bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Islamic Perspectives on Adoption
Authors: Kutty Faisal
Published: September 2024

In Islamic law, the topic of adoption is complex and contentious. While many practicing Muslims believe that traditional adoption, as commonly practiced in the West, is prohibited (haram), they also consider caring for orphans and abandoned children as a religious duty. The classical consensus among Sunni jurists is that adoption, known as al-tabanni, is not allowed. Al-tabanni refers to a practice where a child is made the legal child of the adoptive parents, with all rights and responsibilities, while the biological parents lose their rights. This prohibition is derived from the Qur'an and Prophetic traditions, as scholars interpret the primary sources to reject the idea of non-biological parents becoming legal parents with equal rights. Medieval scholars saw al-tabanni as divinely prohibited due to its potential drawbacks, although it might have served as a means of caring for orphans and foundlings in the past. To address the needs of orphans and abandoned children without resorting to al-tabanni, Islamic jurists devised alternative practices. These alternatives included raadah (establishing milk bonds through suckling), istilhaq (acknowledging paternity, genuine or fraudulent), and kafala (sponsorship or legal fostering). These mechanisms allowed for the care of vulnerable children while adhering to the prohibition of al-tabanni. The chapter delves into the reasoning behind the adoption prohibition, the significance of caring for orphans and foundlings, the alternative practices proposed by Islamic jurists, and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. By exploring these aspects, a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics surrounding adoption in Islam is achieved.
Protestant Sources of Moral Knowledge
Authors: Lebacqz Karen L.
Published: September 2024

The diversity of Protestant denominations means that there will never be a unified approach to moral knowledge. However, all Protestants seek to do the will of God and utilize four key resources in order to discern that will: Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. Just how to utilize each of these, however, is a contested arena. Interpretations of Scripture differ dramatically, as do interpretations of what history and experiences are relevant. Over time, one can discern a shift in emphasis from drawing heavily on Scripture and tradition to allowing more nuanced influence from reason and experience. This shift is particularly notable in arenas such as bioethics or new reproductive technologies.
Adorno’s Negative Philosophy of History
Authors: Jaeggi Rahel , Schuhmacher Isette
Published: September 2024

The philosophy of history is a centerpiece of Theodor W. Adorno’s oeuvre. Adorno advocates a negative philosophy of history as opposed to Hegel’s concept of history as a progression toward freedom, without breaking completely with the Hegelian tradition. According to Adorno, universal history has to be constructed as well as denied. In this chapter, the authors explicate in which respect Adorno follows the classical philosophy of history and for which reason he criticizes it as a false principle of construction. The authors argue then for a turn to natural history—Adorno’s own approach which he understands as an answer to the problems the universal history raises. Finally, the authors give attention to Adorno’s negative dialectical concept of progress and outline a universal-historical as well as a natural-historical understanding of progress.
The Zambian Economy
Authors: Chitonge Horman , Marewo Malvern , Kabinga Mundia , Fundanga Caleb M. , Songwe Vera
Published: September 2024

In this chapter we look at the performance of the Zambian economy relative to other lower middle-income countries in Africa, focusing on economic growth rates, poverty rates, composition of GDP, and GDP per capita trends. The chapter has selected six other lower middle-income countries (Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Senegal, and Tanzania) to situate economic trends in Zambia relative to other countries. What is clear from this analysis is that although the Zambian economy was among the highest growing economies in Africa, especially between 2000 and 2014, this growth has not translated into falling rate of poverty as we have seen in other countries especially Ghana, Cameroon, and Senegal where poverty rates have sharply declined compared to Zambia’s. The chapter shows that in Zambia poverty rates increased at the time when the country recorded highest economic growth rates, suggesting that the growth experienced has not be inclusive.
The Climate Change–Sustainable Development Nexus in Zambia
Authors: Chibamba Douty , Nyanga Progress H. , Muvundika Alick B. , Shitima Ephraim Mwepya , Sambo Pamela Towela , Nyambe Akabiwa
Published: September 2024

The aim of this chapter is to unpack Zambia’s climate change–sustainable development nexus. This nexus links environmental concerns with social equity and poverty issues, as well as being intrinsically connected to issues such as biodiversity, deforestation, income generation, and health. For example, severe droughts, frequent late onset or early cessation of rain seasons, or frequent and prolonged dry spells within a growing season have led to increased shortage of water resources in Zambia. This has negatively impacted food production and food security, and disrupted livelihoods for 70% of the country’s rural population who depend on rain-fed agriculture, with limited capacity to cope with the consequences of climate variability. Moreover, the droughts’ frequency and magnitude have significantly increased in recent years, bringing to the fore the consequences of relying heavily on hydroelectricity, epitomized by the debilitating power cuts that have stagnated economic growth and disrupted urban and rural livelihoods. To alleviate these problems, a sustained gross domestic product growth rate of about 10% per annum for at least a decade is urgently needed. This entails burning more fossil fuels to supply energy for generating electricity for powering agricultural production, industrial production processes, transportation, domestic heating, and cooling. However, these processes inadvertently produce greenhouse gases that are responsible for climate change. The challenge for Zambia, like any other developing country, is how to manage the trade-offs that simultaneously maximize benefits and minimize undesirable outcomes in the pursuit of sustainable economic development under a changing climate.
Gender Dynamics in the Zambian Economy
Authors: Umar Bridget Bwalya
Published: September 2024

