Beyond Piketty: A new perspective on poverty and inequality in India

The socio-economic literature has focused much on how overall inequality in income distribution (frequently measured by the Gini coefficient) undermines the “trickle down” effect. In other words, the higher the inequality in the income distribution, the lower is the growth elasticity of poverty. However, with the publication of Piketty’s magnum opus (2014), and a subsequent study by Chancel and Piketty (2017) of evolution of income inequality in India since 1922, the focus has shifted to the income disparity between the richest 1% (or 0.01%) and the bottom 50%. Their central argument is that the rapid growth of income at the top end of millionaires and billionaires is a by-product of growth. The present study extends this argument by linking it to poverty indices in India. Based on the India Human Development Survey 2005–12 – a nationwide panel survey-we examine the links between poverty and income inequality, especially in the upper tail relative to the bottom 50%, state affluence (measured in per capita income) and their interaction or their joint effect. Another feature of our research is that we analyse their effects on the FGT class of poverty indices. The results are similar in as much as direction of association is concerned but the elasticities vary with the poverty index. The growth elasticities are negative and significant for all poverty indices. In all three cases, the disparity between the income share of the top 1% and share of the bottom 50% is associated with greater poverty. These elasticities are much higher than the (absolute) income elasticities except in the case of the poverty gap. The largest increase occurs in the poverty gap squared – a 1% greater income disparity is associated with a 1.24% higher value of this index. Thus the consequences of even a small increase in the income disparity are alarming for the poorest.     

Collective and Elective Ethnicity: Caste Among Urban Muslims in India

This article explores how the significance of ethnic identity can vary within a stable population, using caste among Muslims in Hyderabad, India as a case study. While some Hyderabadi Muslims are still embedded in ethnic networks, most now experience ethnicity as elective and do not rely on a corporate caste group for their social connections. This reflects a decline in the value of caste identities, which no longer provide economic or political resources. Increasingly, Muslims seek status through education, profession, or income. Thus, most Muslims in Hyderabad experience caste membership, identity, and networks in a weakened or attenuated way.     

南宋理学家对王安石新学的批判

南宋理学家对 王安石新学的批判，主要表现在二方面：一是斥新学为异端邪说，藉以标榜理学为继孔孟绝 学的正统，二是把新学作为变乱祖宗法度而致北宋亡国的理论根源，予以无情打击。陆九渊 对王安石个人的政治操守和治国理想给以赞誉，但对王安石新学亦持批评态度。理学家批 判新学对南宋社会发展造成了不良影响，这就是在“法祖”的旗帜下，使南宋社会上上下下 因循守旧、政治上保守主义日益弥漫，并且直接影响了元明清对王安石新学及新法的评价。     

隐逸词在南宋遗民词中的新变

元初南宋遗民词人是一个颇具特色的群体,南宋遗民词中的隐逸词是宋亡后士大夫心理与境遇的反映。南宋遗民词人的心奥,南宋遗民词中隐逸词的新特点,是在宋末元初那一特定历史时代的产物,是其时的特有文化现象。     

南宋理学极盛的过程与原因试析

宋代理学到南宋孝宗、宁宗时期达到极盛 ,但无论从理学道统承传方面还是从社会政治条件方面看 ,孝宗之前的高宗朝实为理学发展的关键时期。理学由北宋时的民间之学发展到南宋时占主导地位的学派 ,活跃于高宗朝的程门弟子对二程学说的极力推展是一重要因素。同时 ,面对激烈的民族矛盾 ,高宗集团选择了主和派的妥协主张 ,并有意识地寻找与这一政策相适应的学术思想作为其理论根据 ,程系理学正是在这一现实政治需要中得到高宗集团的接纳、支持而逐渐繁荣兴盛起来。到孝宗朝 ,朱熹使理学形成庞大的思想体系 ,标志着中国古典哲学进入了一个新阶段。     

南朝文人“诗以用事为博”的文化考察

在皇权政治复归、士族政治势力逐渐被边缘化的南朝,士族文人为维护其门第以应对前所未有的挑战,向学术文化的深广处开掘,博学融通,试图以繁密、新奇的使事用典建构文学的防线,从而掀起了中国文学史上"诗以用事为博"的第一个高潮。     

当代印度南部婆罗门状况的个案分析——以奈保尔《印度:百万叛变的今天》为例

当代印度社会正发生着极大的变动,社会各阶层都在极力维护固有地位和宗教传统的稳定,并极力在这种变动中争取着自身社会利益的最大化。其中,南印度婆罗门种姓在逐步丧失传统的各项特权和优势地位的同时,也在努力适应、应对当代社会的新变化和新挑战。英国作家V.S.奈保尔的《印度:百万叛变的今天》一书提供了较为翔实、客观的口述史资料。以书中生活在孟买、班加罗尔、马德拉斯、加尔各达等南印度城市中的当代婆罗门阶层作为个案,可探究出其面对传统社会生活中的各个层面发生变动时的态度与应对及个体内在的深层原因,并在一定程度上考察社会变动与文化传统之间的互动关系。     

中印英语教育之比较

中国印度都将英语作为第二语言进行教学。但是尽管教学目的相同 ,所采用的教学手段、教材和教学过程不尽相同。本文从分析中印教学手段的相似与差异入手 ,搜集本科英语专业教材 ,在分析教学大纲、教学和考试过程的基础上 ,同时考虑学生的基本条件、学制、课程等因素 ,试图获得进一步改革的新观念 ,为教学大纲的设计和课程的安排提供参考意见。     

魏晋南北朝的美学思想和盆景艺术

魏晋南北朝是中国古代动乱最多、人民生活最悲惨的时代。战争、动乱使汉王朝“独尊儒术”的旧思想体制大崩溃 ,导致魏晋南北朝时期的古代中国思想最解放、最自由。美学思想和精神的自由 ,酿就了艺术创造精神的勃发 ,因而新的艺术形式、艺术规律应运而生并相互融会贯通。此时的盆景艺术正是在绘画、园林、盆栽、赏石等艺术形式的影响下孕育了自己最初的表现形式和美学规律 ,因此可以说该时期是盆景发展史上的一个重要阶段     

论18世纪后期英国对中国西藏的渗透政策及其破产

在18世纪后期,英国受当时社会历史条件的限制,对我国西藏实行以建立直接交往关系为主的渗透政策。由于喜玛拉雅地区各国在历史上同我国西藏形成的密切关系及其在地缘政治上的屏障作用,英国在这一地区的扩张活动同它建立印藏直接交往的尝试一样,都是其对藏渗透政策的组成部分。英国在廓尔喀侵藏战争中的卑劣表演最终导致了其对藏渗透政策的彻底破产。