateways, Multimodal Corridors, and Special Economic Zones

This study addresses three questions that arise in Asia when formulating, financing, implementing, and maintaining transnational linkages versus purely domestic connections. [ADBI Working Paper 237]

by Peter J. Rimmer | On 04 Oct 2010

In the Name of National Pride:Blatant Violation of Workers'Rights at CWG Construction sites

On 14 December 2008, a worker died in an accident at the same site. What followed was unprecedented: workers at the site struck work and demanded that his body be released and shown to, them. They als...

by People's Union for Democratic Rights PUDR | On 01 Oct 2010

Trends in National and Regional Investors Financing Crossborder Infrastructure Projects in Asia

This study examines a range of crossborder infrastructure development issues related to the Asian countries. Despite active pursuit of private investment in infrastructure by most developing count...

by Prabir De | On 01 Oct 2010

Resettlement in Action

This report studies the ongoing resettlement for the middle route of the South-North Water Transfer Project at Danjiangkou in Hubei Province, China. The Water Transfer Project is China’s biggest wat...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 30 Sep 2010

Asian Tigers’ Choices: An Overview

This paper considers the choices facing the Asian tiger economies regarding growth strategies that foster trans-Pacific rebalancing. A review of historical data spanning 2000 to 2008 reveals only...

by Hwee Kwan Chow | On 30 Sep 2010

Macro-prudential Approach to Regulation - Scope and Issues

It is being acknowledged that a macro prudential perspective is critical in designing and pursuing micro prudential regulation of institutions and markets. Two distinct but highly inter-related constr...

by Shyamala Gopinath | On 28 Sep 2010

Promoting Learning and Industrial Upgrading in ASEAN Countries

This paper traces the effects of the “East Asian Miracle,” the 1997–1998 Asian Crisis, the recovery, and the 2008–2009 global financial crisis on ASEAN countries. It also considers how ASEAN countries...

by Willem Thorbecke | On 28 Sep 2010

Impact of Remittances on Poverty in Developing Countries

This study undertakes impact analysis of remittances on poverty in developing countries at two levels. Firstly, it estimates the impact of remittances on poverty in 77 developing countries; Secondly,...

by Rashmi Banga | On 17 Sep 2010

Women and Indian Nationalism

The political role of women as a subject for research is of recent origin in India. It is significant that there are so few studies of women's role in the nationalist movement or of the implications-...

by Leela Kasturi | On 17 Sep 2010

Marxian Economics Today

Marx himself certainly thought that political economy was a subject of most urgent importance for a "theoretician of the revolutionary proletariat". Marx took over the orthodox theory of his day accor...

by Joan Robinson | On 16 Sep 2010

An Ethnography of Associational Life: Caste and Politics in India

In 1956 Susanne Rudolph and I arrived in India for the first of many research years there. We were among the second batch of Ford Foundation Foreign Area Training Fellows. As area scholars we were com...

by Lloyd I. Rudolf | On 15 Sep 2010

Women, Participation and Development: A Case Study from West Bengal

The importance of Women's Organisations for bringing women within reach of the development process is a recognised policy for women's development in India. However, nature and functional role of suc...

by Narayan K. Banerjee | On 14 Sep 2010

Seasonality and Wage-responsiveness in Nonclearing Labour Markets: Evidence from Indian Agriculture

Labour income is often a major source of income not only for landless rural households but also for the 'small' farmers in Asian agriculture. Fluctuations in labour income can be quite marked, owing t...

by Sunil Kanwar | On 10 Sep 2010

European Union Foreign Policy And the Challenges of Globalisation

The European Union is a profoundly political project and one which has attempted to achieve important political goals through economic means. Initially through the establishment of a coal and steel ...

by Christopher F. Patten | On 07 Sep 2010

History Institutions and Economic Performance: The Legacy of Colonial Land Tenure Systems in India

This paper analyze the colonial institutions set up by the British to collect land revenue in India, and show that differences in historical property rights institutions lead to sustained differences...

by Abhijit Banerjee | On 03 Sep 2010

Women as Policy Makers: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment

This paper uses political reservations for women in India to study the impact of women’s leadership on policy decisions. In 1998, one third of all leadership positions of Village Councils in West Be...

by Esther Duflo | On 25 Aug 2010

Indian Software Industry: Distortions and Consolidations of Gains

The Indian software industry is at the bottom of knowledge hierarchy, where the bottom is highly segmented. The political process that successfully thwarted the automation of Indian manufacturing sect...

by Pradosh Nath | On 20 Aug 2010

Industrial Upgrading and Export Diversification: A Comparative Analysis of Economic Policies in Turkey and Malaysia

This paper considers the prospects of manufactured exports of Turkey and Malaysia given the rising standards of global competition. While Malaysia has the advantage of having an export-oriented MNC-le...

by Bilge Erten | On 20 Aug 2010

Book Review: Promoting Economic Cooperation in South Asia

Review of 'Promoting Economic Cooperation in South Asia'; S. Ahmed, S. Kalegama and E. Ghani (Editors). Published by Sage Publications, New Delhi, 2010

by Sandhya S . Iyer | On 17 Aug 2010

Do Labor Intensive Industries Generate Employment? Evidence from firm level survey in India

This study attempts to address the issue of declining labour intensity in India’s organized manufacturing in order to understand the constraints on employment generation in the labour intensive sect...

by Deb Kusum Das | On 13 Aug 2010

A Framework for Monitoring and Evaluation of Climate Change Adaptation Interventions

Climate change has become one of the most important global issues of our time, with far- reaching natural, socio- economic, and political impacts. In order to equip the community to deal with the...

by Vidhi . | On 12 Aug 2010

Poverty Target Programs for The Elderly In India: With Special Reference to National Old Age Pension Scheme, 1995

This paper looks into various aspects of the old age pension debate and related policies in India. In the analysis that follows, we address issues such as: the identity of the drivers of change; t...

by Anand Kumar | On 11 Aug 2010

Informal Trade in the SAARC region

This paper explores issues relating to informal trade in the SAARC region. It spells out the reasons underpinning illegal trade in the South Asian region. Further it focuses on the estimated size an...

by Nisha Taneja | On 10 Aug 2010

Chinese Mercantilism: Currency Wars and How the East was Lost

The world changed on July 2, 1997 when Thailand floated the baht. Explanations abound on the origins of the crisis - indeed it is a growth industry. This study is part of that explosion. It has seve...

by Surjit S. Bhalla | On 10 Aug 2010

Youth Labour Markets in Europe and Central Asia

This paper looks at developments in and around the transition of young people from education to work in the ECA region in recent years. The purpose of the paper is to aid understanding of the curren...

by Niall O’Higgins | On 05 Aug 2010

FDI and Human Capital Development

This paper explains importance of human capital skilling, the relation between the FDI and Human Capital development besides the experiences of these two in different regions of the world i.e., Asian...

by P. Srinivas Subbarao | On 04 Aug 2010

Asia and the IMF

This lecture series begins with a discussion of the reforms that have undertaken in the IMF since the mid-1990s, and particularly since the start of the Asian economic crisis. It concludes with a disc...

by Stanley Fischer | On 04 Aug 2010

An Examination of the Relationship between Health and Economic Growth

This paper attempts to examine the relationship between health and economic growth. The rate of growth is measured using gross national income (GNI) and health status is measured using infant mortalit...

by Garima Malik | On 04 Aug 2010

Asian Economic Integration ASEAN+3+1 or ASEAN+1s?

In this paper an attempt is made to evaluate the most efficient approach to regional economic integration in Asia. Given that ASEAN is an existing regional bloc in Asia, alternative approaches to the...

by Amita Batra | On 04 Aug 2010

Exchange Rate Arrangements For East Asia Post-Crisis: Examining The Case For Open Economy Inflation Targeting

The infeasibility of a monetary union for East Asia in the near future, as well as the limitations of other forms of super fixes, appears to leave a flexible regime as the only viable policy option....

by Tony Cavoli | On 30 Jul 2010

European Views on Asia and Europe-Asian Relations

This paper examines in its first part, the views of leading European academics, politicians, lobbyists and opinion-makers on the issue of relations with Asia. The second part of this paper looks at...

by Venil Ramiah | On 29 Jul 2010

The Japanese Economy and Economic Policy in Light of the East Asian Financial Crisis

The depth and breadth of the East Asian financial crisis has added a sense of acute urgency for some concrete and credible measures by policy-makers to revitalise the Japanese economy. While steps...

by Ramkishen Rajan | On 23 Jul 2010

Regional Economic Integration and FDI in South Asia : Prospects and Problems

The slow progress and modest achievements of regional integration in South Asia have generated a huge amount of skepticism about its role as an effective strategy of growth. The present study, howev...

by Aradhna Aggarwal | On 22 Jul 2010

Regional Responses To The Southeast Asian Economic Crisis: A Case Of Self-Help Or No Help?

The currency crises of the 1990s, particularly the one that hit Southeast Asia since the devaluation of the Thai baht on July 2, 1997, are suggestive of the relevance and pervasiveness of contagion...

by Chang Li Lin | On 21 Jul 2010

Implications Of The Economic Rise Of The PRC For Asean and India: Trade and Foreign Direct Investment

An important and vigorous policy debate ongoing in Asia concerns the impact of the economic rise of the PRC on the rest of the region. This paper examines the relative performances of the PRC, selec...

by Sadhana Srivastava | On 20 Jul 2010

Examining The Case For Reserve Pooling In East Asia: Empirical Analysis

Two features of East Asia’s recovery from the financial turmoil of 1997- 98 appear to be rather paradoxical. First, the regional economies (except Hong Kong, China and Malaysia) have allowed a relat...

by Ramkishen S. Rajan | On 20 Jul 2010

Who Participates in Higher Education in India? Rethinking the Role of Affirmative Action

This paper explores how socio-economic, especially socio-religious affiliations, and demographic characteristics of individuals influence participation in higher education (HE). It argues that ap...

by Rakesh Basant | On 16 Jul 2010

Institutions for Asian Connectivity

To make Asia more economically sustainable and resilient against external shocks, regional economies need to be rebalanced toward regional demand- and trade-driven growth through increased regional co...

by Biswa N Bhattacharyay | On 09 Jul 2010

Who benefits from public spending on health care in Asia?

In this paper the benefit incidence of public health care subsidies in eleven Asian territories, including India, Indonesia and two provinces of China is examined. The use of concentration indices and...

by Owen O’Donnell | On 01 Jul 2010

The Benefits of Regional Infrastructure Investment in Asia: A Quantitative Exploration

Capitalizing on recent estimates of infrastructure financing requirements in Asia, this paper frames a scenario for infrastructure development in the region and estimates the external effects of infra...

by Fan Zhai | On 30 Jun 2010

How Would an Appreciation of the Yuan Affect the People's Republic of China's Surplus in Processing Trade?

Enormous trade surpluses are problematic for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the rest of the world. They primarily stem from processing trade. This paper investigates how exchange rate ch...

by Willem Thorbecke | On 30 Jun 2010

The Structure of Tariffs and Long-Term Growth

We show that the ‘skill-bias’ of a country’s tariff structure is positively correlated with long-term per capita GDP growth. Testing for causal mechanisms, we find evidence consistent with the exist...

by Nathan Nunn | On 28 Jun 2010

Assessing Well-being Using Hierarchical Needs

Determining whether well-being has improved is an important multidisciplinary task. It is important therefore to develop a multidimensional measure of well-being that reflects a wide spectrum of h...

by Matthew Clarke | On 28 Jun 2010

India-Japan Investment Relations:Trends & Prospects

Though Japan had been one of the top five investors in India for long, its share in India’s total FDI inflows has been dwindling since 2000. Other countries have surpassed Japan in terms of the...

by Geethanjali Nataraj | On 25 Jun 2010

Communication and Power: The State of Research

Given the increasingly confusing proliferation of models for communication research, documentation of some of the differences that exists have been done. There are a number of ways to divide the terr...

by Biswajit Das | On 22 Jun 2010

How Long Can The G20 old Itself Together?A Power Analysis

Since its emergence before the Cancun Ministerial in September 2003, the Group of 20 developing countries (which includes South Africa, India, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Pakistan) has become an im...

by Prabhash Ranjan | On 21 Jun 2010

NAMA Tariff Negotiations: What Are South Asia's Best Options?

This paper looks at the possible impact of ongoing tariff negotiations on South Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, at an aggregate level or at the Multilateral T...

by Prabhash Ranjan | On 21 Jun 2010

Quality and Coordination of Official Development Aid in Pakistan

Pakistan has historically received large volumes of aid but it has also faced an increasingly difficult task of aid coordination. In 2007, Pakistan received more than U.S.$2.2 billion in Official Deve...

by Abdul Malik | On 18 Jun 2010

Municipal Finance of Urban Infrastructure: Knowns and Unknowns

Various trends, including an increasing emphasis on fiscal decentralization; political democratization in many areas; globalization and the financial liberalization that often accompanies it; growing...

by James Alm | On 18 Jun 2010

The Currency and Financial Crisis in Southeast Asia: A Case of 'Sudden Death' or Death Foretold'?

