XXXII INDIAN SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS

01 PREAMBLE

The Indian Academy of Social Sciences (ISSA) shall hold the 32nd session of the Indian Social Science Congress (ISSC) under the auspices of Jamia Millia Islamia between December 17 and 22, 2008 at New Delhi with a view to discovering, developing and disseminating science of Nautre-Man-Society through multidisciplinary critical appraisal and integration of current research and theory across all branches of science and thereby improving the quality of research and teaching in universities, colleges and schools.

02 THE INDIAN SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS

Since science as an objective knowledge of living and non-living things is social, Indian Social Science Congress strives to bring all branches of science together under its umbrella with a view to building science of Nature-Man-Society in Indian conditions in particular, and in world conditions in general. All branches of science – social, historical, philosophical, linguistics, juridical, physical, chemical, biological, mathematical, ecological, environmental, medical, health, agricultural, engineering, biotechnological, computer and information technological are represented through 26 Intradisciplinary and 34 Multidisciplinary Thematic Research Committees in it. Since there is no scientific literature in Indian languages even after 60 years of India’s independence which has telling effect on the ever declining quality of science education and research in our country, the Indian Academy of Social Sciences through Indian Social Science Congress strives to produce scientific literature in forms of monographs, books and proceedings in all Indian languages. Building bridges between universities/colleges/institutes/laboratories and peoples and the society is another vital object of the ISSC.

First Indian Social science Congress was held in February 1976 at Allahabad. Since then it has been held every year regularly. So far 31 sessions of it have been held in different parts of India and the 32nd session is scheduled to be held between December 17 and 22, 2008 at New Delhi. The University Grants Commission recognizes Indian Social Science Congress on par with Indian Science Congress. All the creative minds find Indian Social Science Congress as a most creative and stimulating national forum of science for creative and democratic interactions, exchanges, dialogues and discourses on all scientific issues of theoretical and methodological significance.

Each session of ISSC has a focal theme and numerous other themes. A National Academic Planning Committee (NAPC) comprising the eminent scientists, social activists, policy planners, Vice-chancellors and Directors steers the formulation of details of the focal theme and academic programmes. A Task Force appraises and integrates the deliberations. Numerous pre-and-post ISSC local, regional and nationals symposia, seminars, colloquia are held throughout the year. Quite a large number of universities, colleges and institutes are actively involved in it.

03 FOCAL THEME

Today Indian Republic is faced with severe economic, political, social and cultural challenges. This is so notwithstanding so-called high growth rate. Growing disparities between the rich and the poor, between the rural and urban, between agriculture and industry and linear growth in unemployment, poverty and disease may eventually cause collapse of the Indian Republic. Indian Academy of Social Sciences, therefore, has resolved to focus the deliberations of the 32nd session of the Indian Social Science Congress on ‘ THE INDIAN REPUBLIC AT THE CROSSROADS’ with a view to evolving correct comprehension, approach and remedial measures through collective scientific thinking and action. A tentative note on it is given at the end of it for critical comments, suggestions and comprehensive reponse from the scientists.

04 STRUCTURE

The Indian Social Science Congress is structured on the conception of unitary science of Nature-Man-Society. Its structure proceeds from intradisciplinary researches to interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary thematic researches and theories. Science of the non-living matter and living matter including the science of man and society form the foundation of structure of the ISSC. The structure of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress will, therefore, incorporate the following.

0401 : PLENARY ON FOCAL THEME

Six to seven plenary sessions on “The Indian Republic At The Crossroads” will be held during the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress. Each plenary will be of two hour duration. The thematic details of the plenary will be announced by June 30, 2008.

0402 INTRADISCIPLINARY RESEARCH COMMITTES

There are 26 Intradisciplinary Research Committees in the Indian Socizl science Congress. Each Committee has a chairperson, a co-chairperson, a convener, a co-convener and 15-25 members from all over India. Each Research Committee is expected (a) to undertake appraisal and integration of current research and theory within it; ((b) to strive to discover, develop and disseminate new theory and method; (c) to evolve new methods and theory for improving teaching and research in universities, colleges and research institutes; (d) to undertake preparation and publication of good monographs and books in all Indian languages for improving the quality of science education and research through Indian languages and (e) to contribute to formulation and implementation of appropriate national policy of education and national policy of science and technology including the policy of peoples’ health and employment. The Committee functions through correspondence and meets once in a year during the Indian Social Science Congress.

