STIP Lecture "The Future of Toilet and Sewage Treatment: Innovation for Sustainability" | 18 May at IHC

8th STIP Lecture: 

The Future of Toilet and Sewage Treatment: Innovation for Sustainability

18 May 2018 | India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

EPW Book Review "Environmental Sustainability from the Himalayas to the Oceans: Struggles and Innovations in China and India"

Environmental Sustainability from the Himalayas to the Oceans: Struggles and Innovations in China and India 

edited by Shikui Dong, Jayanta Bandyopadhyay and Sanjay Chaturvedi; Springer, 2017, pp 270, hardcover, ISBN: 9783319440354.

About the Book: ​The book is written in the backdrop of the environmental impacts of and future requirements from the natural environment for rapid economic growth that has characterized recent economic history of China and India, especially over the past few decades. The environmental impacts of such rapid economic changes have been, more frequently than otherwise, degrading in character. Environmental impacts of economic activities create degraded natural ecosystems by over utilization of nature's provisioning ecosystem services (from Himalaya to the Ocean), as well, by the use of the natural environment as sink for dumping of unmarketable products or unused inputs of economic activities. Such processes affect wide range of ecosystem processes on which the natural environment including human population depend on. Critical perspectives cast by various chapters in this book draw attention to the various ways in which space and power interact to produce diverse geographies of sustainability in a globalizing world. They also address the questions such as who decides what kind of a spatial arrangement of political power is needed for sustaining the environment. Who stands to gain (or lose) what, when, where, and why from certain geographical areas being demarcated as ecologically unique, fragile and vulnerable environments? Whose needs and values are being catered to by a given ecosystem service? What is the scope for critical inquiry into the ways in which the environment is imagined, represented and resisted in both geopolitical struggles and everyday life? The book provides insights to both academics from diverse disciplines and policy makers, civil society actors interested in mutual exchange of knowledge between China and India. 

Further Details

Review of the Book

Interpreting Environmentalism and Sustainability in China and India. 

by Nilanjan Ghosh, Economic and Political Weekly, 2018, 53(19), 28-31. Read Full-text Book Review.

New Book "Dignity in the Legal and Political Philosophy of Ronald Dworkin"

Dignity in the Legal and Political Philosophy of Ronald Dworkin

edited by Salman Khurshid, Lokendra Malik, and Veronica Rodriguez-Blanco, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2018, 511 pages, hardback, ISBN: 9780199484171.

About the Book: Well-known for his contribution to the juristic world, Professor Ronald Dworkin was an outstanding legal philosopher of his generation. This volume celebrates the thoughts of Ronald Dworkin on dignity. The contributors have critically engaged with different perspectives of Dworkin's thoughts on dignity. The aim is to shed light on juridical and moral contemporary conundrums such as the role of dignity in constitutional contexts in India, and the understanding of dignity as either a foundation of human rights or as a supra value that illuminates other values and rights.

The volume is divided into four parts. The first part 'Integrity, Values, Interpretation, and Objectivity' focuses on Dworkin's interpretive methodology and examines the way his value holism relies on his interpretative methodology. The second part 'Dignity, Responsibility, and Free Will' concentrates on elucidating the complex relationship between dignity, human will, and responsibility in Dworkin's moral, legal, and political philosophy. In the third part 'Freedom of Speech, Right to Privacy, and Rights', the authors use Dworkin's philosophical moral framework and the interpretative methodology to shed light on his own views on freedom of speech and the language of rights, including human rights. The fourth part 'Dignity, Constitutions, and Legal Systems' critically discusses Dworkin's interpretative methodology to understand dignity in the context of constitutions, state, and law beyond the state. With contributions from eminent scholars across the world, the present volume will help in disseminating Dworkin's rich jurisprudential thoughts.