The chapter reviews gender inequality and how it plays into the economy of Zambia. Literature review results suggest that patriarchal gender norms have limited women’s participation in productive activities. The chapter notes strides made in achieving gender parity in the attainment of primary and secondary education but argues that more needs to be done to extend this achievement to tertiary education. Despite aspirations expressed in national policies and development plans, very slow progress has been towards empowering women to participate in productive activities and in achieving gender equality in this arena. The chapter contends that attempts to empower women have not been bold enough to transform entrenched gender norms and address the related gender inequalities. In order to increase gender equitable outcomes, development activities by both state and nonstate actors ought to explicitly aspire for gender transformative outcomes and not simply brush over the sources of inequalities. This would require long-term commitments to programmes that address gender gaps, including investments in educational, market, and transport infrastructure in rural and peri-urban areas.
The Tourism Sector in the Zambian Economy
Authors: Nchito Wilma S. , Sichimwa Clement
Published: September 2024

Tourism in Zambia extends to the post-colonial period, at a time when leisure activities were mostly informal. Zambia is richly endowed with an array of natural and cultural resources that provide a unique tourism potential. Tourism in Zambia is dominated by nature-based activities, with the key attractions being wildlife and the Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls). The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) in the National Tourism Policy of 2015 describes Zambia’s vast wildlife estate as ‘consisting of twenty National Parks and thirty-six game management areas (GMAs) which cover 236,376 square kilometres, equivalent to 31.4% of the country’s national territory’. The tourism industry has been pivotal for the Zambian government in recent years as it seeks to diversify the economy in view of the struggling mining sector, which previously supported the Zambian economy. In this vein, tourism is recognized as an economic sector with enormous potential to contribute to national development and stimulate economic growth. The Zambian tourism industry is flaunted for employment creation, foreign currency generation, rural development and entrepreneurship stimulation, incorporation of the local populace into the mainstream economy, social cohesion, and the pursuit of sustainable development. The contribution of travel and tourism to Zambia’s GDP was reported to be in excess of 6.3% in 2018, making it the fastest and bullish economic sector in the country.
Economic Structural Transformation in Zambia
Authors: Chitonge Horman , Songwe Vera
Published: September 2024

Economic structural transformation, as a process of reallocating resources from low- to high-productivity activities, is central to economic growth, especially in low-income countries. When factors move from low- to high-productivity activities, aggregate productivity in the economy rises, contributing to higher economic growth. But in most developing countries, such as Zambia, the challenge is that opportunities for factors (mainly labour) to move from low- to high-productivity activities are limited. To illustrate this, this chapter looks at the nature of structural changes occurring in the Zambian economy since independence. Using labour productivity decomposition estimates, the chapter shows that while the economy recorded positive structural transformation between 2000 and 2010, this trend has weakened after 2010, mainly due to declining labour productivity in key sectors. Given the large share of agricultural in total employment, raising productivity in this sector should be a key strategy to attain sustained positive structural change.
The Agro-processing Sector in the Zambian Economy
Authors: Chitonge Horman , Kabinga Mundia
Published: September 2024

The agro-processing sector has been recognized in most of Zambia’s development policy documents as a priority sector. It is acknowledged that the sector has great potential to contribute to economic structural transformation, diversification, poverty reduction, and promotion of inclusive growth. In this chapter, we look at the role of the agro-processing sector in the Zambian economy. The chapter shows that the sector has potential to contribute to the transformation of the economy by tapping into the growing regional markets. The chapter illustrates that Zambia currently enjoys revealed comparative advantage in several agro-processing products, including animal feed, essential oils, cereals and milled flour, soya cake, nonalcoholic beverages, sugar, and confectioneries, and a huge untapped potential (latent comparative advantage) in wood and wood products, fabrics, synthetic fibre, footwear, and manufactured tobacco products. However, to realize the sector’s potential, the country must address some of the enduring challenges which make local agro-processing firms less competitive.
The Construction Sector in Zambia
Authors: Musonda Innocent , Zulu Sambo , Muleya Franco
Published: September 2024