Each Research Committee has two kinds of academic programmes during the Indian Social Science Congress. These are: one, symposia/seminars/colloquia/special lectures on some aspects of the focal theme or on the theme chosen by the given RC. Two, research papers received from the research scientists of the given discipline. All the research scientists doing research on issues and areas of their concern are welcome to present their papers at the ISSC. The details of all the 26 RCs are given below:

01    Agricultural Science Research Committee. Civilization.

02    Anthropology Research Committee. Civilization.

03    Biomedical Science, Social Medicine and Community Health Research Committee. Civilization.

04    Biotechnology Research Committee.

05    Commerce Research Committee. Civilization.

06    Communication and Journalism Research Committee.

07    Computer Science and Information Technology Research Committee.

08    Defence and Strategic Studies Research Committee.

09    Ecology And Environmental Science Research Committee.

10    Economics Research Committee.

11    Education Research Committee.

12    Geography Research Committee.

13    History, Archaeology and Culture Research Committee.

14    Home Science Research Committee .

15    International Relations Research Committee.

16    Juridical Science (Law).

17    Linguistics Research Committee.

18    Management Science Research Committee.

19    Philosophy Research Committee.

20    Political Science Research Committee.

21    Population Science Research Committee.

22    Psychology Research Committee.

23    Science & Technology Policy Research Committee.

24    Social Works Research Committee.

25    Sociology Research Committee.

26    Mathematics & Statistics Research Committee.

0403 MULTIDISCIPLINARY THEMATIC RESEARCH COMMITTEES

There are 34 Multidisciplinary Thematic Research Committees in the Indian Social science Congress. Each of these have a chairperson or convener and 10-15 members. Scientists of different disciplines doing research on the common theme are encouraged to engage in interactive exchanges and communication with a view to discovering common language, common method and common theory. The details of all the 34 Multidisciplinary Thematic Research Committees are as follows:

01    The Political Economy of India

02    Peasants, Agriculture, Technology & Market Forces

03    Survival and Growth of Small Industries and Small Producers

04    Global Capital, Multinational Corporation And Industrial Development

05    Democracy And Human Rights in Today’s Global World Civilization.

06    State, Society And Peoples

07    Democratic Politics, Political Parties and Democratic Political Institutions

08    Ecological And Environmental Protection Studies And Movements

09    Global Market Forces, Social Policies, Welfare Programmes And Social Justice

10    Education, Skill Formation And Utilization

11    Creativity, Innovations And Discoveries

12    Social Processes And Social Structures In Globalised World

13    Peoples' Health and Quality of Life in Globalised World

14    Peoples’ Liberation Struggles And Movements For New Democratic Discrimination –Free World Order (Dalits, Tribals, Women, Peasants, etc.)

15    Socio-Economic-Linguistics, Communal Conflicts And Violence

16    Information Technology, Mass Media And Culture

17    Social Alienation of Modern Man

18    Development of Indian Languages, Linguistic Unity And Diversity

19    Cultural Heritage: Archaeological Excavations and Preservation of Historical Monuments

20    Population, Poverty And Migration In Global World

21    Labor In Organized And Unorganized Sectors of Global Economy

22    Diffusion, Propagation And Communication of Science

23    Natural Resources, Bio-diversity And Geographic Information System

24    Patent Laws And Intellectual Property Rights

25    World Organizations, World Trade and Commerce (UNO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, G-8, G-15, Regional Groups, WTO etc)

26    Conflicts, War, Peace And Social Security In Globalize World

27    Science, Technology And Peoples Development

28    Nation-States And Emerging Challenges

29    Imperialism, Colonialism, Neo-colonialism And Uni-polar World

30    Unity of Knowledge (Science of Man-Society-Nature)

31    Social Theory of Change And Development

32    Evolution of Man And Society

33    Rural Technology, Social Organization And Rural Development

34    Problematique of Democratic Governance in Globalize World

0404 NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS/SYMPOSIA/COLLOQUIA

Themes of nationals seminars/symposia/colloquia shall be announced soon.

0405 AD-HOC GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Besides, research scientists/social activists/policy planners desirous of organizing small group discussions on themes of their concern are welcome to send their proposals under ‘Ad Hoc Group Discussions’. Time is allotted for such discussions during post-dinner session between 2100 and 2330 hours. The proposer shall undertake the responsibility of planning and organizing such discussions. There ought to be atleast 5 participants in any Ad Hoc Group Discussion.

05 PUBLIC LECTURES

The Indian Academy of Social Sciences organizes public lectures by eminent scientists, social activists, policy planners and educationists prior to, during and after the Indian Social Science Congress with a view to communicating science to the people. Such lectures are held in the evening hour during the Indian Social Science Congress.

06 TASK FORCE

A Task Force set up by the Executive Council of the ISSA deliberates over the deliberations of the Indian Social Science Congress with a view to discovering and integrating newer ideas/theories and methods emerging at it. It prepares its recommendations in form of a Trend Report which is further deliberated over by the delegates before finalization.