Almost all existing studies on the causes, consequences and policy implications of the economic and financial crisis faced by East Asia have provided only a cursory discussion of broad data at best,...

by Ramkishen Rajan | On 18 Jun 2010

The Exchange Rate Regime in Asia: From Crisis to Crisis

Prior to the Asian financial crisis, most Asian exchange rates were de facto pegged to the US Dollar. In the crisis, many economies experienced a brief period of extreme flexibility. A `fear of float...

by Ila Patnaik | On 18 Jun 2010

Analyzing Corruption Possibilities in the Gaze of the Media

In this paper analyze the economic incentives that govern the strategic relationship between the government and the independent media has been analysed using a consistent analytical framework.The an...

by Samarth Vaidya | On 17 Jun 2010

Theun-Hinboun: Expanding Failure

The Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project – a dam and diversion project under construction in Central Laos – violates the Equator Principles and Lao law, according to this report. It documents how Lao villa...

by Ikuko Matsumoto | On 17 Jun 2010

Understanding Vietnam: A Look Beyond Facts and Figures

Vietnam's (re) discovery in recent years by the international investor community gives the country a second chance to become and Asia tiger. The article looks into the economic, social, political, per...

by Tamara Trinh | On 16 Jun 2010

Not Just Mad Englishmen and a Dog: The Colonial Tuning of 'Music on Record', 1900-1908

The paper excavates how the advent of commercial audiography, through 'Recording Expeditions' between 1902 and 1907, shaped configurations of the nascent business in, and culture around, 'music on rec...

by Vibodh Parthasarathi | On 16 Jun 2010

Street Vendors: Exploitation by the State

Street vendors are those millions of people who come to cities as economic refugees hoping to provide basic necessities for their families.They are the main distribution channels for a large variety...

by Shailly Arora | On 15 Jun 2010

Instability at the Gate: India’s Troubled Northeast and its External Connections

This paper intends first to give a brief overview of the rise and growth of some of those separatist groups, with a special focus on the Nagas, the Mizos and the Assam movement. An analysis of the de...

by Renaud Egreteau | On 10 Jun 2010

Exchange Rate Regimes and Macroeconomic Performance in South Asia

Stylized facts for South Asia show the dominance of supply shocks, amplified by macroeconomic policies and procyclical current accounts. Interest and exchange rate volatility rose initially on libera...

by Ashima Goyal | On 09 Jun 2010

Social Capital and State-Civil Society Relations in Singapore

This paper shows that the realization of Singapore’s vision of “active citizenship” and “state-society partnership”, to a significant extent, depends on how social capital is being created and renew...

by Tan Tay Keong | On 09 Jun 2010

The Current Trade Framework and Gender Linkages in Developing Economies: An Introductory Survey of Issues with Special Reference to India

This background paper discusses the conceptual and empirical linkages between trade liberalization and gender equality in the context of development; and the impact of the WTO and PTA/FTAs on gender....

by Ranja Sengupta | On 07 Jun 2010

Constitutional Fiats: Presidential Legislation in India’s Parliamentary Democracy

his article (the first in a two-part series) evaluates the nature and scope of executive controls over primary legislation in India and Pakistan. A Parliament, in a representative democracy, is the pr...

by Shubhankar Dam | On 05 Jun 2010

Institutionalizing Shared Sovereignty: South Tyrol as a Model for India’s North East?

South Tyrol in Italy has been showcased as a model of shared sovereignty with the potential of being ‘exported’ to other parts of the world. The model essentially consists in (a) a realization that th...

by Samir Kumar Das | On 05 Jun 2010

Affordability to Finance Poverty Reduction Programmes

This paper addresses the question of affordability to finance poverty reduction programs in a dynamic context. In doing so, it stresses the need for approaching the problem from a human rights perspec...

by Omar Haider Chowdhury | On 04 Jun 2010

Cultures of Transport: Representation, Practice and Technology

It is argue that the so-called cultural‘ (and spatial‘) turn that has remodelled so many other areas of the humanities and social sciences over the last two decades might help answer Armstrong‘s plea...

by Colin Divall | On 21 May 2010

The Size of Informal Economy in Pakistan

This paper estimates the size of informal economy in Pakistan by using monetary approach with some modifications, electricity consumption approach and MIMIC model. Under monetary approach, we take car...

by Muhammad Farooq Arby | On 20 May 2010

Which Asia?

Is Asia a cohesive analytical unit in any practical sense?

by T.N. Ninan | On 17 May 2010

Book Review: Of Space and 'Spatialities'

Review of Spatialising Politics: Culture and Geography in Postcolonial Sri Lanka. Catherine Brun and Tariq Jazeel (Editors). Sage Publications, New Delhi; 2009, 260 pp, Rs. 695.

by Anandi Dantas | On 04 May 2010

Improving Newborn Survival in Low-Income Countries: Community-Based Approaches and Lessons from South Asia

Obstacles to improving survival include: many newborn infants are invisible to health services; care-seeking for maternal and newborn ailments is limited; health workers are often not skilled and co...

by Nirmala Nair | On 03 May 2010

The Flight from Defence to Civilian Space: Evolution of the Sectoral System of Innovation of India’s Aerospace Industry

India is one among the few developing countries that have sought to establish an aerospace industry. The industry has two components, namely aeronautical and astronautic. The sectoral system of inn...

by Sunil Mani | On 30 Apr 2010

Rural Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Development

Empowerment of women has emerged as an important issue in recent times. The economic empowerment of women is being regarded these days as a Sine-quo-non of progress for a country; hence, the issue of...

by Sathiabama K | On 19 Apr 2010

Indian Fisheries-A Historical Alternative

This paper aims at touching on the main divisions of fisheries management, with an insight into the state mechanism and the extra legal systems in place. The principal focus is the history of Indian m...

by Rohan Dominic Mathews | On 16 Apr 2010

Education Impact Study: The Global Recession and the Capacity of Colleges and Universities to Serve Vulnerable Populations in Asia

This paper reviews the capacity of colleges and universities to serve poor and vulnerable populations during past and present economic shocks. The main argument is that the environment of the global r...

by Gerard Postiglione | On 12 Apr 2010

The Impact of the Commonwealth Games 2010 on Urban Development of Delhi -An Analysis with a Historical Perspective from Worldwide Experiences and the 1982 Asian Games

The paper raises some hard questions that need to be answered before one can conclude that events such as Common Wealth Games has a positive effect on the host community. Can the financial requirement...

by Vinayak Uppal | On 23 Mar 2010

State Business Relations and Performance of Manufacturing Sector in Andhra Pradesh

In this paper, an attempt is made to enquire into the politics of the government and business relation and how it affects the industrial development in general and expansion of manufacturing sector...

by Alivelu G | On 02 Mar 2010

Nuclear Deterrence in Second Tier Nuclear Weapon States: A Case Study of India

The study examines the manner in which India is engaged in constructing a credible and stable deterrence relationship with two of its nuclear armed adversaries, Pakistan and China with an arsenal mu...

by Manpreet Sethi | On 16 Feb 2010

Factor Employment, Sources and Sustainability of Output Growth: Analysis of Indian Manufacturing

The manufacturing sector in India is crucial for two main reasons: It has significant potential to provide modern employment to a growing labour force, especially that of less skilled type and second...

by Arvind Virmani | On 09 Feb 2010

Strategic Behaviour of Chinese Political Elites

A conceptual framework is constructed to study the strategic behaviour of Chinese political elites. Various rules of political elite's behaviour are examined and suggests directions for empirical stud...

by Chien Chiao | On 08 Feb 2010

Asia Confronts the Impossible Trinity

Capital account openness and exchange rate flexibility in 11 Asian countries are examined. Asia has made slow progress on de jure capital account openness, but has made much more progress on de facto...

by Ila Patnaik | On 04 Feb 2010

Towards A Competitive Economy: VAT and Customs Duty Reform

In this paper the issue of indirect tax reform, with a special focus on customs duty reform is examined. [WP]

by Arvind Virmani | On 28 Jan 2010

Social Business: A Step Toward Creating a New Economic and Social Order

The concept of social business flows from a firm conviction that profit or benefit is not the only motivating factor for an entrepreneur and an entrepreneur can also be motivated by social goals and e...

by Mohammad Yunus | On 27 Jan 2010

Microfinance and the Millennium Development Goals in Pakistan: Impact Assessment Using Propensity Score Matching

Using data from a survey of clients of a microfinance bank, Khushhali Bank, in 2005, the study revisited the survey data and found that despite the Bank’s strict poverty-targeting program used in cl...

by Sununtar Setboonsarng | On 25 Jan 2010

Water Democracy: Reclaiming Public Water in Asia

This collection of 19 new essays written by civil society activists, trade unionists and other water practitioners, presents examples of ongoing struggles against water privatization and commercia...

by Focus on the Global South FGS | On 22 Jan 2010

Identity Formation, Nationhood and Women An Overview of Issues

The essay is begun with a reference to a television programme on one of the Hindi news channels - titled Burqe me Atankvad which was telecast sometime in mid-2005. The complex and turmoil-ridden and ...

by Vasanthi Raman | On 21 Jan 2010

Japan’s Foreign Direct Investment Experiences in India: Lessons Learnt from Firm Level Surveys

The paper first gives a brief history and comparison of Japanese foreign direct investment into India and other Asian countries, highlighting the fact that Japanese investment into India is quite lo...

by Srabani Roy Choudhury | On 19 Jan 2010

India as a Global Power?

India is a stable democratic political system with rising economic fortunes and global ambitions make it a potential power that could play a very important role in world affairs. But India has to tack...

by Teresita C Schaffer | On 15 Jan 2010

Social Security Nets for Marine Fisheries

This paper attempts to explain the provision of social security in the fisheries sector of Kerala State in south India. It enumerates the salient achievements and the problems faced by the state in pr...

by John Kurien | On 14 Jan 2010

Working with Existing Systems: Lessons from INHP

Engaging and strengthening the ICDS and Health programs of the government was a major approach of the two component projects under the RACHNA program, INHP-II and Chayan. Of the two, the INHP interve...

by CARE India | On 24 Dec 2009

Contract Farming in Thailand: A View from the Farm

The study presents an initial assessment of the situation and to raise the main issues in terms of farmers’ and workers’ rights. It is part of a long term process involving farmer movements, trade un...

by Isabelle Delforge | On 15 Dec 2009

Rethinking Food Security Policies: IDSAsr Declaration

Declaration made at the end of two days national seminar on Food security and Sustainability in India held on November 7-8, 2009 organized by GAD Institute of Development Studies, PO Naushera, Amritsa...

by Gursharan Singh Kainth | On 14 Dec 2009

Poverty Dynamics in Rural Sindh, Pakistan

This paper focuses on poverty dynamics and their determinants, using panel survey data for rural Sindh, Pakistan. Households interviewed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) d...

by Hari Ram Lohano | On 10 Dec 2009

Democratic Citizenship: From Proportionality to a Continuum Approach to Political Participation

This paper is an attempt to explore the meaning and significance of political participation within (a) the conceptual framework of democratic citizenship and (b) debates surrounding representative d...

by Anupama Roy | On 10 Dec 2009

Flying with the Crane-Recapturing KMVS’s Ten-Year Journey

This document is at the behest of KMVS and is an effort to hold up a mirror to their journey. It is a documentation of their history, context, evolution, and experiences since its emergence in 1989. A...

by Vimala Ramachandran | On 01 Dec 2009

Himalyan Glaciers

A detailed historical review of the research to date spanning more than 50 years, and includes a perspective on the impact of climate change on the glaciers. The Ministry invites comments on the Paper...

by V K Raina | On 30 Nov 2009

Muslim Women’s Rights Discourse in the Pre independece Period

The present paper deals with the discourse of the rights of Muslim women in the pre- independence period with particular reference to the Shariat Act 1937 and the Muslim Marriage Dissolution Act 193...

by Sabiha Hussain | On 20 Nov 2009

Combining Data, Enhancing Explanation

In this paper the author analyzes the pros and cons of combining data from different sources to revisit some explanatory problems. The problems discussed have risen from a theoretical and analytic g...

by Sarah Irwin | On 18 Nov 2009

From Income to Urban Contest in Global Settings: Chronic Poverty in Bangalore

The paper is a research which studies the government policies and agendas that affect the poor in India. For the research 8 to 10 families, who had been intervened several years ago were re-interviewe...

by Solomon Benjamin | On 16 Nov 2009

Can Public Private Partnership reduce Maternal Mortality? Assessing Efforts Made by the ‘Chiranjeevi’ Scheme in Gujarat

The Chiranjeevi Yojna is considered to be a successful PPP model and has also received a prestigious Asian Innovations Award by the Wall Street Journal. It is a flagship scheme of the Gujarat state mi...

by Akash Acharya | On 13 Nov 2009

Track Record of Financial Institutions in Assisting the Poor in Asia

A variety of institutional forms of microfinance are being introduced in Asia including by the ADB-and financial institutions pursue different objectives, so it is difficult to assess how well micro...