The construction industry in Zambia is an important sector of the economy. From 2000, the industry’s contribution to GDP has been consistently higher than 10%. The sector contributes almost 4% of the total labour force, making it one of the largest employers. Between 2000 and 2010, the Zambian construction industry’s production output increased and saw sustainable growth. Notwithstanding the impressive growth, the industry has not seen an increase in productivity of labour and influx of skills which are critical measures of structural transformation. This chapter evaluates factors that impact the construction sector. The chapter will discuss the construction industry structure, policies, role players, and means of production. In addition, the chapter presents challenges and opportunities of the sector for economic growth and structural transformation.
The Energy Sector
Authors: Kabinga Mundia , Kruger Wikus , Maboshe Mashekwa , Mate Lyatitima
Published: September 2024

Piecemeal and incomplete reforms in Zambia’s electricity sector have resulted in suboptimal tariffs, underinvestment, and persistent power supply disruptions. This chapter examines how incomplete sector transitions affected reliability, accessibility, and pricing in Zambia between 2001 and 2021. We also look at how emergency and independent power purchases, as well as a sole off-taker business model, have saddled the national electric utility with unsustainable debt that prevents it from participating in future capacity expansions, and how renewable energy auctions can be quickly deployed and facilitate additional sector reconfiguration options. We also consider the effects of electricity subsidies on households and long-term development goals, as well as alternative industry configurations required to enable scaled-up electricity generation, mining production and beneficiation, and industrialization.
Zambia’s Political Landscape
Authors: Momba Jotham C.
Published: September 2024

The chapter examines the issues that have shaped Zambia’s political landscape since the country became independent. First are the changes in institutional arrangements that accompanied regime change or leadership changes that have taken place since independence: from the time of the First Republic when the country inherited a multisystem on becoming independent, through the period of the one-party system when UNIP was the only legal party, to the multiparty politics of the Third Republic. The chapter then looks at the nature political participation and the economic direction in each of these periods. In particular it deals with the role that elections as a form of political participation have played in promoting democracy and in exacerbating ethnicity. In all of this are the political actors that have determined the direction of Zambian politics, and these include political parties, leaders of these political parties, and civil society organizations.
The Informal Sector in Zambia
Authors: Simuchimba Bupe , Mudenda Dale S. , Phiri-Mumba Rudo
Published: September 2024

The informal economy is an important part of economic, social, and political life. In countries with high rates of population growth or urbanization, the informal economy tends to absorb most of the growing labour force or economically in active population. This is despite the low wages, small returns, low productivity, and poor working conditions that are key features of this economy. In Zambia, the informal economy is very large in comparison to the formal economy, and has over the years continued to grow. It offers employment for approximately 70% of the employed population. It dominates the rural areas with 77% of the rural employed population operating in this economy. The economy also offers an environment where workers, traders, and employers can earn an income and possibly alleviate poverty. This chapter offers insight into this economy by utilizing various surveys. It captures the structure of the Zambian informal economy and highlights the major actors and interlinkage with the formal economy.
Digital Religion and the Negotiation of Gender/Sex Norms
Authors: Tsuria Ruth
Published: September 2024

This chapter outlines various ways religious communities have been using the internet to negotiate feminist issues related to gender and sexuality. The chapter combines an extended literature review with insight from a 6-years-long research project. These various sources examine issues related to gender and sexuality in five major world religions (Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism). Using these case studies, the chapter offers a dialectic approach between viewing digital media as a liberating force and a view of digital media as a tool for enforcing traditional sexual norms. The chapter focuses on three areas of study: LGBTQIA+, female sexuality, and heteronormative behaviors. This comprehensive review of the literature in this field shows the complexities of digital religion: how anonymity might enable minority voices and perspectives to be heard; and how participatory culture might “cancel” these alternative voices by strengthening traditional, and even fundamental, approaches to gender and sexual norms.
Critical Disability Media Studies
Authors: Ellis Katie , Keeley Jessica
Published: September 2024

People with disability tend to be overlooked in discussions of media. This chapter aims to put the topic of people with disability on the agenda for media and social justice. Critical understandings of disability representation in the media offer important insights into how social meanings of disability influence social justice. First, the chapter presents a theoretical synthesis of research and conceptualizations of disability, culture, and the media, drawing attention to the role of representation in the experience of disability. Next, the chapter interrogates the justice system as a significant but underexplored sight of analysis for critical disability studies and media and social justice. A central issue is that media discourses are reproduced unproblematically by judges, lawyers, and juries. Consequently, the notion that people with disability are inherently burdensome and without value is validated and perpetuated.
Data Justice
Authors: Ramasubramanian Srividya , Burth Shannon , McMillian Minnie
Published: September 2024