07 EXHIBITION

It is proposed to organize books and posters exhibition during the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress. Posters/Films/Audio-Visuals/Books on various aspects of ‘The Indian Republic At The Crossroads’ in their historical perspective can be put on display. Those wishing to participate in the Exhibition are advised to contact the Local Secretary, Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil before September 30, 2008. All the participants shall be required to get themselves registered by paying the stipulated registration fee to the Indian Academy of Social Sciences

08 MEDIUM

Hindi and English are the official medium of deliberations of the Indian Social Science Congress. As a policy Indian Academy of Social Sciences would like to have the deliberations in all Indian languages. But in the absence of necessary infrastructure and resources, it has to limit itself to Hindi and English.

09 SUBMISSION OF PAPERS

All those who wish to present a substantive research paper are avised to submit three copies of their papers along with its CD latest by November 03, 2008. However, the abstracts of the papers should be submitted on or before September 30, 2008. Papers can be submitted till November 30, 2008. But such papers may not be printed in the Social Science Abstracts. No paper shall be received and included in programmes of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress after November 30, 2008. The paper submitted must be based on empirical, theoretical, historical, archaeological or statistical research. Papers based on ‘Critical review of research on a given theme for 10-15 years of research and polemical papers too can be submitted.

The author of each paper needs to sign Declaration Form stating that the paper is based on the author’s original research and that it has neither been presented nor has been submitted for presentation and publication elsewhere. There can be more than one author of a paper if a team of researchers has carried out the research. One author, however, can submit only one paper. The papers can be written either in Hindi or in English.

10 PROGRAMMES

A model of academic programmes of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress is given at the end of this brochure. One day or half day is meant for sight seeing by the delegates. All plenaries will be held between 0900 at 1300 hours every day; all Intradisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Thematic Research Committees shall meet between 1400 and 1730 hours in parallel sessions concurrently; public lectures will be held between 1730 and 1900 hours; official meetings and cultural programmes will be held between 1900 and 2000 hours and Task Force, Ad Hoc Group Discussions/State Committees, etc. shall meet between 2100 and 2330 hours.

11 GOLD MEDAL AWARDS

Gold medals are awarded for best research papers presented at the ISSC. Awards are given at the next ISSC. Scientists, philanthropists and Trusts desirous of donating funds for gold Medal(s) are welcome to send their proposals to the General Secretary, Indian Academy of Social Sciences. All donations are exempt from income tax under 80(G) of Income Tax Act, 1961.

12 REGISTRATION

It is imperative for every one to pay the registration fee as stated below for attending the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress:

An institution/organization can depute its three or more representatives at the Indian Social Science Congress. In the event of more than three representatives, the cost of registration for individual delegate (member or non member) shall be payable by the concerned institution/organization.

The word ‘accompanying person’ means wife or husband or child. A child below the age of 6 years shall not be charged for food.

Unregistered scholars shall be required to buy the food coupon from the counter. No certificate shall be issued to unregistered scholars or scholars who have registered without submitting any papers.

The Registered delegate is entitled to receive all publications of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress including its proceedings free of cost, free hostel accommodation, free meals, free transport from Railway station to the place of accommodation at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi and from hostel to the venue, banquets and cultural programmes. However, delegates staying in hotels or on their own shall not be entitled for free transport. Local registered delegates will be entitled for kitbags, free lunch, day tea/coffee and banquets only. Free Breakfast, lunch, day tea and dinner will be available to registered delegates with effect from evening of December 17 to the evening of December 22, 2008 only

The registration fee should be sent to the General Secretary, Indian Academy of Social Sciences by an account payee DD in favour of Indian Academy of Social sciences payable at Allahabad under registered cover. Outstation cheque or money order will not be entertained.

Although on the spot registration will be made, yet the Organizing Committee is not bound to provide hostel accommodation to such delegates if the accommodation is not available. It is, therefore, advisable to get registered within the stipulated time in order to avoid last minutes inconvenience.

The invited scholars and members of the Executive Council, Organising Committee and other bodies and special invitees are advised to pay the registration fee within the stipulated time and claim its reimbursement along with or without their TA bills as intimated by the General Secretary, Indian Academy of Social Sciences.

Refund of the registration fee will be made after deducting 40% as the service charges if the request for it is received before December 05, 2008. Literature of the XXXII ISSC, however, shall not be supplied in such cases. Those who have registered but are not able to attend the XXXII ISSC because of unavoidable reasons would be supplied all the publications if their request for refund is not received within the stipulated date or if they do not wish refund.

In the event of more than one author of a paper, all will be required to pay the registration fee individually

One who submits abstract of the paper but not the full text shall not be issued certificate of presentation of the paper. One who leaves the session in the middle for sightseeing or any other work too shall be not entitled to receive certificate.