by Richard L Meyer | On 13 Nov 2009

Cost and Time Overruns in Infrastructure Projects: Extent, Causes and Remedies

Various issues related to delays and cost overruns in publically funded infrastructure projects are investigated. The study is based on, by far, the largest data-set of 850 projects across seventeen i...

by Ram Singh | On 11 Nov 2009

Gendering Human Development Indices: Recasting the Gender Development Index and Gender Empowerment Measure of India

Gender-related Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) developed by UNDP need to be recast to realistically capture the gender gaps in development and empowerment in the Third Wo...

by Government of India Ministry of Women and Child Development | On 10 Nov 2009

The Chinese Aid System

Questions about Chinese aid—how large it is and how fast it is growing; how decisions are made on how much aid is provided each year; which countries receive it and how much they get; how the aid is m...

by Carol Lancaster | On 10 Nov 2009

A Profession on the Margins: Status Issues in Indian Nursing

This joint paper attempts an unusual collaborative approach that offers an understanding of the problems that registered nurses of India have faced. Through this paper, the problem of ‘social status’...

by Sreelekha Nair | On 10 Nov 2009

Political Sociology of Poverty In India: Between Politics of Poverty and Poverty of Politics

This paper on political sociology of poverty in India is based upon the assumption that a) the caste system and economic inequality complement each other in the case of the poorer sections of Indian...

by Anand Kumar | On 10 Nov 2009

New Steps to Faster and Broader Debt Relief for Developing Countries

This paper mainly describes he concepts of FTAP and explains the current political state of affairs in the international discussions. [FES]

by Jürgen Kaiser | On 09 Nov 2009

Philosophy and Practice of Financial Sector Regulation – Space for Unorthodoxy

Evolution of the financial sector regulation in India, particularly focusing on the elements of the policy framework which have contributed to the broader stability in the financial sector is depicted...

by Shyamala Gopinath | On 05 Nov 2009

Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2009 -10

The repo rate has been kept unchanged at 4.75%. The reverse repo rate left steady at 3.25%. The bank rate has been retained unchanged at 6.0%. The cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks has been...

by D Subbarao | On 27 Oct 2009

Drug Regulation and Incentives for Innovation: The Case of ASEAN

The focus of this paper is to examine the ways in which regulatory framework affect the pharmaeutical innovations in developing countries using member countries of the Association of South-east Asian...

by Sauwakon Ratanawijitrasin | On 16 Oct 2009

Coping with Rising Food Prices: Policy Dilemmas in the Developing World

Rising food prices cause considerable policy dilemmas for developing country governments. Letting domestic prices adjust to reflect the full change in international prices generates inflationary pres...

by Nora Lustig | On 09 Oct 2009

Kerala Fights Clock in ASEAN Free-Trade Deal

The paper discusses the impacts of free-trade policy on the agricultural exports of Kerala.

by Ranjit Devraj | On 08 Oct 2009

Concept Paper on Child Labour in India

This concept papers aims at demystifying some of these social, economic and political myths, and stimulate discussion, debate and deliberation on various aspects of child labour. This paper, further...

by Child Rights and You CRY | On 07 Oct 2009

Emerging Asia's Middle Class-A Force to be Reckoned With

The emergence of a large and dynamic middle class raises Asia’s profile as an attractive market destination for products ranging from consumer goods to financial services. There are even hopes that th...

by Steffen Dyck | On 06 Oct 2009

Situational Analysis of Reporting and Recording of Maternal Deaths in Gandhinagar District, Gujarat State

A situational analysis of recording and reporting maternal deaths in Gandhinagar district, Gujarat, India and to suggest improvements in the system for reporting and recording maternal deaths based o...

by Tapasvi I Puwar | On 23 Sep 2009

Chronic Poverty and Development Policy in Sri Lanka: Overview Study

The present study attempts to capture chronic poverty in Sri Lanka by examining general information on poverty and drawing conclusions on those who are likely to be among the chronic poor. Certain p...

by Indra Tudawe | On 17 Sep 2009

The Afghan Economy After the Election

There were many challenges involved in the conduct of the elections. For example, the people had to cast votes among 16 presidential candidates (2 candidates withdrew two days before the elections) i...

by Manabu Fujimura | On 17 Sep 2009

Child Protection A Handbook for Panchayat Members

This handbook on child protection will help Panchayat Raj members to understand the actions they can take to protect children resulting in better convergence of programmes and increased allocation of...

by Government of India Ministry of Women and Child Development | On 16 Sep 2009

Food Security in South Asia: Issues and Opportunities

The study aims to identify issues relating to food security, the policy initiatives taken to tackle these issues, evaluate these policies and suggest measures to overcome identified constraints in ord...

by Surabhi Mittal | On 11 Sep 2009

What Is the Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Banking System in East Asia?

This paper assesses the condition and outlook of the financial sectors—in particular, the banking sector—in the East Asia region in the aftermath of the current global financial crisis. The risks in t...

by Michael Pomerleano | On 07 Sep 2009

Definitional and Statistical Issues Relating to Workers in Informal Employment

This paper based on Indian and international documents assesses existing definition, criteria and methodologies for estimating employment and income generated in the informal economy in India. [NCEUS...

by Sheila Bhalla | On 02 Sep 2009

Rough Guide to Impact Evaluation of Environmental and Development Programs

This paper is a “rough guide” for evaluation of programs, projects and policies in the environment and development arena. First, a general overview of the what, how, and why of program evaluation, wit...

by Subhrendu K Pattanayak | On 19 Aug 2009

Swine Flu Casts its Spell across the Globe

The swine flu has come to India also. What measures have been taken by the government to fight against the pandemic?

by Rajeev Mavani | On 12 Aug 2009

Rispana Valley Historical Area

There are various historical water conservation structures and water-mills in the Rispana valley near Rajpur. There are some of the more important structures and discusses the possibility of preservin...

by William Stichter | On 12 Aug 2009

Restoring the Asian Silk Route: Toward an Integrated Asia

Lack of full regional connectivity is one of the major constraints hindering regional growth and integration in Asia, as well as with the rest of the world. One of the conclusions of this paper is tha...

by Biswa N Bhattacharyay | On 11 Aug 2009

Technical Change, International Competitiveness, and Role of the State: Indian Machine Tool Industry's Experience

The production of machine tools has long been associated with industrialisation besides a formidable factor of technical change and international competitiveness. This potent role of machine tool in...

by Vinish Kathuria | On 06 Aug 2009

South-South FDI vs North-South FDI: A Comparative Analysis in the Context of India

This paper attempts to compare the characteristics of South-South FDI versus North-South FDI in the context of India. The analysis is carried at two levels. First t the overall trends of FDI flows (bo...

by Subhasis Bera | On 28 Jul 2009

Unravelling Khulna Jessore Drainage Project

An analysis of the Asian Development Bank-funded Khulna Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project by the Bangladeshi NGO Uttaran.

by Shahidul Islam | On 24 Jul 2009

Book Review: Handicraft History in India

Politics of Patronage and Protest: The State, Society, and Artisans in Early Modern Rajasthan by Nandita Prasad Sahai, Oxford University Press, 2006; 304 pp, $35.00 (cloth), ISBN978-0-19-567896...

by Tirthankar Roy | On 23 Jul 2009

Global Financial Architecture: Past and Present Arguments, Advice, Action

In the context of the formation of G-20, the paper points out the absence of reform in the global financial architecture (GFA) after the East Asian crisis, and assesses factors that can improve the ch...

by Ashima Goyal | On 15 Jul 2009

Preliminary Note on Financial Crisis and Trade and Investment Treaties

North-South free trade agreements (FTAs), bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments often contain a number of provisions that can increase the likelihood of a...

by Third World Network | On 28 Jun 2009

Sources of FDI Flows to Developing Asia: The Roles of Distance and Time Zones

This paper investigates sources and determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to developing Asia using bilateral FDI flows for the period 1990-2005. With regard to the determinants of FDI...

by Rabin Hattari | On 27 Jun 2009

Disentangling the Global Financial Crisis: A Review of the Global Response

At this moment, the world is undergoing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of 1930s. It is not clear exactly which factors instigated the crisis, but there are many candidates; the f...

by H. N. Thenuwara | On 15 Jun 2009

Development Challenges in Extremist Affected Areas

Widespread discontent among the people has plagued the Indian polity for sometime now. It has often led to unrest, sometimes of a violent nature. Over the years, statutory enactments and institutional...

by Expert Group Planning Commission | On 06 Jun 2009

Archiving the Nation –State in Feminist Praxis: A South Asian Perspective

This essay mainly examines the relationship between feminism and nationalism as a point from which it looks at South Asian feminist scholarship. The historical circumstances in their respective countr...

by Uma Chakravarti | On 03 Jun 2009

China- India Economic Engagement Building Mutual Confidence

China and India, Asia's two largest and most dynamic societies, have come to be important players in regional and global decision-making. Both countries have had their share of experience in colonial...

by Swaran Singh | On 03 Jun 2009

Liberalization with Endogenous Institutions: A Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Reform in Africa, Asia and Europe

Thirty years ago, a vast share of the poor and the middle income countries were heavily state-controlled. The effects of the liberalizations in the 1980s and 1990s differed strongly between regions in...

by Johan F.M. Swinnen | On 02 Jun 2009

ALBA Venezuela’s answer to “free trade”: the Bolivarian alternative for the Americas

The paper provides a detailed scan of the position of each of the major ALBA countries in turn, plus Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. While Argentina and Brazil are beginning to get involved in ALBA acti...

by David Harris | On 31 May 2009

Mass Media and Public Policy: Global Evidence from Agricultural Policies

Mass media plays a crucial role in information distribution and thus in the political market and public policy making. Theory predicts that information provided by mass media reflects the media’s ince...

by Alessandro Olper | On 29 May 2009

Aids In India

This paper revolves around the Public health related aspects of industrial and intellectual property rights policies in a developing country with respect to Aids in India. It also focusses on its prev...

by Samira Guennif | On 22 May 2009

Determination of Inflation in an Open Economy Phillips Curve Framework: The Case of Developed and Developing Asian Countries

This paper investigates the determination of inflation in the framework of an open economy forward-looking as well as conventional backward-looking Phillips curve for eight Asian countries- Japan, Ho...

by Pami Dua | On 22 May 2009

Regional Monetary Units for East Asia: Lessons from Europe

This paper reports the European experience with a basket currency, the ECU. The ECU was initially introduced as a reference unit and later became the anchor of the European Monetary System. Public pol...

by Girardin Eric | On 22 May 2009

Straddling Faultlines : India's Foreign Policy Toward The Great Middle East

India’s foreign policy has had an anomalous quality since the time Jawaharlal Nehru resolutely attempted to steer clear of Cold War alliances. This continues to be so given India’s unique situation of...

by Sushil J Aaron | On 21 May 2009

PRC-Latin America Economic Cooperation: Going beyond Resource and Manufacturing Complementarity

Despite the rapid development of economic interaction between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, their trade and investment ties are still in their...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 20 May 2009

Himalayan Journal of Development and Democracy Vol 3:1, 2008

Papers and Proceedings of The Third Annual Himalayan Policy Research ConferenceSession Chairs and Discussants Session 1A: Conflict Resolution and Democratic Transitions Chair: Christopher Can...

by Vijaya R. Sharma | On 19 May 2009

Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008: Addresing Triple Threats to Development

In 2008, three global crises converged to threaten development in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing to the fore particularly testing challenges for policymakers – a Great Recession in developed coun...

by Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific ESCAP | On 16 May 2009

Book Review: Indian Neo-realist Cinema

Review of John W. Hood. Beyond the World of Apu: The Films of Satyajit Ray. New Delhi Orient Longman, 2008. xi + 476 pp. $36.95 (paper),

by Sakti Sengupta | On 15 May 2009

The Asian “Noodle Bowl”:Is It Serious for Business?

A lively debate is taking place over the impact of free trade agreements (FTAs) on East Asia's business between those who view the agreements as a harmful Asian "noodle bowl"—i.e., overlapping regiona...

by Masahiro Kawai | On 13 May 2009

People's Health Manifesto-2009

In this article hard realities of people’s health in India today, and some of the maladies of recent health policies are examined. This is followed by core recommendations to strengthen and reorient...

by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan JSS | On 08 May 2009

Environmental Toxicology: The Legacy of Silent Spring

The authors draws the reader’s attention to the twin toxic hazards that is radiation and chemicals linger , the author effectively fused the pre-existent pollution concerns of urban and industrial ref...

by D. A Christie | On 06 May 2009

Gender and Innovation in South Asia

To understand how gender, women’s rights and citizenship intersect with innovation in SouthAsia, one must begin by considering some of the main features of life for South Asian women, about a half of...

by Sujata Byravan | On 06 May 2009

Reporting The Olympic Year

This paper discusses if the Olymipic Games presented a change- not change along the lines of South Koreas leap towards democracy after the Seol Olympics, but some small shift- and how the nature of it...

by Jane Macartney | On 05 May 2009

Globalisation Produces Good Outcomes, Enhance Them: Prof Bhagwati

This paper talks of good outcomes of Globalisation which needs to be further inproved wherein Institutional response mechanisms should be designed to address any problems that may arise in specific ar...

by Jagdish Bhagwati | On 03 May 2009

Agricultural Impact of Climate Change: A General Equilibrium Analysis with Special Reference to Southeast Asia

Capitalizing on the most recent worldwide estimates of the impacts of climate change on agriculture production, this paper assesses the economic effects of climate change for Southeast Asian countries...

by Fan Zhai | On 01 May 2009

Controlling Money and Politics – An Exercise in Damage Control

In many countries political financial regulations have been introduced.

by Marcin Walecki | On 28 Apr 2009

Listen Up Economists, Why Might History Matter for Development Policy?