This chapter focuses on the role of quantitative empirical data in the ongoing pursuit of social justice using media. Media and social justice initiatives could benefit from incorporating multiple methods, including quantitative research in identifying pressing social issues, bridging across various sectors, piloting micro-interventions, and building long-term communication infrastructures for social transformation. The chapter draws on quantitative criticalism and the CODE^SHIFT model to highlight principles and practices around data justice in social justice-oriented work, including those that are community-led. The chapter also provides recommendations for media practitioners, policymakers, and public scholars on critical approaches toward data for the advancement of social justice within the realm of media.
Justice Informatics, Justice for Us All
Authors: Tacheva Jasmina , Loughead Tanya
Published: September 2024

The intensification of long-standing, unjust ways of thinking and being in online spaces means that scholar–activists must critically analyze the digital and its underlying algorithmic ecosystems. Although movements such as data fairness and data feminism provide much-needed avenues for critique, this chapter offers several principles for ensuring that research–activist work promotes “justice informatics.” The chapter argues specifically for the need to call out the digital as the latest manifestation of global racial colonial heteropatriarchal capitalism and a persistent form of ideology called techno-ideology. To withstand and dissolve this powerful regime, a sustained collective abolitionist and feminist practice combining justice philosophy, media studies, and social informatics is required. This chapter provides examples of such work both within and outside academia.
Political Economy of Communication in the Digital Platform Era
Authors: Jin Dal Yong
Published: September 2024

Political economy of communication has been a major theoretical framework during the past several decades. Although political economy is salient in a few domains, such as broadcasting, advertising, and information and communication technology, the contemporary political economy of communication closely relates to the advent and growth of digital platforms. Digital platforms, including social media platforms, over-the-top service platforms, and entertainment platforms—as the Western-based digital technologies—have expanded their dominance in recent years, resulting in power asymmetries between the global and the local. Because political economy analyzes the power relationships between politics and economics, it is essential to discuss the shifting power (im)balances between Western platforms and non-Western platforms, as well as the platform owners and users. By emphasizing a few primary areas concerning digital platforms, this chapter discusses the shifting media ecology in which digital platforms play a vital role in the early 21st century.
Media and Mental Health Interventions Among Migrants
Authors: Ahmed Rukhsana , Park Seulgi
Published: September 2024

Migrants have a variety of health needs and are at increased risk of developing mental health disorders. Because of their exposure to emotional and psychological trauma during the migration process, migrant groups are more likely to experience higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depressive disorders. This higher burden of mental health disorders is further heightened by disparities in access to and utilization of mental health care among migrants. Nevertheless, there is a relative lack of research on the role of media in mental health interventions for migrants. The lack of evidence makes it difficult to ensure the mental health needs of these marginalized groups are met by delivering appropriate, effective, and safe care. Accordingly, this chapter provides a systematic review of recent literature to (a) summarize evidence on media- and technology-based mental health interventions for migrant groups and (b) provide evidence-informed recommendations to use new media as a tool to eliminate mental health disparities among migrants. The findings suggest that media- and technology-based mental health interventions are overall effective for improving a range of migrant mental health outcomes and improving mental health disparities among migrant groups. Considering that migrants face additional stressors stemming from migration and that they encounter barriers to seek mental health care, media- and technology-based interventions can provide great potential for improving mental health of migrants. However, the empirical evidence is limited to date, with a need for additional rigorous studies, especially with migrant groups, to further build the evidence base.
The Limits of Diversity and Popular Anti-Racism
Authors: Saha Anamik
Published: September 2024

This chapter presents a critical account of “diversity” as mobilized by both corporate media and popular anti-racist movements. “Diversity” is the dominant mode in which racial inequalities are made sense of and tackled in the cultural industries. The chapter demonstrates how diversity is the response of the dominant culture to critiques of its institutional Whiteness. In this context, diversity both describes how cultural industries feel threatened by but also attempts to capitalize upon racial difference. Yet, a relatively neglected consideration in discussions of diversity is how it is mobilized by popular anti-racism. Building on Sarah Banet-Weiser’s notion of “popular feminism,” popular anti-racism refers to a version of anti-racism that identifies visibility and representation in media as an important political goal and is both a product of and enabled by platform capitalism. The mode of anti-racist activism is limited on the grounds that it feeds rather than challenges the commodification of race upon which cultural industries profit. The chapter calls for a more radical approach to solving racial inequalities in media that replaces benign notions of diversity with the idea of reparative justice, including both political economic and grassroots interventions.
Indigenous Environmental Media Activism in South Asia
Authors: Dutta Uttaran
Published: September 2024

