The Movement for Women's Emancipation Within the Bengali Muslim Community in India

This article examines the changing role of Muslim women in Bengal in the early twentieth century. Lack of education and backwardness in social ideas were responsible for women's inferior position in society. Scholars such as Ghulam Murshid, Gautam Neogi and Meredith Borthwick have shown in depth how Muslim Bengali women worked to improve their own position in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; key figures included Begum Rokea Sakhawat Hossain, Begum Shamsunnahar Mahmud and Begum Sufia Kamal. This article focuses on obstacles to social progress as well as on the positive role played by a section of the Bengali Muslim community in enabling modernisation through a programme of social reform designed to emancipate women from their traditional position of bondage in the male‐dominated society. It examines the writings (in Urdu) of women involved in the social reform movement and focuses in turn on three issues: purdah, women's rights, and education for women.     

Factors influencing rubber marketing by smallholder farmers in Thailand

This article assesses the factors determining the type of rubber product that farmers are willing to sell and the factors influencing their marketing channel choice in Thailand. Primary data were collected through questionnaire administration from 280 rubber farmers in two southern provinces. The results of the logit regression model revealed that membership of farmers’ organisation, access to knowledge and information, and total area of immature rubber positively influenced the sale of fresh latex. Membership of farmer organisations and accessibility to market infrastructure also significantly positively influenced the sale of fresh latex to farmer groups. The implications for rubber marketing are presented.     

Local risk perceptions to identify institutional and development planning needs

The article studies how local risk perceptions are influenced by state support for provision of public goods and overall institutional arrangements for the management of common pool resources (CPRs). Purposively selected communities from tribal and settled areas with variations in access to irrigation flows (perennial and non-perennial) set up a matrix for analysis. The composite risk index was constructed by calculating an incidence and severity index based on the local perceptions. The research findings have policy implications for development planning through the identification of livelihood risks, and risks associated with the management of CPRs.

Perceptions locales du risque afin d'identifier les besoins de planification institutionnels et sur le plan du développement

Cet article étudie la manière dont les perceptions locales du risque sont influencées par le soutien apporté par l’État à la fourniture de biens publics et de dispositions institutionnelles globales en vue de la gestion des ressources mises en commun (RMC). Des communautés sélectionnées sur la base d'objectifs définis dans des zones tribales et sédentaires avec un accès variable aux flux d'irrigation (pérennes et non pérennes) forment une matrice pour l'analyse. L'indice composite de risque a été élaboré en calculant un indice de fréquence et de gravité basé sur les perceptions locales. Les conclusions des recherches ont des implications sur le plan des politiques générales pour la planification du développement à travers l'identification des risques pour les moyens de subsistance, et des risques associés à la gestion des RMC.

Percepciones de riesgo locales para identificar las necesidades de planeación institucional y de desarrollo

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo examinar cómo las percepciones de riesgo locales son determinadas por el apoyo estatal para la provisión de bienes públicos y por las normas institucionales generales para la gestión de recursos utilizados en común (common pool resources o cpr). Para el efecto, se seleccionaron comunidades de áreas tribales y urbanizadas que presentaban variaciones de acceso a los flujos de irrigación (perennes y no perennes). Dichas comunidades establecieron una matriz para su análisis. Basándose en las percepciones locales se construyó el índice de riesgo compuesto, calculando un índice de incidencia y de severidad. Los hallazgos de la investigación tienen implicaciones a nivel de políticas públicas para la planeación de desarrollo mediante la identificación de riesgos para los medios de vida y de riesgos asociados al manejo de los cpr.

Percepções de risco locais para identificar as necessidades de planejamento institucional e de desenvolvimento

O artigo estuda como as percepções de risco locais são influenciadas pelo apoio do estado para provisão de bens públicos e arranjos institucionais em geral para a gestão de recursos de uso comum (Common Pool Resources - CPRs). Comunidades selecionadas propositadamente de áreas tribais e de assentamento, com variações no acesso a fontes de irrigação (perenes e não-perenes), estabeleceram uma matriz para análise. O índice de risco composto foi construído calculando-se um índice de incidência e de gravidade com base nas percepções locais. Os resultados da pesquisa possuem implicações de políticas para o planejamento de desenvolvimento através da identificação dos riscos dos meios de subsistência e os riscos associados à gestão dos CPRs.