13 TRAVEL

All the research scientists, teachers, students, social activists and policy planners intending to attend XXXII Indian Social Science Congress are advised to seek travel support from their respective organizations. However, a few such scholars who have no organizational support and whose research papers are adjudged as of quite high standard or who have been invited to deliver plenary/public/special lectures may be provided either full or partial financial support by ISSA and Jamia Millia Islamia depending upon availability of funds. Such scholars are advised to write to the General Secretary, Indian Academy of Social Sciences along with their papers before October 15, 2008. No on the spot request for financial support shall be entertained. Since the position of funds is known only around the dates of the ISSC, no commitment is possible well in advance. So the scholars applying for travel support are advised to make necessary arrangement on their own well in time. This, however, will not apply to invited scholars/resource persons. The General Secretary shall intimate the decision of the appropriate committee on the request for travel support before December 01, 2008 if the position of funds ia known by then.

14 ACCOMMODATION

The Jamia Millia Islamia shall provide Guesthouse/Hostel accommodation to the registered scholars attending XXXII ISSC free of charge on receipt of request before November 15, 2008. Most of the accommodations will be double-bedded rooms. Those who wish to stay in hotels are advised to make their own arrangements. Local Secretary shall help such scholars in hotel reservation provided one-day room rent is sent to her by a DD in favour of Local Secretary, XXXII Indian Social Science Congress payable at Jamia Millia Islamia

All the scholars are advised to carry warm clothes and mosquito nets or repellants. Guesthouse/Hostel accommodation will be available from the afternoon of December 17, 2008 to the night of December 22, 2008 free of charge. All are advised to send filled-in Accommodation Form to the Local Secretary before November 15, 2008.

Temperature in Delhi during December is between 05 and 10 degree Celsius.. Delhi is very cold in December.

15 TRANSPORT

The Organising Committee will provide transport from the Railway Station/Bus Station/Airport at New Delhi to the place of accommodation and from Hostel to the venue of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress free of cost. However, no such arrangement will be made for those staying in hotels or elsewhere in the city. Those traveling by train should get down at Nizamuddin/New Delhi/Old Delhi. There will be a reception booth at Nizamuddin/New Delhi Railway station. All are advised to contact the Reception booth on arrival. In the event of non-availability of volunteers at reception booth, one should take an auto or taxi for Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110 025 which is about 11 kilometers from the New Delhi railway station and about 5 kilometers from Nizamuddin railway station. Auto fare from New Delhi railway station is Rs. 65.00.

16 RECEPTION

The Organizing Committee shall make arrangement for reception and transportation of delegates arriving by train/bus/plane at New Delhi on receipt of intimation about their arrival well in advance. Arrival/Departure Form given in the end should be sent to the Local Secretary before December 05, 2008.

17 SIGHT SEEING

Arrangement for sight seeing will be made by the Local Secretary during the Congress. Those wishing to see historical places in New Delhi are advised to write to Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil, the Local Secretary, well in advance.

18 WHO CAN PARTICIPATE ?

One who is teaching and doing research in any field of science—social, historical, philosophical, linguistics, Juridical, physical, chemical, biological, engineering, medical and health, agricultural, ecological and environmental, computer science and information technology, biotechnology, mathematics and statistics or one who is actively involved in field works/social engineering or one who is deeply involved in developmental policy formulations and is a member of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences and has paid the registration fee is eligible to present a paper based on research/critical review of researches or critical analysis and participate in the deliberations of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress. Those who are deeply involved in thinking about or shaping The Indian Republic At The Crossroads are especially welcome to participate in the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress.

19 WHOM TO CONTACT?

Please write to the following for further details if necessary and send your membership, registration and paper under registered cover to:

Please write to the following for accommodation, transport, food, sightseeing and exhibition:

20 WEBSITE

Please visit our websites:www.issaindia.in or www.jmi.nic.in for further details of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress. It is proposed to put the abstracts of all accepted papers on our website by December 10, 2008. Allotment of accommodation and programmes too shall be put on websites.

21 ABSTRACT AND REGISTRATION FORM

Please Click here To Open Registration Form.

INDIAN SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS

A NOTE ON

THE INDIAN REPUBLIC AT THE CROSSROADS

0100 PREAMBLE

The Indian Academy of Social Sciences (ISSA) has resolved to focus the deliberations of the Thirty Second Session of the Indian Social Science Congress (ISSC) on ‘The Indian Republic At The Crossroads’ with a view to discovering, developing and disseminating newer and better democratic theory and methods of peoples’ sovereignty through which all Indians irrespective of their birth, caste, class, creed and gender can enjoy higher quality of material, social and cultural life while living in peace and harmony with nature.