South Asia is home to more than 800 different Indigenous tribes comprising 165 million Indigenous people, who speak 650 different tribal languages. Because these enormously diverse populations are geographically isolated and resource-poor, they experience atrocities such as eviction from ancestral land, deforestation, unsafe mining and industrial activities, and pollution of natural sources. Such inhumane and hazardous environmental abuses and exploitation often trigger resistance and protests from the Indigenous communities and beyond. However, Indigenous dissent and activism rarely receive adequate media attention and often remain unknown in the discursive spaces. This chapter discusses the history and instances of local and global ways of doing environmental activism by the Indigenous communities of South Asia. In this regard, the chapter discusses several cases from both the non-mediated (e.g., community-based and participatory action) and mediated (both contemporary and traditional media) spaces.
“How Do You Shift That?” Dialoguing Social Justice, Activism, and Black Joy in Media Studies
Authors: Moultrie jas l. , Joseph Ralina L.
Published: September 2024

In this chapter we lovingly center Blackness as the space from which Black media studies scholars study, create, teach, and affect media. Through the practice of radical listening, the chapter spotlights dialogues between foundational, cross-genre, and genre-defying scholars in Black media and communication: Herman Gray and Jane Rhodes; John L. Jackson, Jr., and E. Patrick Johnson; Andre Brock and Kishonna Gray; and Robin R. Means Coleman and Beretta E. Smith-Shomade. Our conversations—on defining activism, committing to social justice, engaging methods for finessing boundaries, and unsettling anti-Blackness in media and academia—begin and end with Rhodes’ guiding question, “How do you shift that?” This chapter celebrates such a shift, of Black media studies scholars embodying joyful paths for justice and knowledge. We conclude with reimagining Black media studies as refusing to define, in the words of the late filmmaker Marlon Riggs’s last documentary, what “Black is … [and] Black ain’t.”
Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Development Policy and Politics in Malawi
Authors: Kayuni Happy Mickson
Published: September 2024

The chapter analyses the historical perspectives on development policy and its implications for socio-economic growth in Malawi. Malawi faces a myriad of challenges emanating from its historical development policy that pose significant challenges to the successful implementation of its development agenda. Tracing the historical perspectives of Malawi’s development policy is, therefore, essential for the country to embark on the right path for socio-economic growth. Using a historical institutionalism approach, the chapter argues that Malawi’s development policies have not significantly departed from the pre- and post-colonial structures, with the agricultural sector dominating the developmental agenda. The chapter further argues that pre- and post-colonial agricultural production has consistently ignored peasant farmers as significant stakeholders in the development agenda. ‘African Capitalism’, as perceived by the country’s first president, aimed at rapid economic growth but, in the process, it created ‘exploitative’ developmental structures and investments that benefited a few politically connected individuals.
Malawi’s Secondary School Education System and Intergenerational Poverty
Authors: Chiwaula Levison S. , Winiko Symon M.
Published: September 2024

Education systems can reduce intergenerational poverty transmission if they promote equitable access to education for all children. This chapter demonstrates that the selection of learners into poor-quality Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSS) in Malawi is influenced by household poverty status. Children from poor households have a 46% higher probability of being at a CDSS than children from non-poor households. Household poverty status is not an important factor at initial selection into a CDSS, but poverty retains poor children at a CDSS, while non-poor children are taken out. We conclude that poverty selects children from poor families into poor-quality secondary schools in Malawi, thereby promoting intergenerational poverty transmission through low human capital-building. This situation can be reversed by providing bursaries to students from low-income families who get selected to conventional government secondary schools, and improving quality of public primary schools and CDSSs through provision of adequate teaching and learning materials, including teachers.
Reframing Climate Change Policies and National Development Plans for Sustainable Development in Malawi
Authors: Banda Benjamin Mattondo
Published: September 2024

Malawi’s initial NDC identified forestry, land-use change, and agriculture as the main contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the inconsistency and uncertainty of forecasts have rendered climate change policies unrealistic. The chapter estimates a structural model to try and provide accurate forecasts of carbon dioxide emissions in order to build synergies between climate change actions and development planning. The results show that contemporaneous shifts in economic and environmental variables imply that fixed coefficient models may provide erroneous forecasts, and elasticities confirm the overbearing influence of land and labour resources on the economy. The results also indicate the possibility of creating a dilemma for environmental policy due to trade-offs between reducing emissions and employment; and that Malawi is on a low emission growth path with a dynamic relationship between emissions and the economy being time sensitive, and with significant structural breaks, hence the need for regular forecast validation using time-varying forecasting methods.
Introduction
Authors: Chavula Hopestone Kayiska , Ngalawa Harold P. E. , Dulani Boniface , Munthali Thomas Chataghalala
Published: September 2024