History matters, and it matters in important and interesting ways for policy  today. But it is not just actual events in the past. It is how they are recorded, interpreted,  and the interpretation...

by Ravi Kanbur | On 22 Apr 2009

Motivating Politicians: The Impacts of Monetary Incentives on Quality and Performance

Using exogenous variation in the salaries of local legislators across Brazil’s municipal governments this paper examines whether higher wages attract better quality politicians and improve political p...

by Claudio Ferraz | On 16 Apr 2009

India – 1947-79 Six Parliaments and Democratic Rights

Communal riots have become an annual feature of Indian life, although their number varies from year to year. A situation has come to pacs where maddening communal violence, arbitrary actions of exe...

by People's Union for Democratic Rights PUDR | On 16 Apr 2009

FEER, April 2009

FEER, April 2009 Table of Contents

by FEER | On 06 Apr 2009

Asia Enters an Era of Strife

The author argues that deep-seated religious conflicts will mar the region's prospects unless nations truly embrace secularism.

by Michael Wesley | On 06 Apr 2009

EC Controversy: What are the Issues? EC Controversy: What Are the Issues

A comprehensive and logically rigorous analysis of the issues raised by the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner N.Gopalaswami for the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, the...

by Ramaswamy R. Iyer | On 03 Apr 2009

The State of the World's Children 2009

The State of the World’s Children 2009 focuses on maternal and neonatal health and identifies the interventions and actions that must be scaled up to save lives.

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 13 Feb 2009

Science Commons: Towards Free and Open Knowledge Systems

The free/open source software movement is an economic, social and political movement that has triggered a new recognition of the importance of open knowledge systems, especially in developing countrie...

by Shambhu Ghatak | On 06 Feb 2009

Mullaitivu Vs Gaza: The Tokyo Co-Chairs fail on the responsibility to protect

The Mullaitivu district where the Sri Lankan Army have started cluster-boming today i.e. 4 February 2009 would look exactly what Gaza strip was about a few weeks ago. The Hamas whom Israel sought to c...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 06 Feb 2009

Fiscal Federalism, State Lobbying and Discretionary Finance in India

The paper attempts to construct political influence variables and explain discrepancies in fund disbursement through proper econometric specification in the Indian context.

by Rongili Biswas | On 21 Jan 2009

States Reorganisation: Contemporary Concerns

Language alone can no longer be the basis for division of states. Issues such as size, governance, economic viability and recognition of new identities are equally important to consider the demands f...

by Asha Sarangi | On 14 Jan 2009

Exploring the Relationship Between Military Spending and Human Rights Performance in South Asia

The relationship between military spending and human rights is one of the most prominent issues in political economy. Yet, the linkage between the two is empirically underdeveloped. Seeking to fulfi...

by Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati | On 08 Jan 2009

Homelessness is not just a Housing Problem

Political will, imaginative and collaborative solutions from across the spectrum of health and social care providers are needed to address the needs of homeless individuals.

by Plos medicine Editors | On 06 Jan 2009

Development of What? An Exposition of the Politics of Development Economics

The present paper aims at driving home a hitherto-neglected and perhaps often muted (but important) point, namely, that the confusions and identity crisis that had gripped development economics in th...

by Arup Maharatna | On 31 Dec 2008

Mountains of Concrete: Dam Building in the Himalayas

The report discusses for the first time the linkages between climate change and dam-building in the Himalayas, and comprehensively analyzes the impacts of the dam building spree on the region's people...

by Shripad Dharmadhikary | On 26 Dec 2008

Reducing Currency and Maturity Mismatch

The main objectives of this report are to identify and propose policies, factors and conditions that could mitigate or avoid double mismatches. policies here means any course of action pursued and ad...

by Khee-Giap Tan | On 19 Dec 2008

Inda's Pharmaceutical Industry on Course for Globalisation

The pharmaceutical industry is expanding worldwide. For some years now, it has been benefiting from the particular dynamics of the Asian economies as both purchasers and producers. It is not only the...

by Uwe Perlitz | On 12 Dec 2008

Negotiating Constitution for Political Unions

This paper provides a cradle-to-grave model for political union between two unequally endowed states. The main contribution of this paper is to highlight the role of technology gap and unequal distrib...

by Vikas Kumar | On 10 Dec 2008

Costs of Resource Degradation Externalities: A Study of Groundwater Depletion in Andhra Pradesh

This paper looks in to the process of environmental degradation and the resultant externalities in the context of groundwater depletion in drought prone regions. The main objective here is to estima...

by V. Ratna Reddy | On 08 Dec 2008

The Impact of Terrorism and Conflicts on Growth in Asia, 1970–2004

This paper quantifies the impact of terrorism and conflicts on income per capita growth in Asia for 1970–2004. Transnational terrorist attacks had a significant growth-limiting effect. An additional t...

by Khusrav Gaibulloev | On 05 Dec 2008

Global and Regional Shocks: Challenges to Asian

Two major economic problems are currently shadowing Asian economies. On the one hand, the slowdown in the US economy, ignited by the subprime mortgage crisis, may not be confined to the US region...

by Kwanho Shin | On 05 Dec 2008

Controlling Money and Politics – An Exercise in Damage Control

Whether there should be transparency in political finance? Whether there should be a control over the money that the political parties are receiving?

by Marcin Walecki | On 04 Dec 2008

Traveling Agents: Political Change and Bureaucratic Turnover in India

Politicians face high-powered electoral pressures while bureaucrats face longer-term, low powered incentives. Given constitutional constraints, what incentives do politicians employ to control bureauc...

by Lakshmi Iyer | On 02 Dec 2008

The Role of Fiscal and Monetary Policies in Sustaining Growth with Stability in India

This paper focuses on the role of fiscal and monetary policies in the evolution of the Indian economy over the years, with particular attention being given to the reforms undertaken in these policies...

by Rakesh Mohan | On 28 Nov 2008

The Demand for Disadvantage

In a poor, growing economy with academic costs well below the market value of educational training, the tag of disadvantage has come to acquire value and, ironically, the desire for mobility has brou...

by Rohini Somanathan | On 18 Nov 2008

World Development Report 2007 Development and the Next Generation

The Report examines five pivotal phases of life that can help unleash the development of young people’s potential with the right government policies: learning, working, staying healthy, forming famili...

by World Bank | On 11 Nov 2008

FEER, November 2008: Contents

Can Asia Consume A Way Out of Crisis? Hugo Restall, editor of the REVIEW, looks at the prospects of Asian governments' efforts to jump start domestic demand through Keynesian stimulus packages. F...

by FEER | On 10 Nov 2008

A Chance to Build on Taiwan's Progress

Taiwan is an incredible success story and it is time that the US, and the new President elect Barak Obama, take a lead in renewing relations with the country.

by Paul Wolfowitz | On 10 Nov 2008

Poverty, Private Property and Common Pool Resource Management: The Case of Irrigation Tanks in South India

This study tries to understand the main causes of tank degradation and the complex interrelationships among poverty, private coping mechanisms and community coping mechanisms that affect tank performa...

by Balasubramanian R | On 17 Oct 2008

Global Financial Turmoil and India’s Look East Policy

The ongoing global financial turmoil represents an end of an era of exuberant financial capitalism. But the transition to a more sedate and scaled down financial sector will be traumatic for the world...

by Mukul Asher | On 15 Oct 2008

The State of Human Rights in Bangladesh

The system of justice in Bangladesh is derived from the common law system. The judiciary tends to be conservative in its application of international law. While in many cases the judiciary has cited i...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 07 Oct 2008

The Action Plan on Climate Change, G8 Declaration and the Accra Climate Change Meet: Points to Ponder

India, the largest economy of South Asia, has recently announced its National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). This is of special significance given the mounting pressure on fast growing economi...

by Centre for Trade and Development CENTAD | On 22 Sep 2008

Estimating the Probability of Trade Union Membership in India: Impact of Communist Parties, Personal Attributes and Industrial Characteristics

The paper analyses the impact of the reach of communist parties, the degree of political activism, personal attributes of workers, and industrial characteristics on the individual decision to unionise...

by Rupayan Pal | On 22 Sep 2008

Pakistan Budget in Brief 2008

Budget in Brief is designed to summarize the detailed information into an overview comprising essential information about expenditure and receipt and the resulting budget balance.

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, | On 22 Sep 2008

Industrial Tariffs and South Asia: Interpreting for Development

This paper suggests a new tariff reduction formula using the declaration adopted at the Honk Kong ministerial conference.

by Prabash Ranjan | On 08 Sep 2008

A Pakistani Perspective on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation

This paper studies the status of nuclear weapons programs of Pakistan and its perspective on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. [FES Paper 9]

by A. H. NAYYAR | On 03 Sep 2008

JP’s Quest

JP called upon the youth to fight against undemocratic methods. He wanted them to be in the forefront to agitate for the removal of ills that parties had injected into the country’s body politic. Mora...

by Kuldip Nayar | On 01 Sep 2008

Tax Challenges Facing Developing Countries

Most developing countries continue to face serious problems in developing adequate and responsive tax systems. This paper reviews the three principal ways in which developing countries may expand and...

by Richard M. Bird | On 25 Aug 2008

No Gross National Happiness for Bhutanese Refugees

One sixth of the population of Bhutan is displaced in Nepal and India. The prolonged exile of Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal and India is a major human rights deficit in the South Asian region, a...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 12 Aug 2008

Proportion of Births Attended by a Skilled Health Worker 2008 Updates

In our analysis, attempts have been made to quantify the proportion of births attended by health workers other than doctors, nurses and midwives in order to show the proportion of births conducted by...

by World Health Organisation WHO | On 08 Aug 2008

Who is Worried about the National Interest?

Given the strategic long run character of the nuclear deal, the decision on it should nor be hurried. Nor is it one that can be taken without seeking wider public consensus than is available to the...

by Arun Kumar | On 21 Jul 2008

Are Fair Trade Labels Effective Against Child Labor?

In this paper, a model of North-South trade is developed to analyze the impact of a label certifying the absence of child labour in the export production of the South. [WP no 144].

by Jean Marie Baland | On 19 Jul 2008

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan - Annual Report Highlights

For a better part of the year 2007 the state of Pakistan was only half alive. That naturally reduced its capacity, never rated high, to guarantee the people's human rights. Thus, from the point of vi...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 18 Jul 2008

The Future Role of the IMF: Asian Perspectives

The financial crisis of 1997 gave the Asian region a very hard lesson on the importance of financial stability. The severity of the crisis and the failure of IMF in assisting these countries became a...

by Titik Anas | On 17 Jul 2008

Drug Development for Maternal Health Cannot Be Left to the Whims of the Market

The development of drugs for maternal health cannot be constrained by market-driven needs. What is needed is a political will.

by PLoS Medicine | On 16 Jul 2008

Poverty Eradication and Human Rights

This paper examines the proposition that "poverty is a violation of human rights". The author disuses the possibility of this proposition to be implementable in real case senarios and in polcies,

by Arjun Sengupta | On 26 Jun 2008

At a Glance -- Peace Process in Nepal

King Gyanendra of Nepal took over as a king after the royal massacre incidence in 2007. But soon after taking the power people of Nepal were fed up of his authoritarian tendencies and the continuous u...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 24 Jun 2008

Book Review: Tales of the Displaced in India’s North-East

Review of: Internal Displacement in South Asia: The Relevance of the UN’s Guiding Principles Edited by Paula Banerjee, Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Samir Kumar Das, Sage Publicatons, New Delhi;...

by Ratna Bharali Talukdar | On 22 Jun 2008

FEER, June 2008

Table of Contents Agriculture: More Pain Ahead for China’s Food Prices Huang Jikun, Qiu Huanguan and Scott Rozelle, agricultural economists, show that expensive oil is driving China’s high food pric...

by FEER | On 18 Jun 2008

Earthquake Rocks China's Civil Society

The earthquake has certainly revealed that NGOs can play a positive role, but the question of “deviation” is of greater concern to the ruling party and where the challenge will lie for these young org...

by Amy Gadsden | On 18 Jun 2008

Food Failures and Futures

The paper is an analysis of food aid, rising food prices and its implications.

