News

‘Abortion’ is not only a biological but also a social phenomenon. Women’s experiences of abortion are often interpreted with cultural, ethical, moral or religious connotations. Though abortion became legal in India in 1971 and was later included in the Reproductive Child Health programme in the post-Cairo period, ‘abortion seeking’ continues to be a private act that set it apart from the health seeking practices for other reproductive or general health problems of women.

Sociologist Anuja Agrawal’s book is an attempt to understand the ‘familial economy’ of the Bedia community in the light of the role that women play as both ‘chaste wives’ and ‘prostitute sisters.’ The de-notified community of the Bedias, though ‘numerically insignificant’ are found in large parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

This collection of seven essays with a thought-provoking introduction broadly recreates the contesting terrains of gender, sexuality and women’s rights to property in the 19th and early 20th century of the colonial period in India.

The book deals with the magnitude of aging in five south Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal—the order in which they appear in this book).

A ground-breaking attempt has been made to capture the dynamics of community-based natural resources management and related issues, particularly the non-governmental organization (NGO) driven developmental initiatives in this area.

Festivals like Gokulashtami, Ganeshotsav, Navratri and Mohurram are an integral part of Bombay’s social calendar. They have been and continue to be intricately connected with the city’s politics.