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The Indian subcontinent is highly susceptible to natural disasters. To abate the effect of the disasters, the government emanates institutional mechanisms and strategies for disaster preparedness, mitigation and response. Although there is well-established institutional framework in India for disaster management, there is no study that proposes a disaster supply chain structure under the institutional framework and integrates information and digital technologies (IDT) of industry 4.0 within it. The present study overcomes this research gap. It introduces an IDT structure within the institutional framework of India for multi-agency information sharing, coordination and decision making. It formulates a mathematical model and analyses the impact of IDT on the total response time through three scenarios. The results of scenario analysis reveal the significance of IDT on the disaster supply chains and its capability to handle information delays and IDT failure. The present study can be adopted by disaster management institutions to construct and implement better response practices at the operational, planning and strategic levels. Furthermore, the proposed model in the study can be used for vaccination planning, which includes vaccine distribution, monitoring, regulation and effective implmentation as a response against the current pandemic situation caused due to SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of COVID-19 on remittance flows to South Asia. Using a monthly panel data set of five South Asian countries (namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) for the period January 2020 to August 2021. This study, applying the pooled ordinary least square estimation method, generally, finds a positive impact of COVID-19 on remittance flows to South Asia. Further investigation reveals the existence of a non-linear (inverted U-shaped) relationship between COVID-19 cases and remittances. This means that with the initial covid spread leading to temporary restrictions affecting economic activity in home countries, remittances start increasing to support families' income and consumption affected by the regulations. However, the very high levels of infection rates leading to continued lockdowns in home countries decrease the incentives for investment with substantially reduced economic activities, thus decreasing aggregate remittances. We found similar results when replacing infection rates with deaths from COVID-19. However, increasing COVID-19 infection rates and deaths in migrants' host countries reduce remittances to migrants' home countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we assessed the accomplishments and shortcomings of an exhaustive collection of energy policies of Nepal over four decades, using a five‐dimensional energy security framework (availability, affordability, technology, sustainability and governance) for sustainable development. We adopted a mixed‐method approach involving thorough review of 70 policy documents (1984–2022), systematic review of 86 peer‐reviewed journal articles on Nepal's energy policy, and consultations with 11 experts. Our evaluation shows that while there is a progressive trend, Nepal's energy policies face challenges of political instability, governance issues, siloed development practices, lagging research and development, inefficient energy demand management, and heavy reliance on international support. Additionally, we offer four tailored recommendations for the related stakeholders: supply‐side management, demand‐side management, multi‐sector collaboration, and political stability and good governance. The insights and recommendations we provide have significant regional implications, particularly in the context of potential cross‐border clean electricity sharing in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the democratization of the Maldives, a Sunni‐Islamic nation in the Indian Ocean, the Greater Male' Region (GMR) has been the site of rapid social reform efforts. The state's democratizing efforts and local engagements with global feminist and mental health movements have led to the emergence of a culture of giving and bearing witness to sexual trauma testimony. I propose the term "disclosure imperatives," and outline the three public discourses that produce this imperative in the Maldivian context. Next, drawing on interviews with Maldivian women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse, I illuminate how disclosure imperatives shape women's subjectivity and sociality. Using a critical phenomenological approach, I show that disclosure imperatives are, counterproductively, experienced as moralizing in interlocutors' lifeworlds. Beyond focusing on women's "voice" or its absence as "silence," the concept of disclosure imperatives illuminates the emotional and moral affects that cultures of disclosure engender in everyday lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An examination of the McMahon Line, Radcliffe Line and Durand Line highlights their role as agents shaping regional security complexes in South Asia. By unravelling the intricate interplay of historical and rising populist narratives, evolving power dynamics and intensifying state rivalries surrounding these colonial-era boundaries, a comprehensive analysis of their contemporary security implications is provided. Building on Barry Buzan and Ole Wæver's renowned theoretical