0200 CONTEXT

The deliberations of the 31st Indian Social Science Congress were centred on Peoples’ Struggles And Movements For Equitable Society. Its proceedings, which are now available in print, showed deepening socio-economic-ecological and political crisis in India in particular, and world in general. Neo-liberal theory based global capital appeared accelerating and intensifying the processes of enrichment of the few and impoverishment of the majority. The process of globalising growth of capital overthrew all the constitutional goals of peoples’ sovereignty, democracy, socialism and secularism. Ninety per cent of the population was pushed on the brink of poverty, hunger and death. Barbasim, tribalism ad terrorism have overtaken the whole world.

The culmination of the process that started a decade- and- a half ago under the benignly sounding rubric of economic reforms seems to be reaching its logical conclusion in the fundamental reorientation and realignment of the strategic policy. Typically, neither the beginning of the process nor its attempted culmination has popular sanction. And yet, the ruling establishment seems to be convinced about not only the desirability of the trajectory but also its inevitability.

In sharp contrast to the perception and priorities of the ruling establishment, three issues will be dominating the discourse that will eventually define the future of the Republic of India : Agrarian crisis; Alienation of the minorities; and Assertion of the Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs and the counter-offensive by the elite against this assertion. No other issue will likely churn the polity as thoroughly as these three in the years to come. The pet themes that currently grip the attention of our media and the ruling elite,( eg. ‘workshop of the world with globally competitive industry’, ‘knowledge- based society’, ‘hundreds of billions of foreign investment’, ‘soaring sensex’, ‘world class cities’, ‘convertible rupee’, ‘ double digit growth rate’, and ‘India emerging as a great power’) may in all likelihood simply fade into oblivion much the same way as the slogan “Shining India” did, not too long ago.

The three issues have already emerged on our political landscape. But they are being viewed by the mainstream political formations more as grist to the mill of competitive , opportunist, electoral politics. They seem to be perceived as discreet phenomena, each having its own distinct logic with little interconnection. Worse still, in their eyes, these are mere hiccups, although they are discomforting and sometimes, even unnerving. The galloping growth, the strengthening of internal security apparatus and the camouflage of the ‘human face’ are, in their judgment, expected to ‘take care’ of such sporadic episodes. Casual empiricism, pragmatism and opportunism that characterize the mainstream approaches miss the wood for the trees, misconceive the spreading forest fire as sporadic arson, or, even worse, treat it as an opportunity to roast their political game.

The three issues are connected with one another integrally and can not be viewed in isolation or empirically. The themes they invoke are part of a longer historical continuum at the national level. They are also vitally linked to contemporary global processes.

The agrarian crisis and the threatened decimation of the peasantry are causally connected with the process of “globalising growth” which is the accepted agenda of all mainstream political formations. By “globalising” growth we mean growth which is dependent and volatile, unequalising and polarizing, environment- endangering and livelihood- destroying.

The small and marginal peasantry, the forest dwelling Adivasis , the landless poor depending on agriculture and allied activities and handicrafts for their livelihood are the first and the worst victims of the unfolding logic of the ‘globalising growth’. A large mass of Dalits, the OBCs and the minorities, particularly Muslim minority, falls in the one or the other of these affected categories. Additionally Muslims suffer from serious jeopardy arising out of the USA’s global politics of Islamophobia , the strategic lock-in with USA that the ruling establishment is pursuing vigorously and the inevitable repercussions thereof. Growing assertion of these marginalized classes is the dialectical response to the developing situation.

Welfare of the peasantry, secularism, and social justice were the three objective functions which defined our national freedom movement, a remarkable and unique mass movement against colonialism in the modern times. It is not that these desiderata were realized in their entirety in actuality. But they contributed immensely to the process of nation building. Without their articulation, the Indian Nation could never be a viable entity. The trinity of the issues that would dominate the political discourse underlines the contemporary reality of the developing challenge to these basic tenets and the emerging response to this challenge: The conjuncture reflects the Indian Republic at the crossroads.

The dynamics of the situation can be better understood if we place it in the global perspective. Three major contradictions can be clearly perceived at the global level in contemporary times:

• North vs. South;
• “Growth” vs. Environment Conservation;
• Corporate Capital vs. the stagnating median( North) and the poor masses( South).

• Military Confrontation between the US forces and the West Asian Nationalism;
• Fragility (and the rapacity) of the Global Financial System;
• Threatened decimation of the world peasantry, particularly in the third world.

The circuitry of interconnections between these contradictions and crises situations at the global level ,on the one hand, and the three issues of the popular political discourse, on the other, passes through the critical junction built- in by the pursuit of ‘globalising growth’ by the ruling elite at the national level. The basic contradiction at the national level between such a pursuit by the ruling elite and the abiding wider objectives of peasant welfare, upholding secularism and ensuring social justice, generates the trinity of issues dominating the peoples’ agenda.