Malawi has experienced lacklustre performance despite episodes of economic growth and development with different development policies and strategies since independence in 1964. The implementation of the plans and strategies was supported by decades of structural reforms spearheaded by the IMF and the World Bank. Notwithstanding some improvements in socio-economic terms, especially in areas such as health and education, Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with about 50% of its population living below the national poverty line and 25% in extreme poverty. Efforts to improve the situation have mostly borne very minimal impact. This introductory chapter provides historical perspectives in relation to the country’s current socio-economic development as a way of presenting the context, organization, and content of the book, mainly based on issues raised in the identified thematic areas of the book.
Elections in India
Authors: Kumar Sanjay
Published: September 2024

This paper traces the dynamic trajectory of elections in India spanning the past seven decades. It investigates the intricate rules and regulations laid out by the Election Commission of India in order to have free and fair elections. The paper examines how political parties and candidates engage in elections, highlighting the dynamics of the participatory upsurge in Indian politics. The changing nature of electoral verdicts and the transformation in the profile of elected representatives are scrutinized, providing insights into the evolving landscape of Indian democracy.
Media Exposure, Vote Choice, and Polarization in Indian Politics
Authors: Verma Rahul
Published: September 2024

This chapter explores the relationship between media exposure and vote choice in Indian elections using data from the National Election Study (NES) surveys from 1996 to 2019. It makes five broad observations. First, in the last 2 decades, the Indian electorate has had more exposure to media than ever before. The avenues of exposure have also increased in several ways. Second, electorates with higher media exposure are more likely to vote for the BJP. In that sense, the past two elections were not significantly different. Third, the BJP seems to be reaping the benefits of long-term ideological alignment in Indian politics as well as investments in both its offline and online campaign infrastructure. Fourth, while the BJP is indeed ahead in usage of new technology for the campaign purposes, only some parties have been able to match the BJP’s campaign infrastructure in their respective strongholds. Fifth, the increasing media penetration in the past decade is also marked by social and political polarization in India, which is now getting reflected in declining trust in media sources among Indian citizens.
Caste and Politics
Authors: Palshikar Suhas
Published: September 2024

This paper explores the complex relationship between caste and politics in India. It traces the development of caste-based politics and investigates how caste influences people's political choices during elections. The study focuses on four major trends since the 1990s: the decline of the Congress party, the rise of the BJP among Other Backward Classes (OBCs), state-level voting patterns, and the unpredictable nature of consistent vote banks. Additionally, the paper examines the dynamics of caste representation among those in political power in India. It delves into issues related to representation, such as the criteria for entry into politics and the distribution of ministerial power among different castes. The research also explores the complexities of caste mobilization and affirmative action following the Mandal phase. Furthermore, the paper addresses the clientelist nature of caste politics, discussing its impact on democratization and democracy. It also considers the potential for lower strata self-assertion to bring about changes in the caste hierarchy. The paper analyzes the democratic upsurge, ideological enthusiasm, and the subsequent moderation of this trend, highlighting the secularization of caste politics in competitive scenarios.
Rights and Citizenship
Authors: Jayal Niraja Gopal
Published: September 2024

Recent amendments to the law on citizenship have moved India decisively away from a jus soli regime to a hybrid regime of legal citizenship, in which jus sanguinis is privileged. Despite formal equality in the rights of citizenship, there have been significant impediments to the realization of civil and political rights for historically disadvantaged groups. In recent times, the increasing use of extraordinary laws has also placed enormous power in the state, often at the cost of individual liberty. Despite some social rights being legislated, their actual provision remains weak. As such, the attrition of formal equality in the legal status of citizenship, together with the weak provision of social rights, on the one hand, and the imperilments of civil and political rights, on the other, render fragile the project of converting formal into substantive citizenship.
Communalism
Authors: Varshney Ashutosh
Published: September 2024

Communalism is an ideology that starts with a religious identification of communities, but goes beyond that to seek political rights and privileges on religious grounds. A religiously defined community becomes a political community more interested in power and public resources, less in piety or faith. Communalism also functions as nationalism in India and South Asia, though of a particular kind. Because of its oft-made attempt to link religion and nation, communalism seeks to define national loyalty and disloyalty in religious terms. It generates rhetoric and practices that exclude and discriminate on a religious basis. When such communalism is in power, it seriously shapes state behavior, public policy and laws. When not in power, it can still seriously affect the conduct of citizens and organizations. Everyday prejudice and discrimination against ‘religious others’—on the part of the state, non-state organizations or citizens—are typical expressions of communalism. The chapter begins with a conceptual and comparative discussion of communalism, and then traces the growth of communalism in India from its peripheralisation after independence to its rise in recent decades, analyses with data the three main forms of communal violence—riots, pogroms and lynchings—and three recent ideological acts by governments at the Centre and several states.
The Evolution of India’s Economic RegulationFrom Dirigisme to the New Regulatory State and Beyond
Authors: Echeverri-Gent John
Published: September 2024