framework, it is possible to elucidate the complexities of these boundary disputes while also addressing the inherent challenges in empirically applying such a framework to the nuanced dynamics of South Asia. Overall, a case study analysis of the McMahon, Radcliffe and Durand Lines allows the gap between the conceptual construct of the regional security complex and the intricate realities of regional security to be bridged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a snapshot of educational and economic trends across South Asia with an exploratory and comparative approach. Before COVID-19, South Asia was the world's fastest-growing regional economy, concurrently achieving major strides in poverty reduction and access to education. Despite the region's economic and educational accomplishments, the countries of South Asia fall short of international benchmarks in public education expenditure, resulting in a persistent lag in educational quality that hampers individuals, the workforce, and overall economic productivity. The paper highlights themes in the literature, including context-specific evidence for the various theories of economic growth, the returns to education, and educational inputs (e.g., teachers and private schools) that highlight how spending can be leveraged to increase educational outcomes. In addition, it examines the relationship between education, poverty, and marginalization factors that explain why some populations are deprived of education and its benefits. We provide a broad perspective of the dynamics of the economics of education and the related challenges in this region. This discussion aims to enhance the understanding of the inefficiencies in South Asia's educational systems and, ultimately, in the development of the region's human capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public institutions are essential for executing government policies. Citizens' trust in public institutions is a crucial factor to consider when assessing the state of democracy. Working processes, trends, organisational principles, neutrality, approaches and impartiality are also used to assess an institution's trustworthiness. Failing to satisfy any of these indicators can create distrust. Good governance is essential for every country to move forward and attain its development goals. For most countries in South Asia, governance is not in a good condition, with government institutions struggling to perform satisfactorily. In this situation, distrust may be fostered among citizens with limited conviction in democracy and diminish the reliability of public institutions. By taking these issues into account, this article uses secondary literature to evaluate the level of trust in the public institutions of South Asian States with a distinct emphasis on good governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the factors behind growing communal violence in Bangladesh that is mostly perpetrated against non-Muslim communities by examining three different cases. The qualitative study has been undertaken with the help of available secondary resources and in-depth interviews of experts as primary sources. The findings confirm that the ongoing communal violence in Bangladesh is not spontaneous but rather comprises deliberate and well-orchestrated incidents. It has been noted that apart from communal identity or ideological discord, other factors have played a pivotal role in these constant attacks. All these attacks are primarily intertwined with local politics and power relations as there is evidence of local political leaders' and members' involvement in the assaults. Besides, the entrenchment of extremist elements and growing intolerance at the mass level have a formidable impact on the gradual alienation of non-Muslim communities. The inaction of the state agencies and a culture of impunity have been largely responsible for the deterioration of communal harmony in Bangladesh. Due to these factors, no organised cultural campaign or resistant mechanism could gain a strong foothold against communal violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring new hydrocarbon resources has always been challenging in complex tectonic settings. Geological models become more complex in regions with structural deformation and lithological heterogeneity, as well as in areas far from exploration wells. The Mehar gas field, a newly discovered prospect located in the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan, has been explored in its southern and northeastern parts, but the economic potential of the western part is still unknown. This study focuses on the identification of a new prospect on the western limb of the Mehar anticline by integrating advanced pre-stack simultaneous and lambda–mu–rho (LMR) seismic inversion attributes. The combination of two inverted attributes proved successful in delineating new hydrocarbon-charged sands. Potential traps were delineated via seismic mapping, while reservoir intervals were identified through petrophysical analysis. The major field production comes from Paleocene and Lower Cretaceous sandstones, which extend with appreciable thickness toward the western limb of the Mehar anticline. Low values of inverted ZS and VP/VS ratios reveal the presence of gas, whereas greater values of mu–rho (µρ) and low values of lambda–rho (λρ) are correlated with the presence of clean sands containing fluid. The results obtained, provided validation at