by Laurrie Garrett | On 31 May 2008

Children’s Perception of Sarkar: A Critique of Civics Textbooks

Where do we locate the value of political education in our country, which has largely been imparted under the category of civics? Since textbooks are on possible site for finding answers, this study...

by Alex M. George | On 29 May 2008

Gujjar protest and Reservation Politics

Successive governmental commissions have held that Gujjars do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes. The Gujjar protest has ramifications beyond the States where they live. If th...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 28 May 2008

Asserting The Rights of The Toiling Peasantry For Water Use: Movement of the Dam Oustees and the Drought Affected Toilers In South Maharashtra

This paper describes in some detail, an important, innovative movement in recent years, of the dam-oustees and the drought affected people in south Maharashtra, to assert their right to influence the...

by Anant Phadke | On 21 May 2008

Environmental Toxicology: The Legacy of 'Silent Spring'

The transcript of a Witness Seminar held by the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL, London on March 12, 2002. Edited by D A Christie and E M Tansey. Rachel Carson’s 'Silent Spr...

by Wellcome Witness WW Seminars | On 15 May 2008

Towards a Less Imperfect State of the World: The Gulf Between North and South

Many developing countries assert a claim to the privilege of managing world order on a shared basis but exhibit a strong reluctance to accept the responsibility flowing from such privilege, for exampl...

by Ramesh Thakur | On 14 May 2008

In the Balance: Press Freedom in South Asia 2007-2008

The challenges for journalists and the media community in South Asia encompass a range of factors that indicate the level of press freedom in any country: Physical attacks, threats and questionable le...

by Sukumar Muralidharan | On 04 May 2008

Liberation, May 2008

New Mineral Policy 2008 Quota Verdict CPI(M) Coimbatore Congress SPECIAL FEATURE Democracy in S Asia: Nepal Mandate Post-Poll Pakistan Bhutan Polls and Other features.

by Liberation | On 24 Apr 2008

Report on SAHR Fact Finding Mission to the North and East of Sri Lanka to Assess the State of Displaced Persons

This report on the state of displaced persons in the North and East of Sri Lanka analyses the security condition and concerns of those who live in makeshifts and camps in conflict affected areas. It p...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 11 Apr 2008

India, Democracy and the Press

The impressive growth of the Indian media is largely taking place outside of the voting classes, ensuring that the media are not playing a significant public service role. Ultimately, the author sugge...

by James Mutti | On 11 Apr 2008

Divided Destinies, Unequal Lives: Economic, cultural and Social rights and the Indian State

On 10th July, 1979, India - by ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) - became a State party to this treaty body. Reporting guidelines of the Covenant re...

by Peoples Collective PCESCR | On 10 Apr 2008

Markets, politics and freedom in the work of Hannah Arendt

Like the alchemist's philosopher's stone of old, though, the heavy artillery of game theory is being wheeled out in more and more sophisticated models, in the hope of converting the lead of individual...

by Kevin Quinn | On 17 Mar 2008

Debating with the Ideology of Globalisation

In this paper the authors share their experience in attempting to critically engage a set of young persons on their understanding of the present regime of globalisation through a semester-long course...

by Rahul Varman | On 13 Mar 2008

Union Budget 2008-09: A Bag of Tricks to Get the Vote

The budget is an election budget. There are lots of sectors which needs more attention. Many questions are raised at the end of the document which the government may fail to answer

by Arun Kumar | On 04 Mar 2008

Islam at the Ballot Box

So far, no Islamist party has managed to win a majority of the popular vote in any of the Muslim countries where reasonably clean elections are held. If anything, the Islamist share of the vote has be...

by Amir Taheri | On 24 Feb 2008

Pakistan’s Historic Opportunity for Change

Opinion polls show less than 20 per cent of Pakistanis now approve of President Musharraf, who has been described as an indispensable ally in the war against terrorism by some members of the Bush admi...

by Husain Haqqani | On 24 Feb 2008

Livelihood Risks and Coping Strategies: A Case Study in the Agrarian Village Of Cherumad, Kerala

The various dimensions of livelihood risk as informed by a in-depth case study of an agrarian village namely, Cherumad in Kerala is examined. [WP no. 394].

by K.N. Nair | On 06 Feb 2008

Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The work of the IPCC has helped the world to learn more on all aspects of climate change, and the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has acknowledged this fact. [Speech delivered in Oslo]

by Pachauri R K | On 04 Feb 2008

Transport: Then, now, and Tomorrow

A historical survey of transport to demonstrate that transport has always been recognised as of paramount importance for the wellbeing of the whole community, that a combination of collective and indi...

by Ralph Harrington | On 01 Feb 2008

Remembering Suharto

Suharto's image abroad will mostly be as a Cold Warrior and unwanted tyrant, but most Indonesians see him through a more complicated filter. His death may now mark the beginning of a journey to a grea...

by Jeremy Wagstaff | On 30 Jan 2008

Judging Suharto

Will history treat Suharto kindly? Certainly many of his countrymen today do not. But the pendulum of condemnation has swung too far, and Suharto’s death last week should be the impetus for a reapprai...

by Hugo Restall | On 30 Jan 2008

Toward an Economic Sociology of Chronic Poverty: Enhancing the Rigor and Relevance of Social Theory

This paper focuses on both expanding and refining the analytical scope of the “social” (or non-economic) aspects of chronic poverty, and thereby, to enhance efforts to respond more effectively to it....

by Michael Woolcock | On 25 Jan 2008

Who Can Rule?

As the title of the article says, the question asked here is who can fight terrorisn in Pakistan?

by T.N. Ninan | On 21 Jan 2008

Book Review: Public Memory and Cultural Politics in Sri Lanka

Militarizing Sri Lanka: Popular Culture, Memory and Narrative in the Armed Conflict by Neloufer de Mel; Sage, New Delhi, 2007; pp. 329, Rs. 475.

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 14 Jan 2008

FEER, The December 2007 Issue

Essays: Pulling the Strings of China’s Internet By David Bandurski Bling! Bang! Boom! China’s Stocks Zoom By Jonathan Anderson Is Wal-Mart Good for Asia? By Greg Rushford Retaining the Loyalty of X...

by FEER | On 10 Jan 2008

Transgenics in Indian Agriculture: Experiences so far and implications of KIA proposals on Indian Farmers

KIA proposes to bring a paradigm shift in Indian Agriculture in terms of human resource development, research, technology generation, technology dissemination and commercialization. In the short run,...

by Ramanjaneyulu G V | On 05 Jan 2008

Optimal Patent Length in a North-South Framework

Under certain conditions it is optimal for the noninnovating south to give patent protection for a longer time period than the innovating north. A cooperative patent agreement involves a larger protec...

by Swapnendu Banerjee | On 03 Jan 2008

Adaptation for India's cities

The impact of climate changes will become key economic and political questions in South Asia. Indian cities will be affected the most by these. Policies will have to be adopted in such a way that the...

by Aromar Revi | On 27 Dec 2007

Girls, Educational Equity and Mother Tongue-based Teaching

One of the principal mechanisms through which inequality is reproduced is language, specifically the language used as the medium of instruction. The learner’s mother tongue holds the key to making sc...

by Carol Benson | On 21 Dec 2007

Child Marriage: Social and Economic Linkages and Opportunities for Intervention

The presentation shows the consequences of child marriage, how to prevent child marriage. [Power Point Presentation].

by Geeta Rao Gupta | On 19 Dec 2007

Decentralisation as a Policy Process in India

This article argues that decentralisation in India should be seen as a policy process. It is a policy process in the sense that multiple actors, and agencies influence the decentralisation process at...

by V. Anil Kumar | On 12 Dec 2007

HDI in Context

The United Nations Development Programme has just put out its latest Human Development Report, containing the human development index (HDI) for 177 countries, with the data being for 2005. India ranks...

by T.N. Ninan | On 03 Dec 2007

The Growing Importance of Emerging Economies in the Globalised World and its Implications for the International Financial Architecture

The growing importance of India and other emerging economies in the globalized world are given in this lecture. This group of economies is not easy to define. However, some reflections on the implicat...

by Jean-Claude Trichet | On 30 Nov 2007

Trade Possibilities and Non-Tariff Barriers to Indo-Pak Trade

There is a large untapped trade potential between the two countries. Using the potential trade approach, the study finds that the export potential from India to Pakistan is to the tune of US$ 9.5 bill...

by Nisha Taneja | On 29 Nov 2007

Pakistan’s Last Bid for Democracy

This Essay examines the factors retarding democracy in Pakistan and asserts that now, more than ever, the country’s political forces must work together to fight common foes.

by Colum Murphy | On 27 Nov 2007

FEER: The November 2007 Issue

Asia’s Bill of Health: A REVIEW Focus On Health Care Pakistan’s Last Bid for Democracy By Colum Murphy Pakistan: Defusing Pakistan’s Tribal Rebellion By Shaukat Qadir Taiwan: The Father of Tai...

by FEER | On 27 Nov 2007

Decentralisation and Issues in Self Governance in Tribal Areas of South Gujarat

To examine the functioning of Gram Sabha and participation of tribal communities therein to asses the status of self governance under the “Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) A...

by Ratnawali Sinha | On 14 Nov 2007

Fasten Your Seatbelts! Monetary Policy Challenges in Turbulent Times

One of the burning issues at the moment relates to increasing the “voice” or representation of emerging-market economies in international financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank. There a...

by Mboweni T.T. | On 13 Nov 2007

Book Review: Managing Natural Resources: Civil Society Initiatives

Review of Community-based Natural Resource Management Issues and Cases from South Asia by Ajith Menon, Praveen Singh, Esha Shah, Sharachchandra Lele, Suhas Paranjape, K.J. Joy Sage Publications, New D...

by Santhakumar V | On 05 Nov 2007

Enhancing Rural Livelihoods

The Overseas Development Institute in the UK recently carried out a study on ICT for rural livelihoods, commissioned by InfoDev. The study included a literature and donor review in collaboration with...

by Paul Matthews | On 26 Oct 2007

‘A People United In Development’: Developmentalism In Modern Malayalee Identity

The attempt is to draw upon public sphere debates in Malayalee society in the immediate post-independence decades, more specifically on speech and writing accruing around the distinctiveness of Malaya...

by J Devika | On 23 Oct 2007

Non Deliverable Foreign Exchange Forward Market: An Overview

Recognising the growing activity in the non deliverable forward (NDF) market in the recent years, the paper attempts to present a detailed analysis of the NDF market with special focus on Indian rupee...

by Sangita Misra | On 22 Oct 2007

Recent Financial Market Developments and Implications for Monetary Policy

The nature of the financial turbulence that happened recently in US and Europe, why it happened, where it happened, and the implications for central banks. Some of the forces that led up to and charac...

by Rakesh Mohan | On 12 Oct 2007

Going Places? Visitors, Enthusiasts and the Public History of Transport

The ways in which the public learns about the histories of transport and travel are explored. The role of displays put on by museums and by heritage transport attractions - organisations such as steam...

by Colin Divall | On 11 Oct 2007

The New Mumbai: Defining Systemic Reforms for the Governance of Mumbai City and Mumbai Metropolitan Region

The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India were made with an express objective or purpose of restoring power back to people by legally encouraging “local self-governance”. At the same...

by A.K. Shende | On 08 Oct 2007

Model Nagara Raj Bill

Model bill to amend the laws relating to the Municipalities and to institutionalise citizens’ participation in municipal functions, e.g. setting priorities, budgeting provisions, etc. by setting up of...

by Ministry of Urban Development MoUD | On 08 Oct 2007

Governance and Health

As we celebrate 60 years of political independence and take pride in our dynamic private sector, our remarkable IT successes and all the other usual dimensions of success, let us remind ourselves that...

by Shankar Acharya | On 08 Oct 2007

History and Anthropology: A Marriage Made in Heaven

Anthropology is a science of inquiries about the origins and continuities of the patterned differentiation of human beings into distinguishable groups. During the last hundred years, most such inquir...

by Sidney W. Mintz | On 04 Oct 2007

The Indian Economic Journal, January 2007

CHIUNG-JU HUANG : Wagner's Law : Empirical Evidence for China and Taiwan CHIAO-YI CHANG, CHING-FU CHEN AND I-YUAN CHUANG : Does Asian Financial Crisis Change Price Co-Movements in East Asia. G. RAM...

by Department of Economics DoE, Allahabad University | On 01 Oct 2007

Minorities Under Attack in Gujarat: Report of an Investigation

This report is based on the visit of the team to various affected villages and other areas in Gujarat and interviews with the victims and other villagers of these areas. There are a number of other vi...

by Act Now for Harmony and Democracy ANHAD | On 26 Sep 2007

Burma: Member States of the UN must Intervene: ACHR Weely Review

Reports have been pouring in that the Burmese soldiers today used baton and tear gas against the Buddhist monks and civilian protesters at Shwedagon pagoda, the holiest Buddhist place in Rangoon. The...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 26 Sep 2007

Defining Human Differences in Biomedicine

An extensive literature reflects millennia of concern over what we humans call ourselves and others. All life sciences are now grappling further with how to categorize and study the nearly infinite po...

by Maggie Brown | On 26 Sep 2007

Corporate Social Responsibility and Children's Rights in South Asia

Examples of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives within the context of children's issues in India, Nepal and Bangladesh are given. The mapping highlights that children's issues often do n...

by Girish Godbole | On 05 Sep 2007

Book Review: Contested Modernities

Indigenous Modernities: Negotiating Architecture and Urbanism by Jyoti Hosagrahar; Routledge,New York; 2005. xiii + 234 pp., $43.95 (paper).

by Amita Sinha | On 23 Aug 2007

India: Large and Small

The past and present of India can be seen in many different perspectives. There is a case for focusing particularly on the long history of the argumentative tradition in India, and its continuing rele...

by Amartya Sen | On 17 Aug 2007

Contagion Again?