The logic of ‘ globalised growth’ persuades the ruling elite to ignore , obfuscate or minimize the three major contradictions at the global level. More dangerous, it compels the ruling establishment to stand by the wrong side of these contradictions( North, “Growth”, Corporate Capital) and against the right side( South, Conservation of Environment, Poorer masses) . Consequentially, in responding to the global crises, the ruling classes find themselves either defenceless ( as in regard to fragility and rapacity of the global financial system and the threatened decimation of the peasantry) or on the wrong side( as in case of military confrontation of the US with the West Asian Nationalism).

What implications does the foregoing have for the strategy to be adopted, strategy that would help resolve the basic contradiction and help preserve and strengthen the vision of the Indian Republic which is essentially a product of the three objective functions defining the national freedom movement ? First, it needs to be recognized that single issue strategy, or strategy based on ad hoc or opportunistic combination of issues would not work. Also, while in the nature of things, that is to say, deriving from the wider social objective functions and the historical continuum of which they are part, the strategy has to be conceived and operationalised at the national level, it can not be viewed in isolation, overlooking the contradictions, crises situations and the potential allies/adversaries in the global context. (The ruling elite has already grasped this and has established its linkages with its allies in the global context.) Indeed the global context and the global solidarity are becoming increasingly far more significant, if not critical, elements in evolving a national strategy.

In operational terms, at the national level, this points to the potential of a Grand Alliance of all constituents of the popular classes, in particular, Peasantry, Adivasis, Dalits, OBCs and Minorities against the elite agenda of ‘globalising growth’. At the international level, it underlines the need to forge an alliance with the right side of the three contradictions at the global level.

What are the policies that would need to be adopted in pursuance of such a strategy? The following is the ten- point priority lis pertaining to critical areas:

• Disengagement from the US strategic design and opposing US militarism and Islamophobia;
• Strengthening the autonomy of the Indian Financial System and protecting it from the fragility( and the rapacity) of the international system; working for regional financial co-operation eg. Asian Monetary Union ; South Bank;
• Defeating the WTO/AoA paradigm on agriculture;
• Defeating Corporate takeover of Indian agriculture and the ongoing expropriation of rural and urban land ;
• Evolving a peasant- centric alternative for South- South cooperation in agricultural production and trade;
• Alternative national policies on agriculture and industry which will not only repudiate the elite strategy of ‘globalising growth’ but also promote self-reliance; inter-personal, inter-class and inter- regional equity; and conservation of environment. It will imply a radical reconstruction of the agrarian mode of production and employment- intensive and mass consumption -oriented rural industrialization;
• Legally guaranteed preferential opportunity in education and employment for the socially disadvantaged classes and communities;
• Introducing Common School System from the primary level;
• A national wages and incomes policy severely limiting the disparity across the sectors and classes;
• A new energy policy consistent with the reorientation of the strategic, agrarian and industrial policies.

0300 OBJECTIVES

The Indian Academy of Social Sciences, therefore, seeks to achieve following objectives through focusing the deliberations of the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress on ‘The Indian Republic At The Crossroads’.

 _____________________________________________________________________________________

  *The term ‘ Inter- class’ here refers to socially and educationally backward and advanced classes.

0400 THEMATIC STRUCTURE

The deliberations on ‘The Indian Republic At The Crossroads’ will be structured in following groups

1. Plenaries
2. Intradisciplinary Research Committes
3. Multidisciplinary Thematic Research Committees
4. International/National Seminars/Symposia/Colloquia
5. Public Lectures
6. Pre-And-Post Congress Local, Regional Seminars/Symposia/Colloquia
7. Task Force

0401 PLENARIES

There will be 7 plenaries, each of two hour durations on ‘The Indian Republic At The Crossroads’ during the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress. All plenaries will be held between 0900 and 1330 hours. Themes of the Plenaries will be as follows :

0402: Intradisciplinary Research Committees

There are 26 Intradisciplinary Research Committees in the Indian Social Science Congress. In addition to evaluating the ongoing current researches and theories, these research committees shallalso strive to examine some facets of the Indian Republic At The Crossroads through seminars/symposia/colloquia/special lectures during the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress. Tentative sub-themes for each of these Research Committees are given below. Concerned research scientists/social activists cans ubmit substantive papers on the same.

01. Agricultural Science Research Committee:

State-of-Art of Agricultural Science Reflecting Conditions of Agriculture in Indian Republic, Green Revolution And After, Agricultural Growth And Decay In The Democratic Republic of India, Agricultural Policy Vs Industrial Policy, Dual Pricing Mechanism-One for Industries and another for agricultural produce causing plunder born distress to farmers, Land Reform, Corporate Farming And Special Economic Zones, Pauperization of Peasantry, Depletion of Fertility of soil, Unsustainable Agriculture.

02. Anthropology Research Committee

Changes in Anthropological profile In The Indian Democratic Republic, Indigenous peoples and their sources of livelihood, Cultural and economic growth and decay.

