Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Economy Of Change: The Organic Market As A Model For Agricultural Development In India, Amanda White

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In India, 50% of children under five years of age are malnourished amidst a yearly surplus in grain production. Approximately 40% of food is lost in transport on a daily basis, yet the country has been able to prevent major famines for over 60 years. In a country with a GDP of 8-9% and an ever-growing presence on the international economic stage, these double standards cannot be tolerated. 260 million Indians live in extreme poverty, and 40% of those depend mainly on agricultural labor. This sector accounts for approximately 26% of India’s GDP, and provides employment for about 70% of …

Education In A Rural Context: A Catalyst For Disappearing Villages?, Seth Schy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the proposal for this ISP the basic hypothesis was that education would catalyze an urban transition in Ogna. Specifically, it seemed as though people were leaving Ogna in pursuit of higher education, and eventually for a job in the city. It was posited that the eventual yet large migration to the city would have various effects on the social, economic, and structural stability of Ogna, and further, it was thought that with this migration a drastic change in Ogna’s culture would occur. Thus it appeared possible that eventually Ogna as it is today might cease to exist. As a …

Self-Employed, Self-Empowered: Working Women In Benares, Madeline S. Oatman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Economic independence is the password to women’s empowerment.”

Sathi Nair, a Senior Administrative Services official in Andhra Pradesh.

Twenty or so women sit peacefully on a cool cement floor at the Kutumb program center in Benares, India. The room floats like an oasis above the dusty heat of the street, and unobstructed light pours in through a large window. The women, heads bowed, black hair shining, are stitching and measuring, brows furrowed in concentration despite the lull of the lazy afternoon. They have come to learn a skill in order to make extra income, to be around women, exchange advice …