Financial contagion is dangerous because you don’t know where it will hit, and how hard. Every country has to remmber this and make arrangements so that a criris does not repeat as happenend in 1997 (...

by T.N. Ninan | On 13 Aug 2007

ACHR Weekly Review: Pakistan: The Land of Religious Apartheid and Jackboot Justice

On 14 August 2007, the United Nations Committee on the International Convention Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD Committee) is tentatively scheduled to examine the situation of...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 11 Aug 2007

Essays: Monetary Policy: Satisfy China’s Demand for Money

A talk with Nobel economics laureate Robert Mundell on how Beijing can keep the yuan’s value fixed and still avoid inflation. China’s high balance of payments surplus and pressure on the yuan could be...

by Hugo Restall | On 04 Aug 2007

FEER: The June 2007 issue

Satisfuy China's Demand for Money by Hugo Restall Monetary Policy: China’s Last Option: Let the Yuan Soar by Michael Pettis Stop the Specter of a Rising Rupee by Vivek Moorthy Hong Kong’s Arreste...

by FEER | On 04 Aug 2007

Dowry and Property Rights

Modernisation necessarily leads to the emergence of dowry as a direct transfer to the groom ("groom-price"). The historical instances of dowry can be classified according to the schema implied by the...

by Siwan Anderson | On 31 Jul 2007

De-risking the System

The advent of political uncertainties has led to questions about poor governance which can lead to economic under performance.

by T.N. Ninan | On 31 Jul 2007

Women and Food Security in South Asia: Current Issues and Emerging Concerns

The educated and socially empowered Asian Woman is the key to improving the nutrition and mental acuity of young children and that improvement sets in motion lifelong prospects for heightened learning...

by Nira Ramachandran | On 24 Jul 2007

Economic and Social Dynamics of Migration in Kerala, 1999-2004 Analysis of Panel Data

Panel studies based on the same set of sample households or individuals at two points of time 5 or 10 years apart are time consuming and are relatively rare in social science research. Such a method,...

by Zachariah KC | On 23 Jul 2007

Governance Institutions and Development

The problem of corruption has become very important in recent thinking on development policy. But corruption is only a part of the more general issue of economic governance, and of more general policy...

by Avinash K Dixit | On 17 Jul 2007

Climate Change and Sectors: Some Like it Hot!

Despite the major uncertainties mentioned at the beginning that afflict both dimensions of climate change, this analysis has demonstrated a clear trend: the regulatory-market economy dimension of clim...

by Eric Heymann | On 13 Jul 2007

Statistical System of India: Some Reflections

The historical development of statistics in India is outlined. The application of statistics in RBI and the areas where statisticians can contribute significantly are also given [Speech delivered on T...

by Rakesh Mohan | On 10 Jul 2007

Trade and Economic Arrangements Between India and South Asia in the Context of Regional Construction and Globalisation

The different arrangements and groupings involved between India and South- East Asia are presented. The multi-faceted relations between them is asked in institutional terms, but also in normative term...

by Laurence Henry | On 06 Jul 2007

Review of High-Tech Industries in China: RBI Occasional Papers

Review of High-Tech Industries in China by Chien-Hsun Chen and Hui- Tzu Shih. RBI Occasional Papers, Vol. 27, No. 1 and 2, Summer and Monsoon 2006.

by Brijesh Pazhayathodi | On 05 Jul 2007

Understanding Chronic Poverty in South Asia

South Asia has the largest number of chronically poor people in the world –an estimated 135 to 190 million people. Chronic poverty in the region is most renounced in areas that have significant minori...

by Chronic Poverty Research Centre CPRC | On 02 Jul 2007

Pakistan Budget 2007-08

Budget speech for the year 2007-08 by Minister of Finance, Omar Ayub Khan

by Omar Ayub Khan | On 29 Jun 2007

Battling for Clean Environment Supreme Court, Technocrats and Populist Politics in Delhi

The role of Supreme Court in controlling air pollution in Delhi in the face of political contestation and government reluctance in implementing what had already long been on the statute books. Focus i...

by Kuldeep Mathur | On 29 Jun 2007

Book Review: The Intersection of Race and Class in the Segregated South

Review of Thomas J. Ward Jr.'s Black Physicians in the Jim Crow South. University of Arkansas Press, 2003.

by James Seymour | On 29 Jun 2007

Does the Market Matter? Economic History of an Indian Region in a Euro-Centric View

The 18th Century Deccan was a highly commercialised, market driven society, quite unlike the descriptions of "traditional" Indian societies in the literature. In many ways, this society was similar to...

by Neeraj Hatekar | On 27 Jun 2007

Book Review: Growth, Justice and Globalisation

Review of: Globalizing Rural Development: Competing Paradigms and Emerging Realities by M. C. Behera; Sage Publications, 2006.

by Mohan Kanda | On 12 Jun 2007

Book Review: Towards a Relevant Social Science

Review of: Alternative Discourses in Asian Social Science: Responses to Eurocentricism by Syed Farid Alatas; Sage Publications, New Delhi.

by Vedapushpa | On 08 May 2007

SAARC Summit: Social sector development as cementing factor

It is a pleasant surprise that the 14th SAARC Summit should come up with decisive noises on the urgent need to accelerate progress in South Asia towards the Millennium Development Goals.

by Lakshmi Priya | On 18 Apr 2007

Implications of the Growing Role of Services in Asia

This article analyses the importance of international commercial service transactions relating to both trade and investment, which form an essential element of analyzing production fragmentation and e...

by Mukul Asher | On 17 Apr 2007

Declaration Of The Fourteenth SAARC Summit

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established when its Charter was formally adopted on December 8, 1985 by the Heads of State or Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,...

by SAARC Secretariat | On 16 Apr 2007

Declaration of SAARC Summits 1985-1998

The Summit declarations of the Heads of State/Government of the Member Countries of SAARC at the conclusion of all the ten SAARC summits that have taken place since the inception of SAARC have been co...

by SAARC Secretariat | On 10 Apr 2007

Utilization Of Maternal Health Care In South India

This study examines the patterns and determinants of maternal health care use across different social setting in south India: in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Data source for...

by Navaneetham K | On 10 Apr 2007

Livelihood Concerns of Women and Men in Small Mines and Quarries of South Asia

The global trend of informalisation of women’s work is also evident in what is commonly known as artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) practices. Women constitute a large segment of workers in the in...

by Kunthala Lahiri-Datta | On 08 Apr 2007

Trade in Services and South Asia: An Aggressive Agenda

This paper outlines the significance of services for South Asia and discusses the possible strategies to secure the region's trade and development interests through the GATS negotiations.

by Rupa Chanda | On 05 Apr 2007

World's Top 10 Rivers At Risk

The primary objective of this report is to illustrate the most menacing threats to the world’s great river basins, in order to encourage dialogue, provoke debate, and urge governments and other stakeh...

by C M Wong | On 23 Mar 2007

Can Singapore Sustain its Current Globalisation Strategy? Singapore's 2007 Budget

Singapore’s 2007 budget reaffirms government’s determination to continue with the current globalization strategy of high growth, high net in-migration and minimal social risk pooling in financing old...

by Mukul Asher | On 05 Mar 2007

Women Politicians, Gender Bias, and Policy-making in Rural India

Despite the importance of this issue for the design of institutions around the world, little is known about the relative performance of women as policy makers, about their impact on child development...

by Lori Beaman | On 16 Feb 2007

Grounding the Spirit: Revival of Irula Art as a Form of Narrative Tradition

Kriebish had, for a long time, cherished a dream of setting up a learning and documentation centre dedicated to the study of oral literature, village religion and customs, music and dance, traditional...

by Leena Pascal | On 12 Feb 2007

Paying Out-of-Pocket for Health Care in Asia: Catastrophic and Poverty Impact

Out-of-pocket (OOP) payments are the principal means of financing health care throughout much of Asia. The paper describe the magnitude and distribution of OOP payments for health care in 14 countrie...

by Eddy van Doorslaer | On 06 Feb 2007

‘Autonomy On-line’: Indymedia and Practices of Alter-Globalisation

The paper examines Australian Indymedia collectives as a means to improve understanding of the practices of alter-globalisation movements. Indymedia, which emerged around the anti-World Trade Organisa...

by Jenny Pickerill | On 30 Jan 2007

Social Medicine in the Twenty-First Century

In its launch issue in October 2004, PLoS Medicine signaled a strong interest in creating a journal that to the social conditions in which people live and work. The socially disadvantaged have less...

by Scott Stonington | On 23 Jan 2007

Health Is Still Social: Contemporary: Examples in the Age of the Genome

Social medicine is as important now as it has ever been. The fi eld of social medicine includes various social and cultural studies of health and medicine , and in this article, the focus is o...

by Timothy H. Holtz | On 23 Jan 2007

Recent Social Security Reforms in Asia

This presentation reviews recent social security reforms in Asia-Pacific, with emphasis on countries with major reliance on social insurance schemes. Japan, Korea, Philippines, China, Vietnam, and Tha...

by Mukul Asher | On 12 Jan 2007

How Did Social Medicine Evolve, and Where is it Heading?

This essay briefl y examines some of the diverse developments of social medicine as an academic discipline and its links to political conceptualizations of the role of medicine in society. The...

by Dorothy Porter | On 10 Jan 2007

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan and Electoral Politics

Following the Supreme court judgement on election reforms including the mandate to the election commission to disseminate all information provided by the candidate to the people, a large number of non...

by E. Venkatesu | On 10 Jan 2007

Singapore: The Art of Building a Global City

This article discusses the art of deliberately creating a global city for Asiain Singapore. Twnty-first century cities exist in order to allow human interaction and enhance lifestyle. Such clusters...

by Sanjeev Sanyal | On 09 Jan 2007

Social Cleavages, Multiculturalism and Emerging Space for State in India under Globalisation Regime

This paper focuses on social cleavages based on class , caste,religion and ethnicity in India. It examines the political salience of caste and class conflicts and addresses the translation of social c...

by Sarojini Mishra | On 29 Dec 2006

Pro-Poor Targeting and Accountability of Local Governments in West Bengal

A commonly alleged pitfall of decentralization is that poverty, socio-economic inequality and lack of political competition allow local elites to capture local governments. This hypothesis is empirica...

by Pranab Bardhan | On 27 Dec 2006

Policymaking under Globalization Pressures: Reforming Public Utilities in Latin America

To analyse the role of partisan beliefs and interests, this paper focuses on two industries—telecoms and electricity—which have been subject to strong pressures for policy diffusion and thereby are u...

by Maria Victoria Murillo | On 21 Dec 2006

Modernity with Democracy?: Gender and Governance in the People's Planning Campaign, Keralam

This paper takes advantage of the possibility of a critical perspective afforded by the feminist perspective in analyzing the interactions between political and civil societies in the shaping of spe...

by J Devika | On 19 Dec 2006

Textile and Clothing Trade with European Union: Impact of year-old EU Generalised System of Preferences

Taking into account the latest data of exports of textiles and clothing to the European Union from South Asia and China, a year-end assessment of the impact of the Generalised System of Preferences (...

by C. Satapathy | On 14 Dec 2006

India’s Rising Role in Asia

This paper strongly suggests that India has been far more intricately integrated with the rest of Asia than has commonly been perceived or acknowledged. This is particularly the case if overall value...

by Mukul Asher | On 12 Dec 2006

Making and Unmaking Poverty: Social Science, Social Programmes, and Poverty Reduction in India and Elsewhere

How does growth actually trickle down to remove an individual’s poverty? Is it through increases in employment? What other avenues did the benefits of growth travel through before reaching and helpi...

by Anirudh Krishna | On 05 Dec 2006

Decrypting E-Governance: Narratives, Power play and Participation in the Gyandoot Intranet

The mapping of the social and political constraints that marginalized communities and individuals encounter in their interface with e-governance projects, perhaps, has implications for the optimistic...

by T.T. Sreekumar | On 27 Nov 2006

Mahatma Gandhi and the Prisoner’s Dilemma: Strategic Civil Disobedience and Great Britain’s Great Loss of Empire in India