03. Biotechnology Research Committee

Status of Indigenous Biotechnology and its contribution to solution of problems of Indian People.

04. Commerce Research Committee

A critical appraisal of Trade And Commerce in 60 years of Indian Republic, Changing Banking And Trade Policies And the Practices, WTO Regime, International Trade, Corporate Centric Vs People’s Centric Trade & Commerce, The Malls And the Peoples..

05. Communication And Journalism Research Committee

Status of Mass Media in Indian Republic: Changing Priorities; Business Centred Vs. Peoples Centred Media, Science- Centred Vs. Anti-Science Centred Media; Democratic Vs. Authoritarian Mass Media, Cultural degeneration/regeneration.. …….

06. Computer Science And Information Technology Research Committee

Status of Computer Science Research, Digital Divide And Economic Divide Virtual WorldAnd Real World, Language And IT.

07. Defence & Strategic Studies Research Committee

State-of-Art of Defence In the Indian Democratic Republic, Growing Social Insecurity; Conflicts and Wars, Strategies For Protecting The Peoples’ Sovereignty, Internatonal Trade And Insecurity, Disarmament, Nuclear War, Mass Weapon Destruction, Strategy For Creating Non-Violent Society, Relevance of Gandhian Theory of Non-Violence.

08. Ecology and Environmental Science Research Committee.

Ecological And Environmental Status of Indian democratic Republic; Systemic ecological disaster and environmental pollution, Jal-Jungle-Jivan (Water-Forests-Life) in India, Global Warming And Environment. .

09. Economics Research Committee

Sixty Years of Economic Growth In India. Democratic Republic, Elimination of Monopolistic Growth, Removal of poverty, Unemployment And Economic Disparity, Urban-Rural Disparity, Agricultural Growth, Industrial Growth, Small Producers And Small Industries, Planning Commission’s Rule In Democratic Economic Growth of All, Validity of Trickle Down Theory, Share of Indigenous People In Economic Growth, Globalizing Growth And India’s Vision For Economic Superpower, Self-reliance Vs. Dependent Economic Growth, Direct Foreign Investment-led Growth And Its Economic, Social And Political Implication, Financialisation of Capital, Dispossession-led Growth, Special Economic Zones, Transfer of Land to the Corporate Houses.

10. Education Research Committee

Sixty Years of Democratic Education In The Indian Democratic Republic, Common School Vs Dual School, Education For The Few Vs Education For All, Commercialisation of Education Vs Democratisation of Education, Selective Discrimination Vs Non-Discrimination In Education, Status of Schools, Colleges and Universities, Contract teacher, classless Teacher, Teacher-less education, Status of Illiteracy, Status of Education In Indian languages, Domination of English In Education, Can the State of a Democratic Republic withdraw Its support from education, Quality of research and teaching, creatively and innovation. .

11. Geography Research Committee

Changes In Land use Pattern In Democratic Republic of India, Agricultural, Industrial, Commercial, Residential, Transport, River basins, Dams, Land Exploitation Vs Land Conversation, Conservation of Bio-diversity, Minerals And Forest. Land Use Causing Ecological And Environmental Disaster, Climate Changes.

12. History, Archaeology And Culture Research Committee

History of Indian Peoples’ Freedom Struggles And Growth of The Democratic Vision for formation of Indian Democratic Nation, Historical Understanding of India’s Independence And Constituent Assembly, Formation of national goals and the constitution. The dreams of the Peoples sovereignty Vs State’s sovereignty, History of 60 Years of Indian Democratic Republic, History of Agrarian Struggles And Movements, History of colonial and neo-colonial Growth, Possibility of withering of Indian Republic, New Historical Directions.

13. Home Science Research Committee

Food Science And Availability of Food to Peoples of Democratic Republic of India, Nutritional Status of children, women and men, Quality of water and sanitation, clothing of People, Home Environment, Domestic Conflicts and Violence, Science of Broken Homes And Broken Families.

14. International Relations Research Committee

Sixty Years of India’s Foreign Policy: From Panchsheel, Non-aligned To Aligned with Superpower, India’s International Status, Indo-US Nuclear Deal, SAARC, Neighboring Countries , West Asia, Africa & Latin America, Regional Associations And Pacts, Necessity For Reorienting the Foreign Policy.

15. Juridical Science (Law) Research Committee

Sixty Years of constitutional Goals of Peoples’ Sovereignty And Democratic Juridical System; Peoples Access To Juridical System; Anti-Peoples’ Undemocratic Colonial And Neo-Colonial Laws And Civil Liberties, Corruption And Public Accountability of Judiciary, Legitmacy of Judiciary, Legislatures Vs Judiciary, New Democratic Jurisprudence.