produced and blind well locations, can be extrapolated to areas deemed far from the utilized wells with less lithostratigraphic control. The adopted methodology has proven useful in characterizing gas-bearing zones when P-impedance alone does not work to distinguish between reservoir sands and non-reservoir shale. Additionally, the same approach can be applied to other basins with similar geological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals' coping differs based on sociocultural determinants and the nature of illness. This study developed a coping typology for South Asians with chronic illnesses and differentiated the coping profiles based on sociocultural determinants. Individuals (n = 384) with chronic illness were recruited. The Brief COPE scale was used for data collection and latent profile analysis for typology development. The class differences were examined in terms of age, gender, socioeconomic status, education, type of family, smoking, primary decision maker in the family, type of community, number of years living with chronic illness and type of health care services used. Latent profile analysis supported four class model: Avoider‐Emotion (n = 34, 9%), Problem‐Emotion (n = 128, 33.9%), Problem‐Avoider (n = 55, 14.6%) and Emotion‐Avoider (n = 161, 42.6%) copers. Comparison of classes across chronic illness showed that individuals with chronic respiratory disorders were Emotion‐Avoider and Avoider‐Emotion copers, those with cardiac problems were Problem‐Emotional and Problem‐Avoiders copers, those with renal problems were Emotional‐Avoiders and Problem‐Emotions copers, and individuals with mental health issues were mainly Problem‐Emotional and Emotion‐Avoider copers. These class differences were statistically different (χ2 = 134, df = 18, p <.001). The findings can be useful for developing coping programmes for South Asian populations in low‐ and middle‐income countries and South Asian immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to answer the question: If global warming were to increase by 1.5°, 2° and 3°C (compared to the pre-industrial baseline of 1850–1900), at what rate would South Asia be warming? A basis for influencing climate policy-making in India and countries part of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (i.e., SAARC, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) has been put forth. IPCC provides tools for analyzing mean near-surface air temperature data using CMIP6 (global climate model) and CORDEX-SA (regional climate model). This study reports the generated outputs from both projection models by analyzing and comparing data to better understand climate change in the region. While CMIP6 provided a coherent overall picture of South Asia, CORDEX-SA projected the average temperature variations of Indian states better. The decreasing order in which Indian states are expected to be affected by average temperature rise is Himalayan states from north to north-east; northwestern and western states along the Pakistan border; western coastline along the Arabian Sea; southern states along the eastern coastline (Bay of Bengal); central and eastern states. Both models projected the temperature rise in the Indian state of West Bengal to be the highest in the coming decades. Among SAARC nations, Afghanistan was projected to be the most affected and Bangladesh the least, following the same pattern of temperature variation as the Indian regions neighbouring them. Further, it was found that a mean temperature rise of 1.5° and 3°C would occur over South Asia in the timeframe of 2035–2038 and 2062–2068, respectively. Regarding monthly variation, temperature rise is expected to affect the period of January (average 1.35°C rise) to April (average 1.05°C rise) the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do key players in Bombay's screen industries—producers, directors, writers, and business developers—understand, imagine, and navigate the dizzying new world of streaming platforms in India? Tracking the emergence of symbiotic relationships between new streaming platforms and established media professionals, I discuss how a restructuring of industry dynamics is elemental to the processes of cultural legitimation of new streaming tastes and the reconfigurations of the relationships between texts, industries, and audiences. Through case studies of a few prominent creative professionals associated in various capacities with global and local streaming platforms, I sketch the multiple linkages between contemporary streaming cultures and the structural histories of both film and television in the subcontinent. Ultimately, this article argues that media workers' self-reflexivity and theorizations about the industry-in-digital transit help us not only grasp the heterogeneity of this moment, but also trace notions of value and taste in Bombay's emerging digital media ecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores the preservation policy and techniques employed in preserving library materials in three libraries in South Asia: Central University of Kashmir; Islamic University of Science and Technology; and University of Kashmir. The study aims to: investigate preservation policy/plan/division of selected libraries; investigate the current preservation technique used in the libraries; explore the category of staff responsible for preservation of library materials; and identify capacity building programs attended by staff at