Defining economic regulation as the government’s steering the flow of economic events and behavior, this chapter documents the changing trajectory of India’s economic regulation over three periods: (i) the dirigiste era from 1947 to 1991, (ii) the rise of the new regulatory state with its increasingly market-affirming orientation from 1991 to 2014, and (iii) the mix of market-affirming and market-preempting regulatory changes during the Modi government from 2018 to 2023. The chapter documents how India’s regulatory change is a product of interaction between (i) government efforts to adapt to technological change and economic crises, (ii) the structure of existing regulatory institutions, (iii) the existing political settlement, and (iv) changes in the global ecosystem. The chapter shows how the transition from the first to the second period contributed to India’s accelerated economic growth and social welfare. It finds that while the Modi government’s regulatory reforms have brought benefits, the politicization of India’s economic regulation threatens to limit India’s ability to realize its remarkable economic promise.
The Rajya SabhaA ‘Federal Chamber’ or a Mere Upper House in the Indian Parliament?
Authors: Shastri Sandeep
Published: September 2024

The Rajya Sabha, as the Upper House of the Indian Parliament has often been described as a federal chamber, a revising chamber and a mere second chamber. Though its members are elected by the State legislatures in India, it combines the principle of size and minimal representation from the smallest states while assigning seats to every state. An analysis of the membership of the Rajya Sabha, over the last seven decades indicates that most members have been single term members. This implies that the offer of House membership is often used by party leaders to reward favourites. Prior to being elected as members of the Rajya Sabha, they have often had very little to do with the politics and party activities at the state level. A trend visible in the recent past is bringing in members who were earlier members of the lower house - Lok Sabha, as Rajya Sabha members. The Rajya Sabha appears to have lost a clear direction as it does not seem to fulfil the role its name suggests - A Council of States. In the light of the changing dynamics of Indian federalism, a review of the composition and role of the Rajya Sabha is the need of the hour.
No bidirectional association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and erectile dysfunction: Mendelian randomization and genetic association studies
Authors: Liu Xiang , Luo Longhua , Peng Cong , Wang Zixin , Zhou Jiaming , Sun Xiang
Published: September 2024

Background

The causal relationship between the level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) is still unclear.

Aim

We tried to determine the causal relationship between the level of serum 25(OH)D and ED risk.

Methods

In this study, we used genome-wide association study data from the UK Biobank to analyse the relationship between serum 25(OH)D (as the exposure) and ED (as the outcome). Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) was used to assess the genetic correlation between 2 traits. The CAUSE (Causal Analysis using Summary Effect estimates) method and Mendelian randomization (MR) were employed to evaluate the bidirectional causal relationship. The MRlap method was utilized to assess the impact of sample overlap on the results. To assess potential heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, we utilized methods such as MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO (Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier), weighted median, and others.

Outcomes

The primary outcome was defined as self or physician-reported ED, or using oral ED medication, or a history of surgery related to ED.

Results

The LDSC analysis did not reveal a significant genetic correlation between serum 25(OH)D and ED (rg = 0.2787, P = .3536). Additionally, the CAUSE (P value testing that the causal model is a better fit >.05) and MR analyses (odds ratio, 0.8951; 95% confidence interval, 0.7480-1.0710; P = .2260) did not support a causal relationship between 25(OH)D and ED, and our study did not detect any heterogeneity and pleiotropy.

Clinical implications

This study provides evidence on whether vitamin D needs to be ingested to prevent or treat ED.

Strengths and limitations

We used LDSC and MR to avoid bias. However, the population in this study was limited to European ancestry.

Conclusion

No causal relationship was found between 25(OH)D and ED.
A Novel Hybrid Injectable for Soft-tissue Augmentation: Analysis of Data and Practical Experience
Authors: Braz André , de Paula Eduardo Camila Cazerta , Pierce Alexander , Grond Alexandra , Kutikov Artem , Nakab Lauren
Published: September 2024

Background:

HA/CaHa (HArmonyCa, Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Company) is a hybrid injectable filler developed for aesthetic purposes that contains calcium hydroxyapatite microspheres suspended in a hyaluronic acid gel. This review describes preclinical and clinical data, recommendations for use based on the primary author’s clinical experience, and case studies that illustrate implementation of product use recommendations and patient outcomes.

Methods:

Preclinical data on the lift capacity and tissue integration of the HA/CaHa hybrid injectable and clinical data on its safety, efficacy, and real-world use were extracted from poster presentations, published literature, manufacturer instructions for use, and proprietary data files. Case studies were presented based on clinical experience.