Table of Contents

Foreword | John Finnis

Introduction | Veronica Rodriguez-Blanco

Part I Integrity, Values, Interpretation, and Objectivity 

Ronald Dworkin: Life and Works | Lokendra Malik

Integrity and Truth in Law's Empire | Jonathan Crowe

Dworkin's Perfectionism | James E. Fleming and Linda C. McClain

Interpretation in Normative Domains | Alexander Brown

Justice, Integrity, and the Common Law | Trevor R.S. Allan

Taking (Human) Dignity and Rights Seriously: The Integrated Legal, Moral, and Political Philosophy of Ronald Dworkin | Imer Flores

Are There Any Interpretative Concepts? | Pritam Baruah 

Part II Dignity, Responsibility, and Free Will 

Interpreting Human Dignity | Allen W. Wood

Dworkin's Dignity Under the Lens of the Magician of Könisberg | Veronica Rodriguez-Blanco

Does Dignity Help in Thinking about Paternalism | Barbara Baum Levenbook

Dignity, Rights, and Virtues in the Department of Values | Isabel Trujillo 

Part III Freedom of Speech, Right to Privacy, and Human Rights 

Dignity and Free Speech | David Richards

Ronald Dworkin and Free Speech | James Allan

Exit Hercules: Ronald Dworkin and the Crisis of the Age of Rights | Lorenzo Zucca 

Part IV Dignity, Constitutions, and Legal Systems 

Revamping Associative Obligations | George Pavlakos

Dworkinian Dignity: Rights and Responsibilities of a Life Well Lived | Erin Daly

Ronald Dworkin's Judge: Philosopher Master of Rights | Salman Khurshid

A Dworkinian Reading of the Indian Constitution | Suhrith Parthasarathy

A Dworkinian Right to Privacy in New Zealand | Mark Bennett and Petra Butler 

Afterword | Justice A.K. Sikri

​More Information about the Book

New Book "Women Scientists in India: Lives, Struggles, Achievements" | by Anjana Chattopadhyay, NBT

Women Scientists in India: Lives, Struggles, Achievements

by Anjana Chattopadhyay, National Book Trust, New Delhi, 2018, 492 pages, ISBN 9788123781440.

About the Book

The book is a landmark study focusing on rare facts related to the pioneering women scientists of India. It provides an overview of their relentless struggles and achievements that changed the course of science in India. The book has also covered the thrilling stories of foreign women missionaries who worked relentlessly for the wellbeing of people in India. The author has made an attempt to unfold the stories of great women scientists who remain hidden in scattered historical pages of unknown documents including newspapers, journals, dissertations and travelogues.

About the Author

Dr. Anjana Chattopadhyay (b. 1950), former Director General of Delhi Public Library System, was educated in University of Delhi and Annamalai University. She did her PhD from University of Bundelkhand. She served as the Deputy Librarian of the Jawaharlal Nehru University as well as Director, National Medical Library. During her tenure at various organisations, she had initiated several innovative programmes to make knowledge resources reachable to all. She started Electronic Resources in Medicine (ERMED), a network to provide free full-texts of articles from global journals to medical communities, including those, who are stationed at remote corners of the country. Dr. Anjana Chattopadhyay has written several articles and contributed many chapters in books. Besides, she has authored a series of books including Encyclopaedia of Indian Scientists (1995) and Dictionary of Indian Scientists (2002).

Further Details

ADBR article "Safeguarding health and well-being of people: How Clinical Trials in Africa set for Sustainable Development Goals?" | by SK Patra & M Muchie

Safeguarding health and well-being of people: How Clinical Trials in Africa set for Sustainable Development Goals?

by Swapan Kumar Patra, & Mammo Muchie, Asian Biotechnology Development Review, 2017, 19(3), 3-23.