16. Linguistics Research Committee

National Language of Democratic Republic of India, Pro-English And Anti-Indian Languages Policy, Growth and Decay of Indian Languages, Language of Education, Language of Science Education And Science Communication, Language of Legislation And Judiciary.

17. Management Science Research Committee

Sixty Years of Management Science And Its Contribution to Peoples of India, Corporate Houses Vs Peoples-Centric Management Science.

18. Medical And Health Science Research Committee

Sixty Years of Medical And Health Science In Indian Democratic Republic, Status of Health Delivery System; Peoples Access To Drugs And Health Care System, Medical Science Education And Medical Science Institution.

19. Philosophy Research Committee

Status of Social Ethics In Democratic Republic of India, Commodification of social morality, Commercialization of religion and religious beliefs, Ritualization of Gandhian Thoughts And Praxis, Epistemology of Discrimination And Violence, Sixty Years of Social Philosophy In India, Contradictions betweenEthics of Capitalism And Ethics of Democracy.

20. Political Science Research Committee

Sixty Years of Democratic Politics, The Indian Republic Today, Constittutional Vision And The Political Reality, Peoples’ Sovereignty Vs State’s Sovereignty, Status of Civil Liberties And Human Rights, Nature of Political Parties And Political Formation, Vote Bank Politics, Degeneration of Parliamentary Politics, Criminalisation and communalization of Democratic, Secular and Socialist Politics, Rise of authoritarianism/fascism in Politics and Political Institutions, Neo-liberal Politics of globalising growth favouring Corporate houses and imperialist Capital, Anti-Peoples Politics of SEZ And grabbing peoples’ land, forest, water and natural resources, Rise of Politics of privatization and oppression of dalits, minorities, tribals and women, Marginalisation of Gandhian and socialist and secular Politics, Demise of Nehruvian Democratic, Secular And Socialist Politics.

21. Population Science Research Committee

Sixty Years of Population Policy And Pratice in Democratic Republic of India, Infant Mortality and Morbidity , Gender Discrimination, Migration And Porverty, Demographic Changes in rural and urban areas, Marketisation of Population Control And Health

22. Psychology Research Committee

Sixty Years of Growth of national consciousness among Peoples of Democratic Republic of India, Social Unity and cohesion, national solidarity, National character And Personality, Differentials In Personality of The Rich and Personality of The Poor, Alienation from Nature, Society and Family, Psychology of Unequals; Psychology of Increasing Social Conflicts and Social Violence, Psychological foundation of Communal Politics And Communilisation, Psychology of Unemployment and Poverty, Psychology of Growing Stresses In school, college and university students, Psychology of Democratic Leadership Vs Authoritarian Leadership, Psychological Solution of Problems of Contemporary Democratic Republic of India.

23. Science And Technology Policy Studies Research Committee;

Scientific Policy Resolution And Growth of Self-reliant and Indigenous Science & Technology In Democratic Republic of India, Growth of Creativity and Innovations, Contribution of S&T to Concretization of Constitutional Goals of Democratic Republic of Inida; Nature of association and interaction between and among scientists and Indian Peoples, State of-Art of Science Communication, suitability of present paradigm of S&T To Democratic Needs And Aspirations of Peoples of India, Ethics of Science And Society.

24. Social Work Research Committee

Sixty Years of Research And Theory of Social Work And Its Impact on Attainment of constitutional Goals of Democratic Republic of India, Emergence of NGOs and their relevance to democratic problems of transformation and Development., Paradigm Shift in Social Engineering.

25. Sociology Research Committee

Sociology of Science (Knowledge) In India, Formation And Growth of Social Classes in Democratic Republic of India, Caste within class or class witin caste debate, Sociology of Family in Democratic Repuhlic-Breaking of Family, Community & Society, Sociology of Indian State, Socilogy of Discriminative Protection, Sociology of Politics in Post-Independent India, Sociology of Communalism And Religious Fundamentalism, Sociology of Conflicts and Violence, Sociology of Agrarian Crisis, Sociology of alienation, Sociology of national unity and cohesion.

26. Mathematics & Statistics Research Committee

403 NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS, SYMPOSIA AND COLLOQUIA

It is proposed to hold national/international Seminars/Symposia on following themes during the XXXII Indian Social Science Congress.

1. Carving out a New Road For Withering Democratic Republic of India.
2. Nehruvian-Gandhian Constructs In The Global Age
3. Resolution of Growing Agrarian And Social Crisis/li>
4. Overcoming The Growing Crisis In Education.
5. New Democratic Theory And Methods of Protection of Dalits, Adivasis, Minorities And Weaker Groups.
6. New Democratic Principles of Peoples Development And Conservation of Ecology and Environment
7. India And The Third World..
8. Facing The Onslaught of Imperialistic Global Capital.
9. Creating A New Democratic Socialist And Secular World.