local, national/international level on preservation. Data collection was employed: results were tabulated, interpreted, and correlated with the published literature to ferret out meaningful findings and draw logical conclusions. The study reveals that: binding (sewing) and fumigation (solid fumigation) are widely employed techniques in preservation; manuscripts are mostly prioritized for preservation; and usually professionals are involved in dealing with preservation. However, none of the libraries possess preservation policies, which are crucial for the preservation of the library collection on a systematic and scientific basis. In order to cope with the changing environment of information preservation and management, libraries regularly organize seminars and conferences on preservation, and it is hoped that stakeholders continue to identify loopholes and to build capacity for preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physiotherapy is a crucial profession of interdisciplinary medical team, in which healthcare professionals need to comprehend the duties of other members in the team to offer a holistic management to the patients. Healthcare professionals who uphold negative beliefs and perceptions about other healthcare professions can be a barrier to 'patient- centered' approach. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of research on knowledge and awareness of physiotherapy by healthcare professionals or students. There has been no study conducted in the Maldives to investigate the knowledge and perception of physiotherapy by healthcare students. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the knowledge and perceptions among healthcare science students at The Maldives National University (MNU). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), School of Nursing (SN), and School of Medicine (SM). A stratified random sampling method was adopted to recruit the participants. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the data from the participants. The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 25. Results: A total of 318 students from three different schools and faculties of MNU participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 23 ± 4, with 89.9% being female. The overall K-score of 12 indicated poor knowledge, whereas the P-score of 10 reflected a positive perception among the participants, with no significant difference observed between genders. The Kruska-Wallis test indicated a significant difference in K-score across courses and years of study enrolled. Conclusion: This study's findings revealed a disparity between healthcare students' positive perception towards physiotherapy and their lack of knowledge regarding the profession, indicating barriers to knowledge acquisition. Significant differences were found between different healthcare courses and years of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: This study provides an epidemiological description of cancer in the lip, oral cavity, and oropharynx in the South and South‐East Asia region. Methods: The number of new cases and deaths was extracted from the GLOBOCAN 2020 and the CI5 series. We present age‐standardized incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 inhabitants. To assess temporal trends, we estimated the annual percent change. Results: The incidence rates (ASR) for lip and oral cavity cancer in South and South‐East Asia were highest in Taiwan (30.2), Sri Lanka (16.5), India (14.8), and Pakistan (13.2) among males. For oropharyngeal cancer, the highest rates were found in Taiwan (4.7), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India (4.3, 2.9, and 2.6, respectively). Incidence rates were consistently higher in males compared to females. Overall, trends in lip and oral cavity cancer incidence were either stable or decreasing in most of the populations evaluated. In India, an increase in rates among males contrasted with a decline among females over the study period. Conclusion: Incidence and mortality rates of oral cavity cancer in South and South‐East Asia are among the highest globally. Our results suggest an optimistic trend of reduction in oral cavity rates in the region, despite an increase in rates among Indian males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout most of Chinese history, leaders viewed the migration and movement of their subjects beyond state borders as a symptom of poor governance. As a result, record keepers generally avoided addressing the topic of Chinese people traveling or residing overseas. There is, however, an exceptional moment in Chinese history that provides valuable insight into the early establishment of Chinese communities abroad. Facing political pressure after signing a humiliating peace treaty with foreign adversaries in 1005, the Song dynasty emperor Zhenzong (968–1022, r. 997–1022) utilized unconventional forms of religious diplomacy and revived ancient rites to shore up support for his rule. The Feng and Shan rites were the highest level of sacrifice that an emperor could undertake, and they were only carried out by several emperors prior to Zhenzong's reign. One of the requirements of this complex ritual was for the sovereign to attract foreign peoples from afar by his virtuous character, and so Zhenzong's reign witnessed major initiatives to attract foreign envoys from states such as Srivijaya (Sumatra), Dai Viet (northern Vietnam), Japan, and India. Zhenzong's reign also incorporated