This paper examines the relationship between statutory monopoly and collective action as a multi-person assurance game culminating in an end to British Empire in India. In a simple theoretical model,...

by Chowdhury Irad Ahmed Siddiky | On 27 Nov 2006

Report on a Strategic Approach to Research Publishing in South Africa

The effect of globalization on knowledge exchange, which is mediated very largely through scientific journals being published in English, and having their origins in Europe and North America, has resu...

by Academy of South Africa | On 27 Nov 2006

Gender Disaggregated Analysis of South Gujarat Tribals: Role of Social Capital in Human Development

This paper, based on ‘capabilities’ approach, analyses the ‘development outcomes’ forf ‘tribals’ of rural south Gujarat and examines the relative roles of physical, human and social capital within a...

by Arti Nanavati | On 26 Nov 2006

The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, October 2006: Asian Regionalism: a Symposium

Introduction: Regional integration in Asia editorial by Ramkishen S. Rajan Production fragmentation and trade integration: East Asia in a global context by Prema-chandra Athukorala and Nobuaki Yamas...

by The North American Journal of Economics and Finance | On 05 Nov 2006

Financial Center Pipedreams

Are Singapore’s efforts to become a leading regional financial center gaining as much traction as the recent buzz over hedge funds would lead one to believe?

by Hugo Restall | On 03 Nov 2006

The Charade of Meritocracy

The article investigates Singapore’s claims to meritocracy in its education system and reveals systematic discrimination against the city-state’s non-Chinese population. [FEER Essay]

by Michael D. Barr | On 03 Nov 2006

Singapore’s Founding Myths vs. Freedom

The article analyzes the Singapore government’s determination to protect the founding myths of the PAP despite new challenges from technology and globalization.

by Garry Rodan | On 03 Nov 2006

FEER: The October Issue

Singapore’s Founding Myths vs. Freedomby Garry Rodan The Charade of Meritocracyby Michael D. Barr Financial Center Pipedreamsby Hugo Restall Thailand:Bangkok’s Elitist Coupby Michael H. Nelson Put...

by FEER | On 03 Nov 2006

Malaysia's Hazy Future

Malaysia is finding it difficult to translate current favourable macro-economic environment, and the commodity boom into sustainable competitive advantage in manufacturing and services and to cope wit...

by Mukul Asher | On 03 Nov 2006

Malaysia’s Hazy Future

Malaysia is finding it difficult to translate current favourable macro-economic environment, and the commodity boom into sustainable competitive advantage in manufacturing and services and to cope wit...

by Mukul Asher | On 03 Nov 2006

Overview of Bilateral Free Trade and Investment Agreements

A comprehensive inventory of bilateral FTAs on a global scale, with sections on Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. It highlights the key points of e...

by Bilaterals.org | On 03 Nov 2006

Monetary Regionalism in Asia Revisited

Given the divergence in economic and institutional structures in the region, any attempt to create a common currency absent macroeconomic policy coordination and mechanism for automatic intra-regional...

by Ramkishen S. Rajan | On 30 Oct 2006

Monetary Regionalism in Asia Revisited

Given the divergence in economic and institutional structures in the region, any attempt to create a common currency absent macroeconomic policy coordination and mechanism for automatic intra-regional...

by Ramkishen S. Rajan | On 30 Oct 2006

The China-Japan-US Triangle

The most critical factor for maintaining regional stability in East Asia over the next few decades is the relations between the three great powers in the region: China, Japan and the United States. Th...

by Ezra F.Vogel | On 24 Oct 2006

Chinese Rural Industrialisation in the Context of the East Asian Miracle

This paper synthesises the different explanations and presents an overview of the development and characteristics of the Chinese rural enterprises (REs). The rural industrialization history of the Chi...

by Justin Yifu Lin | On 18 Oct 2006

Historian and Courtesan: Chen Yinke and the Writing of Liu Rushi Biezhuan

In the 1980s the life and work of Chen Yinke, who had died in 1969 during the Cultural Revolution, re-emerged in print. Chen was a former Tsinghua historian and an intellectual luminary who had enj...

by Wen-hsin Yeh | On 18 Oct 2006

Do Television and Radio Destroy Social Capital? Evidence from Indonesian Villages

In "Bowling Alone," Putnam (1995) famously argued that the rise of television may be responsible for social capital's decline. I investigate this hypothesis in the context of Indonesian villages. To i...

by Benjamin A. Olken | On 13 Oct 2006

Understanding South Africa's Economic Puzzles

South Africa has undergone a remarkable transformation since its democratic transition in 1994, but economic growth and employment generation have been disappointing. Most worryingly, unemployment is...

by Dani Rodrik | On 13 Oct 2006

Kanshi Ram: The Man and his Legacy

Kanshi Ram’s main legacy is that political mobilization and use of State power is required to provide dalits self-respect, dignity, social equality and political empowerment to fight against dominati...

by Sudha Pai | On 13 Oct 2006

Introduction to 'Managing Globalisation': Lessons from China and India

While talk of a 'China-India axis complete with 2.4 billion people' is no doubt fanciful, the progress in relations over the seven years following the nuclear crisis of 1998 is claiming the close atte...

by David A. Kelly | On 03 Oct 2006

Who's in Crisis?

If one might attempt a hypothesis, it would be that India’s communist parties would like to adjust to the reality of the day by giving up their old identities and becoming social democratic parties, b...

by T.N. Ninan | On 01 Oct 2006

Parens Patriae: Exercising Patriarchal Prerogative in Post-Partition India

This paper analyses the implications of this Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Act of 1949 not with the intention of discussing its legal merits, but rather, to indicate that in the exercise...

by Ritu Menon | On 29 Aug 2006

Indigenous Identity As ‘Subaltern’

The objective of this research paper is to approach the debates on indigenous/tribal identity in international law deploying the framework of subaltern studies in South Asia with a view to, first, c...

by Rajat Rana | On 29 Aug 2006

Rethinking the Political Core of an Emancipatory Project in Africa

This paper will begin by reviewing the political assumptions of the nature of citizenship underlying T.H. Marshall’s argument for ‘social rights’; it will provide a critique of human rights discours...

by Michael Neocosmos | On 29 Aug 2006

Are we there yet? The deferral of justice and the promise of human rights

Utilizing the critical theory of Drucilla Cornell and Costas Douzinas, and looking back to the utopianism of Ernst Bloch, the paperI offers an argument that acknowledges the limits of the law and th...

by Narnia Bohler-Muller | On 28 Jul 2006

An Approach to the 11th Five Year Plan: Towards Faster and More Inclusive Growth

The 11th Plan provides an opportunity to restructure policies to achieve a new vision of growth that will be much more broad based and inclusive, bringing about a faster reduction in poverty and hel...

by Planning Commission | On 19 Jul 2006

Ethics in Social Science Research: A Note for Discussion

Some questions relevant in the context of ethics in social science research are: Does social science have peculiarities which are masked by discussions on science at large? Given the need for objectiv...

by Sudarshan Iyengar | On 19 Jul 2006

From a Rights Perspective

The collection of papers demonstrates that the human right to development in essence brings together several distinct but not mutually inconsistent streams of philosophical, political, economic and so...

by Vijay Kumar Nagaraj | On 15 Jul 2006

A Lucrative Career

Why is politics a hereditary business in India, unlike most other democracies?

by T.N. Ninan | On 01 Jun 2006

The Communal Violence (Pevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) bill, 2005

Bill No. CXV of 2005 A Bill to empower the State Governments and the Central Government to take measures to provide for the prevention and control of communal violence which threatens the secular fab...

by Ministry of Home Affairs | On 25 May 2006

Legislative Brief: Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005

The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005 provides for (a) prevention and control of communal violence, (b) speedy investigation and trials, and (c) rehabil...

by Parliamentary Research Service | On 25 May 2006

The Challenges and Opportunities for International Civil Society in Promoting Ethical Globalisation

This paper explores some of the challenges ahead in terms of strengthening civil society networks working for ethical globalisation and in turning their shared vision of ethical globalisation into an...

by Maureen Leen | On 23 May 2006

Book Review: Communal Mobilisation in South Asia: Is there a Grand Design?

The focus here is on the agency that produces religious forms and associated repertoires of action/conduct---the entire gamut of socio-religious networks of mobilization built around these forms, the...

by Sasheej Hegde | On 15 May 2006

And Now a Car Story

It does look as though automobile manufacture will be a new arrow in the country’s quiver. This may be hard to believe, when one looks at the strengths of the automobile industries in the US and Japa...

by T.N. Ninan | On 03 May 2006

Three Observations on the Challenges of Growth and Poverty Reduction in Asia

While Asia’s success in growth and poverty reduction is to be greatly welcomed, and should be analysed for the lessons it has for other countries, the policy discourse should take on board three key p...

by Ravi Kanbur | On 21 Apr 2006

Voluntary Organisations, NGOs and the ‘Politics of Development’ in India: A Critical Exploration

This essay studies the domain of politics of development constituted by the state, and attempts to plot the emergence of the voluntary sector, NGOs in particular, as a representative in this contested...

by Swagato Sarkar | On 31 Mar 2006

Two Kinds of Activism: Reflections on Citizenship in Globalizing Delhi

The paper examines two of the most pressing concerns in Delhi: housing and the environment. The paper reviews the activities of Resident Welfare Associations, Sajha Manch, and Delhi Janwadi Adhikar Ma...

by Sanjeev K. Routray | On 14 Jun 2013

Democracy and People’s Rights in the Neo-Liberal Era: Role of Judiciary

The recent judgments and orders from various levels of higher judiciary indicate a drastic shift in their outlook and approach. A close look reveals two trends developing within the judiciary. Firstly...

by M.B.Rajesh | On 31 Mar 2006

Verdict 2004: From Identities to Issues and Interests?

This paper is a humble attempt to take an intellectual and political position while analyzing the 2004 election results in the context of neo-liberal regime in India and also tries to portray whether...

by Maidul Islam | On 31 Mar 2006

An Emerging Knowledge Economy and a Stagnating Agrarian Economy: Contradictions in Andhra Pradesh under Globalization

This paper presents some features of the contradictions in Andhra Pradesh’s economy today: the fast growth of IT and other technology-intensive industries in Hyderabad, and the alarming levels of dist...

by Jayan Jose Thomas | On 30 Mar 2006

India’s Pharmaceutical Industry in the WTO Regime: A SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry (IPI) in the WTO regime reveals that the much acclaimed IPI’s expertise in process development skills were made possible by the amendments made...

by N. Lalitha | On 28 Mar 2006

The Persistence of Underdevelopment:Institutions, Human Capital or Constituencies?

Why is underdevelopment so persistent? One explanation is that poor countries do not have institutions that can support growth. Because institutions (both good and bad) are persistent, underdevelopmen...

by Raghuram G. Rajan | On 26 Mar 2006

Post-Autistic Economics Review, Issue No 36, February 2006

Results of Greatest Twentieth-Century Economists Poll Towards a Concrete Utopian Model of Green Political Economy by John Barry Economics Is Structured Like a Language by William Kaye-Blake ...

by Post-Autistic Economics Movement | On 26 Mar 2006

International Young Scholars’ Seminar: Rich Nation, Poor People

Critical Perspectives on the Neo-liberal Regime in India 4–5–6 April 2006 Conference Room, Nehru Guest House, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi Organized by Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia...

by LeftWord Books | On 25 Mar 2006

Finance Bill 2005

To give effect to the financial proposals of the Federal Government for the year beginning on the first day of July, 2005, and to enact and amend certain laws:

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, | On 15 Mar 2006

Pakistan: Budget Speech: 2005-06

1. The development budget has been increased by 34.7%, which is the highest increase to date. 2. Current expenditures will increase by 18%. The main reasons for the increase are the relief that gov...

by Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, | On 14 Mar 2006

The Siren Song of Technonationalism

Technological development in Asia is driven by government policy, and that policy is motivated in large part by technonationalism, or the desire of Asian states to free themselves from dependence on W...

by David Kang | On 07 Mar 2006

Sri Lanka: Budget Speech by Finance Minister in Parliament

'Mahinda Chintana' : Towards a New Sri Lanka

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 05 Mar 2006

Sri Lanka: Budget Brief, 2006: Towards a New Sri Lanka

Tax Proposals and Administration Summary of Budget 2006

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 05 Mar 2006

Sri Lanka: Recent Economic Developments: Highlights of 2005 and Prospects for 2006

Economic Review of Developments in 2005 and Prospects for 2006. Presented before the Budget for 2006.

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 05 Mar 2006

What’s So Special about China’s Exports?

Much more than comparative advantage and free markets have been at play in shaping China's export success. Government policies have helped nurture domestic capabilities in consumer electronics and oth...

by Dani Rodrik | On 04 Mar 2006

The Economic Costs of the Iraq War: An Appraisal Three Years After the Beginning of the Conflict

Many aspects of the Iraq venture have turned out differently from what was purported before the war: there were no weapons of mass destruction, no clear link between Al Qaeda and Iraq, no imminent dan...

by Linda Bilmes | On 25 Feb 2006

Decentralisation on Fallow and Fertile Ground: Preparing the Population for Democratic Self-Governance

Decentralizing authority to democratically elected local government is advised for reasons of efficiency and good governance, but equity may suffer if elites capture decision making at the local level...

by Anirudh Krishna | On 16 Feb 2006

Financial Integration in East Asia: How Far? How Much Further to Go?

