Small island developing States (SIDS) face an uphill battle as they strive to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis amid vulnerabilities worsened by the pandemic. The 2021 edition of UNCTAD’s Development and Globalization: Facts and Figures report, highlights the numerous strengths and challenges facing these economically vulnerable countries. …
The Lives of Ants by Laurent Keller and Elisabeth Gordon,Oxford University Press, USA, $28 Since time immemorial, ants have captivated human beings. With numerous black-and-white images and eight pages of colour plates, the book depicts a world full of surprises, one which, even after decades of observation, is still replete …
In recent decades, the Arctic has undergone major environmental, socio-economic and political changes. The rapid loss of Arctic ice is having negative consequences on northern communities and lifestyles, on iconic species such as the polar bear, and is altering the ecology of the Arctic ocean and the permafrost lands. With …
In light of the impact invasive alien species have, the Convention on Biological Diversity recognizes the importance of preventing the introduction of, and controlling or eradicating alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats and native species. This brochure highlights the threat invasive alien species pose to biodiversity and what each of …
In suggesting an alternative to the current pattern of industrialisation we cannot ignore the environmental limits of industrial growth. Sustainable alternatives need to incorporate an understanding that non-industrial lifestyles and non-human life forms too deserve respect and space to flourish. This short piece offers a sympathetic critique of the Amit …
In India, the ILO report says, casual workers earn 45 per cent less than regular workers. THE World of Work Report 2008: Income Inequalities in the Age of Financial Globalization, produced by the International Labour Organisation
New York: The global economy is likely to shrink for the first time since World War II, with growth at least five percentage point below potential and likely to have long-term implications for developing countries, the World Bank has said. The Bank
An oligopolistic market, fluctuating market conditions, inadequate modernisation and the subordinate status of hired workers have contributed to the poor living conditions of workers in Sircilla, a powerloom centre of Andhra Pradesh. The state and central governments need to intervene in a more organised fashion to end the distress. In …
An overview of tourism, trade and globalisation and its impacts on biodiversity is presented in four parts. The first part interrogates the assumptions, myths and realities of globalisation. The second explores the trends in conservation ideology and its implications. The third examines how tourism - which is emblematic of globalisation …
With their kitchen gardens in local communities, women are responsible for the food crops that secure the food supply. Cash crops and monetary income are, on the other hand, defi ned as masculine. The construction of women
During the last few decades of the neoliberal-imperial globalisation process, social relations have been fundamentally transformed. Neoliberalism was never a purely market-driven process but also a shaping of other social relations and institutions, especially of the state. The state, private corporations, public discourses but also many aspects of everyday life …
This paper deals with agricultural development and policies in mountains and hills in the Himalayan region. Mountain agriculture (instead of being confined to field crops as in the case of the prime land in plains) is an integrated system of resource usage, linking various land-based activities. As a result, the …
Among developing countries, one can identify both proponents and opponents of extending the use of geographical indications (GIs) beyond wines and spirits. Such an extension is currently being discussed under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organization. While labeling is mostly based …
This paper analyses the root causes of rural outmigration, focusing on its economic and social implications. It takes as its starting point the fact that mobility is inherent in human existence. Livelihoods and sociocultural changes are intimately connected with population movements. To understand present and fast-developing trends in human mobility, …
Poverty, pollution and working conditions: the opportunities and challenges of today's economic globalisation are closely connected. Opportunities to improve living conditions, raise educational standards and establish better health care through participation in global supply chains are certainly there. Yet at the same time, while we are all competing globally, there …