Results:

The HA component of HA/CaHa provides an immediate and noticeable filling and lifting effect, whereas CaHa microspheres result in neocollagenesis. In preclinical studies, HA/CaHa demonstrated higher lift capacity (P < 0.05) and faster tissue integration than a CaHa filler and led to collagen I gene and protein expression. Clinical studies showed clinical safety and effectiveness with high patient satisfaction. The most common adverse event was injection-site response. Clinician recommendations for achieving desired aesthetic results while minimizing or preventing adverse events are reviewed, including patient selection and assessment, treatment approaches based on face shape, injection technique, and postprocedure care.

Conclusion:

The novel hybrid injectable consisting of HA with incorporated CaHa microspheres in a single marketed product may help achieve aesthetic goals by immediately restoring volume and potentially improving skin architecture and soft-tissue quality over time.
Development and internal validation of a clinical risk tool to predict chronic postsurgical pain in adults: a prospective multicentre cohort study
Authors: Papadomanolakis-Pakis Nicholas , Haroutounian Simon , Sørensen Johan Kløvgaard , Runge Charlotte , Brix Lone Dragnes , Christiansen Christian Fynbo , Nikolajsen Lone
Published: September 2024

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a highly prevalent condition. To improve CPSP management, we aimed to develop and internally validate generalizable point-of-care risk tools for preoperative and postoperative prediction of CPSP 3 months after surgery. A multicentre, prospective, cohort study in adult patients undergoing elective surgery was conducted between May 2021 and May 2023. Prediction models were developed for the primary outcome according to the International Association for the Study of Pain criteria and a secondary threshold-based CPSP outcome. Models were developed with multivariable logistic regression and backward stepwise selection. Internal validation was conducted using bootstrap resampling, and optimism was corrected by shrinkage of predictor weights. Model performance was assessed by discrimination and calibration. Clinical utility was assessed by decision curve analysis. The final cohort included 960 patients, 16.3% experienced CPSP according to the primary outcome and 33.6% according to the secondary outcome. The primary CPSP model included age and presence of other preoperative pain. Predictors in the threshold-based models associated with an increased risk of CPSP included younger age, female sex, preoperative pain in the surgical area, other preoperative pain, orthopedic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, expected surgery duration, and acute postsurgical pain intensity. Optimism-corrected area-under-the-receiver-operating curves for preoperative and postoperative threshold-based models were 0.748 and 0.747, respectively. These models demonstrated good calibration and clinical utility. The primary CPSP model demonstrated fair predictive performance including 2 significant predictors. Derivation of a generalizable risk tool with point-of-care predictors was possible for the threshold-based CPSP models but requires independent validation.
Early identification of non-occlusive acute mesenteric ischemia
Authors: Guo Hong , Chen De , Chen Ming-Ming , Liu Xiao-Li , Liu Jian
Published: September 2024

Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is insidious in the early stage of the disease, and once ischemia reaches the late stage, irreversible intestinal necrosis and even multiple system organ failure occur, ultimately leading to death. Early diagnosis and intervention are the key to improving the outcome of AMI. Intensive care unit (ICU) patients mostly present with non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) due to hypoperfusion. This article reviews the high risk factors, clinical manifestations, biomarkers, and imaging examinations of AMI in order to provide ideas for clinicians in the early identification of this disease.
Pharmacological Management of Acute and Chronic Insomnia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Valladales-Restrepo Luis Fernando , Sánchez-Ramírez Nicolás , Ospina-Sánchez Santiago , Usma-Valencia Andrés Felipe , Gaviria-Mendoza Andrés , Machado-Duque Manuel , Machado-Alba Jorge Enrique
Published: September 2024

Objective

Insomnia is a frequent and difficult disease to treat. The objective was to determine the pharmacological management of a group of patients diagnosed with acute and chronic insomnia.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study that identified patterns of prescription of drugs for outpatient use in patients with insomnia from a population database of 8.5 million individuals in the Health System of Colombia. Sociodemographic and pharmacological variables were considered.

Results

A total of 5825 patients with insomnia were identified. Acute insomnia was the most frequent complaint (85.2%). A total of 76.9% received pharmacological treatment, mainly through off-label drugs (70.7%), such as trazodone (20.2%), quetiapine (12.3%), and clonazepam (11.1%). The approved drugs were used in 9.9% of the patients, especially eszopiclone (4.7%) and zopiclone (3.6%). Benzodiazepines and Z compounds predominated in the elderly and individuals with chronic insomnia.

Conclusions

The pharmacological treatment of insomnia in this group of patients is heterogeneous, and medications not approved for this indication are very frequently used.