Despite numerous empirical studies examining various facets of the topic, the degree of intraregional financial integration in East Asia remains a matter of vigorous debate. This paper offers a select...

by Tony Cavoli | On 07 Feb 2006

SEPHIS e-journal, volume 2:2, January 2006

A number of contributions on cinema in the South. Articles on the making of a historical documentary by Gairoonisa Palekar, a student in South Africa, and on an important aspect of the movie industry...

by SEPHIS | On 02 Feb 2006

India-Taiwan: Case for Robust Economic Partnership

As India continues to pursue calibrated globalisation and expand external linkages, this is an opportune time to develop robust economic partnership with Taiwan, an economy with a GDP of over US$300b...

by Mukul Asher | On 02 Feb 2006

Far Eastern Economic Review January-February 2006

Stephen Flynn on global shipping and terrorism Leo Goodstadt on Hongkong's priorities. Sharif D. Rangnekar and Manish Sharma on India's uneven development Stoyan Tenev, on China's economy Ben Hill...

by Far Eastern Economic Review | On 27 Jan 2006

Inflation Targeting Arrangements in Asia: Exploring the rate of the Exchange rate

Since the Asian crisis it has been recognized that exchange rate and monetary policy strategies must involve a “fairly high” element of flexibility rather than a single-minded defense of a particular...

by Ramkishen S. Rajan | On 19 Jan 2006

Gender, Work and Organizational Culture: A Southeast Asian Experience

Organizations operate in the social milieu and therefore the socio-cultural factors greatly influence the organizational culture. The Asian societies are patriarchal in nature that gives superior posi...

by Sunita Singh-Sengupta | On 13 Jan 2006

Recent Social Security Reforms In Selected Asian Countries

Power Point presentation. In countries such as China, transition (and legacy) issues are a major challenge. This is also the case with civil service reforms in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Mal...

by Mukul Asher | On 12 Jan 2006

Agrarian Reform for a Liberal Pattern of Society? Karnataka's Land Policy and the New Dispensation

It is puzzling how much the discourse of development has backed away from the seemingly central question of rural poverty: land. Elaborate rules concerning its distribution, rights, regulation, prot...

by Ronald Herring | On 12 Jan 2006

Institutionalising Citizen Participaion in Urban Governance

The twin concepts of a federal arrangement – a structure for a multi-tiered form of government with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, as well as active citizenship are like the two strands...

by Ramesh Ramanathan | On 12 Jan 2006

Corruption and Local Governance: Evidence from Karnataka

The paper examines corruption in the institutions of local government in Karnataka, using a Logit model. One of the arguments in favour of decentralisation in developing countries is that it provide...

by V. Vijayalakshmi | On 09 Jan 2006

Dynamics of Local Governance in Karnataka

The objective of this paper is to unpack the dynamics of local governance in Karnataka by studying the interaction between two sets of rural institutions, (a) the formal, elected Gram Panchayats(GPs...

by Kripa Ananthpur | On 09 Jan 2006

Ideological Elements in Political Instability in Karnataka: Janata Dal in the 1990s

There are strenuous difficulties in managing competing social groups, segments and regions in the political landscape of Karnataka. These difficulties have been accentuated by touchy issues of status...

by Pamela Price | On 09 Jan 2006

Political Leadership and Economic Development in Karnataka

How has the political leadership in Karnataka contributed to the state's economic developmet? In order to assess the role that the political leadership has played, the author examines the role of the...

by Gujjarappa Thimmaiah | On 09 Jan 2006

Change in Karnataka over the Last Generation: Villages and the Wider Context

This paper examines changes that have (and have not) occurred – at the village level in Karnataka where most or the state’s residents live, and at higher levels when they impinge upon villages – sin...

by James Manor | On 09 Jan 2006

The Mystery of China’s Sinking Stocks

The article exposes the shortcomings of China’s stock markets and examines the failed attempts by the government to introduce meaningful stock-market reform. China has largely avoided major policy blu...

by Weijian Shan | On 07 Jan 2006

FEER December 2005

Weijian Shan, economist and avid private equity investor, exposes the shortcomings of China’s stock markets and examines the failed attempts by the government to introduce meaningful stock-market ref...

by Far Eastern Economic Review | On 07 Jan 2006

The Economic Basis of Global Power: VIP2 A Simple Index of National Power Potential

Though Paul Kennedy and other scholars of National Security, Diplomacy and Foreign relations have emphasized the importance of the economy in National Power, not many economists have taken an interes...

by Arvind Virmani | On 24 Dec 2005

The Economic Impact of EPAs in SADC Countries

The Cotonou Agreement introduces new fundamental principles with respect to trade between the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific countries relative to the Lomé Convention: in particula...

by Alexander Keck | On 19 Dec 2005

Realising Universal Labour Rights:Labour Standards for Small Enterprises in Pakistan

Labour protection has largely failed as enterprise contribution to social protection. Much labour legislation does not apply to micro and small enterprises (MSE) ; those laws that do apply are complie...

by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education & Research (PILER) | On 08 Dec 2005

Tariff Negotiations in NAMA and South Asia: July Agreement and Beyond

As developing countries including those from South Asia, rally forces and evaluate options ahead of the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting in December 2005, Non Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) assumes im...

by Prabash Ranjan | On 29 Nov 2005

Hepatitis B and the Case of the Missing Women

In many Asian countries the ratio of male to female population is higher than in the West -- as high as 1.07 in China and India, and even higher in Pakistan. A number of authors (most notably Sen, 19...

by Emily Oster | On 27 Nov 2005

East Asian Community: Prospects and Challenges

There is a growing need to a more institutionalized economic arrangement in East Asia. East Asia Economic Community might be an ideal form of such institution. However, the road is still long and...

by A Damuri | On 23 Nov 2005

Opportunities and Challenges in Building an East Asian Community

Inherenet weaknesses in AFTA and AEC and the need to counter regionalism in other parets of the world are some of the important reasons for evolving an East Asian Community. However, there are severa...

by Joseph Yap | On 23 Nov 2005

Political Selection and the Quality of Evidence: Evidence form South India

This paper uses household data from India to examine the economic and social status of village politicians, and how individual and village characteristics a®ect politician behavior while in o±ce. Ed...

by Timothy Besley | On 22 Nov 2005

Development of National Infrastructures open to Asia and the Role of Fukuoka

The Asian Age is coming and these are some of the factors aiding it. The reduction of the domestic market (decrease in population, development of service economy and increase in imports); Dissolution...

by Akira Yamasaki | On 22 Nov 2005

East Asian Integration: Opportunities for Fukuoka and Japan

In order to advance regional integration in East Asia, there needs to be a rapid expansion of FTAs. The obstacles in promotion of FTAs need to be resolved. Some of the features in realising FTAs are:...

by Shujiro Urata | On 22 Nov 2005

Singapore's Role in Building of an East Asian Community

An East Asian community(EAC) is an idea now being seriously pursued in spite of significant challenges. Proliferating bilateral deals in Asia could emerge as building blocks towards the EAC, provided...

by Rahul Sen | On 22 Nov 2005

The Quest of Economic community in East Asia: Thailand's Perspective

To make the Customs Union in East Asia happen, what is needed the most now are political will and concerted efforts. FTAs should not be the end of economic cooperation in Asia. Instead, the onsolidati...

by Nipon Poapongsakorn | On 22 Nov 2005

Realizing The East Asian Community”

The enterprise of building an East Asian Community has already begun. The process will indeed be long-term. Malaysia, from the beginning , has been steadfast in not giving up on the concept. Despite...

by Stephen Leong | On 22 Nov 2005

Asian Reserves and the Dollar: Is Gradual Adjustment Possible?

Large dollar reserves in Asian EMEs accompany large U.S. fiscal and current account deficits. Analysis of strategic sales by Asian EMEs suggests that an attack on the dollar is not certain but is poss...

by Ashima Goyal | On 21 Nov 2005

Policy Processes and Policy Advocacy

The development process in the present context where economic and governance reforms are emphasized tends at times to by-pass the concerns of the marginalized and the voiceless. It is precisely to bri...

by V. Anil Kumar | On 19 Nov 2005

Mughal Decline, Climate Change, and Britain’s Industrial Ascent:An Integrated Perspective on India’s 18th and 19th Century Deindustrialization

India was a major player in the world export market for textiles in the early 18th century, but by the middle of the 19th century it had lost all of its export market and much of its domestic market....

by David Clingingsmith | On 10 Nov 2005

East Asian Community, Into Reality

Without trust-building, an East Asian community remains unrealized. The vision of an Asia-Pacific community offers a more attractive and viable option. A sound paradigm is community building and the w...

by David S. Hong | On 08 Nov 2005

Envisioning an East Asian Community--the Eu's Perspective and Role

EU's response to the East Asian community has to take account of several dimensions including Issues and dynamics of East Asian regional cooperation and integration; Scenarios of regional Community-bu...

by Willem vd Geest | On 08 Nov 2005

Economic Backwardness in History: Deviation from a Eurocentric Theme

This paper aims to demonstrate that the economic behaviour of ordinary men and women in the pre-colonial Deccan was as much ‘capitalistic’ as that of similar agents in contemporary Europe. The differe...

by Neeraj Hatekar | On 21 Oct 2005

Recent Social Security Reforms In Selected Asian Countries

There are considerable variations in the philosophy, coverage, investment policies and performance, design of schemes, governance structures, degree of professionalism and adequacy of benefits among A...

by Mukul Asher | On 11 Oct 2005

Peasant Movement in South Maharashtra: Not only 'Issue based' Anymore

The February agitation of farmers and the drought affected of rural South Maharashtra, in the form of a two-day ‘sit in’ last in Mumbai led to ministerial-level negotiations and several important deci...

by Anant Phadke | On 04 Oct 2005

Review of Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie's 'Gandhi's Prisoner?: The Life of Gandhi's Son Manilal'

The book opens new debates relevant to post-apartheid South Africa, in particular the relationship of Indians and Africans. Contemporary discussion of this sensitive issue is always framed with refere...

by Goolam Vahed | On 22 Sep 2005

SEPHIS, September 2005, Volume 2, no.1

Pravit Rojanaphruk:Thainess and its History: Reflection on the Problematic Nature of Nationalism with Emphasis on the Case of Recent Violence in Pattani and other Southern-most Provinces of Thailand. ...

by SEPHIS | On 17 Sep 2005

Market, Media And Mediocrity

Ignoring historical arguments on issues such as market, political economy, capital, and labour has great potential danger. The currently pervasive connotation of ‘liberalisation’ to mean virtually onl...

by Arup Maharatna | On 12 Sep 2005

Negotiating Reproductive Health Neds In A Conflict Situation In The Kashmir Valley

The years of turmoil in the Kashmir valley have resulted in a breakdown of the state machinery, especially the health infrastructure, with the breakdown of peripheral facilities and the migration of d...

by Zamrooda Khanday | On 10 Sep 2005

A Framework For Scaling Up Poverty Reduction, With Illustration From South Asia

This paper develops a framework for thinking about the policy challenge of scaling up small scale interventions, governmental and non-governmental, that address poverty reduction successfully. The fra...

by S. Devarajan | On 30 Aug 2005

Medico Friend Circle Bulletin, 312, August-September

Good Practices of the “Good Practice Study”! - Dhruv Mankad 1 Disbanding the CGHS --p 4 Involving Self-Help Groups in Reproductive Health - Rajani Ved -- p9 Women’s Narratives from Kashmir-3 - Zamr...

by Anonymous | On 30 Aug 2005

The Future Of Democracy

This paper examines the future of democracy in Nepal against the current debate on political reforms, referred to in popular discourse as ‘restructuring the state'

by Krishna Khanal | On 29 Aug 2005

Why Do Governments Lack “Political Will”? An Explanation

This paper proposes “lack of political will” as the most important reason why a ruling political party is unable to commit itself to economically efficient choices or policies. The notion of political...

by Ajit Karnik | On 19 Aug 2005

Agreement On South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)

Motivated by the commitment to strengthen intra-SAARC economic cooperation to maximise the realization of the region's potential for trade and development for the benefit of their people, in a spirit...

by Anonymous | On 13 Aug 2005

SAARC and India: Policy Issues hinge on Security and Democracy

The entire project of SAARC is dependent on India’s capacity to bind the neighbouring states in multiple networks of ties to promote regional cooperation. India not only shares frontiers with all the...

by Rajen Harshe | On 13 Aug 2005

Asian Anthropology

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by Anonymous | On 10 Aug 2005

Asian Anthropology Vol 3

Asian Anthropology Volume 3 Table of Contents

by | On 10 Aug 2005