Abstract: To make availabile cheap medicines for number of diseases is one of the pressing challenges in Africa. Clinical trials are the foundation for making new medicines and continuation of the existing medicine. With the diverse patient population, African continent is a fertile ground for conducting clinical trials by many pharmaceutical firms, universities or research institutes. Governments of many African countries have adopted suitable pharmaceutical policies to make these countries comparatively researcher friendly and thus attracting firms or institutes to conduct the clinical trials. Governments of these countries are considering in making them centre of excellence in pharmaceutical and healthcare research. As a result, over the past few decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of registered clinical trials all -over Africa. This study is an attempt to map the clinical trial activities in African continent using data from the clinical trial database (ClinicalTrials.gov) website of the United State Government. It has been observed that although there has been a growth of clinical trials all -over African continent in the recent years, it is comparatively lower to other parts of the globe. The total number of the trials have shown that they are only conducted and that too to a limited extent in a few countries of the continent having stronger science and technology (S&T) base. The study concludes with some policy recommendations, including uniform research guidelines, and ethical regulations for further improvement of clinical trial research in Africa.

Keywords: Healthcare, Africa, Clinical Trial, Internationalization, Globalization, Globalization of R&D

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ADBR article "Regions, Knowledge Communities and Innovation Dynamics: A Case of Bengaluru Biocluster in India" | by N Pandey, & PN Desai

Regions, Knowledge Communities and Innovation Dynamics: A Case of Bengaluru Biocluster in India

by Nimita Pandey, & Pranav N. Desai, Asian Biotechnology Development Review, 2017, 19(3), 25-46.

Abstract: Scholars from the diverse academic themes have reflected and discussed the connection between the innovation and the geographical settings. In developing countries, like India, high technology cluster development is not a new phenomenon, and has been a significant tool for policy implications. However, such clusters have emerged in certain regions, specifically southern India, endowed with diverse set of 'knowledge bases/knowledge communities', which are being utilized at different stages of the innovation. Among the clusters in southern India, Bengaluru biocluster is an important example to reflect upon various dimensions of the regional innovation system. The presence of some of the premier research institutions, Indian and foreign multinationals, skilled workforce, backed by robust policy initiatives, provides Bengaluru an edge over other clusters located in other parts of the country. With this prelude, the study attempts to explore different knowledge communities and innovation dynamics in the Bengaluru biocluster, which is influenced, inter alia, by the global waves of innovation. A mixed method is adopted along with a case study approach to examine the given cluster. Moreover, the study infers that knowledge communities enjoy linkages at the local, regional and global levels; leading to expansion of cluster. Evidently, publications and patents outputs as well as collaborating activities have an inter-relation with innovation process. 

Keywords: Biocluster, Knowledge Communities, Bengaluru, Regional Innovation, Collaborations

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New Book "Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation: Trade-offs and Governance"

Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation: Trade-offs and Governance

Edited By Kate Schreckenberg, Georgina Mace, Mahesh Poudyal. Routledge, 2018, 352 pages, ISBN 9780429016295. 

About the Book: Understanding how to sustain the services that ecosystems provide in support of human wellbeing is an active and growing research area. This book provides a state-of-the-art review of current thinking on the links between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation. In part it showcases the key findings of the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) programme, which has funded over 120 research projects in more than 50 countries since 2010. ESPA's goal is to ensure that ecosystems are being sustainably managed in a way that contributes to poverty alleviation as well as to inclusive and sustainable growth. As governments across the world map how they will achieve the 17 ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, most of which have poverty alleviation, wellbeing and sustainable environmental management at their heart, ESPA's findings have never been more timely and relevant.

The book synthesises the headline messages and compelling evidence to address the questions at the heart of ecosystems and wellbeing research. The authors, all leading specialists, address the evolving framings and contexts for the work, review the impacts of ongoing drivers of change, present new ways to achieve sustainable wellbeing, equity, diversity, and resilience, and evaluate the potential contributions from conservation projects, payment schemes, and novel governance approaches across scales from local to national and international.

The cross-cutting, thematic chapters challenge conventional wisdom in some areas, and validate new methods and approaches for sustainable development in others. The book will provide a rich and important reference source for advanced students, researchers and policy-makers in ecology, environmental studies, ecological economics and sustainable development.

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