forms of diplomacy that originated in South and Southeast Asia, namely, the construction of temples in foreign states to enhance his spiritual authority. This essay will demonstrate that Emperor Zhenzong relied on Chinese merchants residing overseas to work with foreign leaders to coordinate the participation of foreign emissaries in such forms of temple diplomacy and in the Feng and Shan sacrifices. The significance of these events brought the activities of Chinese people trading and residing overseas to the attention of the Song court and its chroniclers, and as a result, we are left with the earliest indications of Chinese communities abroad in official Chinese histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rather than simply claiming the "unorthodox" or "pluralistic" mindset of an early modern Muslim thinker, this intellectual micro-history aims to show the complexity of Shāh Walī Allāh's (d. 1762) thought-world. This article follows him to Mecca and Medina for the Hajj pilgrimage. While pilgrimage is traditionally included in the fundaments of Islamic practice, it is also important to realize that the majority of Muslims have not historically participated in this pilgrimage. Due to the physical limitations of travelling as the Muslim community rapidly expanded in the 7th century onwards, we have nearly a thousand years until the 18th century where only a select few Muslims, usually wealthy enough to make the arduous journey, participated in the yearly practice. This created a complex culture of pilgrims in the Holy Cities with the cities functioning as informal circles of scholarship. Shāh Walī Allāh Dihlawī engages in this knowledge production process while carrying out the mandatory rituals associated with the Hajj pilgrimage. Thus, this article shows that the complex interplay of Walī Allāh with Meccan and Medinan scholars is a highly dynamic process with unexpected outcomes as specific sacred geography interacts with the conceptual (and genealogical) categories that scholarly pilgrims bring with them to this intellectual encounter. In doing so, we catch a glimpse of the 18th century through a very particular set of Indian Sufi eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examine the critical question of whether global equity and bond assets (both green and non-green) offer effective hedging and safe haven properties against stock market risks in South Asia, with a focus on Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The increasing integration of global financial markets and the volatility experienced during recent economic crises raise important questions regarding the resilience of South Asian markets and the potential protective role of global assets. Drawing on methods like VaR and CVaR tail risk estimators, the DCC-GJR-GARCH time-varying connectedness approach, and cost-effectiveness tools for hedging, we analyze data spanning from 2014 to 2022 to assess these relationships comprehensively. Our findings demonstrate that stock markets in Bangladesh experience lower levels of downside risk in each quantile; however, safe haven properties from the global financial markets are effective for Bangladeshi, Indian, and Pakistani stock markets during the crisis period. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan stock market neither receives hedging usefulness nor safe haven benefits from the same marketplaces. Additionally, global green assets, specifically green bond assets, are more reliable sources to ensure the safest investment for South Asian investors. Finally, the portfolio implications suggest that while traditional global equity assets offer ideal portfolio weights for South Asian investors, global equity and bond assets (both green and non-green) are the cheapest hedgers for equity investors, particularly in the Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan stock markets. Moreover, these results hold significant implications for investors seeking to optimize portfolios and manage risk, as well as for policymakers aiming to strengthen regional market resilience. By clarifying the protective capacities of global assets, particularly green ones, our study contributes to a nuanced understanding of portfolio diversification and financial stability strategies within emerging markets in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Individuals with neurodevelopmental and/or neurocognitive disorders (NNDs) have complex, long‐term care needs. In Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, informal carers shoulder the responsibility and strain of providing care for people with NNDs. Intense care demand, societal and cultural care expectations, and lack of support infrastructure often lead to psychosocial strain in this inadequately researched community, particularly during crises such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study explored and identified specific features of the coping styles exhibited by informal carers of people with NNDs from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Material and methods: Between June and November 2020, 245 carers in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh responded to open‐ended questions in the CLIC (Coping with Loneliness, Isolation, and COVID‐19) survey. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to uncover the underlying themes and identify coping strategies and stressors. A frequency analysis was performed to examine the associations between these themes and carer nationality. Significant tests identified coping styles. Results: We identified three coping styles: religiosity (Pakistan), caregiving as a natural life path (Bangladesh), and self‐care (India). The religiosity and natural life path styles reside on the fatalism/acceptance continuum and suggest an insight‐oriented therapeutic approach. Self‐care is a problem‐solving strategy that calls for a behaviorally oriented approach. Family overreliance on the carer was a concern across all three groups. Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for accessible support pathways to sustain care standards, ensuring the well‐being of carers and care recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aimed to explore the core competencies that make educators competent in delivering and achieving the purpose of business/management education effectively. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory-cum-descriptive approach has been used. Educators at different academic levels in university-led B-schools were the participants of this study. For data collection, a structured questionnaire was developed and implemented. Findings: This study has explored ten core competencies that educators must possess. These competencies have been described based on their attributes and relevance in an educator's academic role. Research limitations/implications: This study was limited to university-led B-schools of South Asia, thus further validation may more adequately generalize the findings. Practical implications: This study is raising awareness of the current state of educators in university-led B-schools in South Asian countries and the need for educator competencies toward responsible management education. This study would help educators to develop core competencies, and university-led B-schools to make and manage a system for their educators to keep them competent and performing. Originality/value: Business/management education is expected to offer the required competencies and opportunities to learn the intricacies of business and management, so students can readily enter into corporate life. It exhibits the significance of educators' competencies. University-led South Asian institutions have seldom tried to develop a standardized framework for the sensitization and development of their educators. It is a key challenge to identify, understand and define a diverse range of competencies and methods of competency development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the determinants of quality of life in South Asian countries, focusing on Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan from 2000 to 2018. Life expectancy is used as the dependent variable, representing life quality. The independent variables include carbon emissions, remittances, information and communication technology, income inequality, government health expenditure, economic development, and food security. Cross‐sectional time series FGLS is the main analytical method, supplemented by Pedroni and Kao cointegration tests and the Drisc/Kraay method. The findings indicate that information and communication technology, remittances, economic progress, and food security positively impact life expectancy, while CO2 emissions, income inequality, and government health expenditures negatively affect it. The study proposes several policy recommendations to improve the quality of life in the South Asian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its severe effects on health systems, economies, and poverty levels. With an estimated 6.9 million deaths worldwide and the deepest recession since World War II, the pandemic had diverse regional impacts. South Asia, for example, experienced varying degrees of health and economic challenges; India faced over 500,000 deaths and a sharp economic downturn, while other nations in the region were less severely affected. The pandemic's relatively brief duration, aided by global responses like lockdowns, social distancing, and rapid vaccine distribution, facilitated a quicker economic recovery, bolstered by unprecedented counter-cyclical policies. The article also examines South Asian case studies, including regional trade integration, the economic benefits of vaccination, and the socio-economic impacts on women in Bangladesh. It further discusses Pakistan's response, Sri Lanka's populist policies, and Indonesia's monetary policy adjustments, offering valuable lessons for managing global health crises and economic downturns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study unravels the relationship between trade and connectivity and presents a narrative to re-energise the South Asian regional economic integration in the post-pandemic period. In addition, the study also examines the effect on conflicts and institutional factors in South Asian trade. The study uses the bilateral gravity analysis in 2SLS (Two-Stage Least Squares) framework to address the endogeneity issues. The study finds that South Asia may gain enormously if they reduce the conflicts across the border and secure improvement in both hard and soft infrastructure. Given that the trade is a dynamic concept, connectivity disruption costs cause havoc to the region, which then promotes dis-integration. Facilitating business beyond the border in post-pandemic requires an enhanced trade facilitation and connectivity in the region. The renewed and shared agenda of the South Asian regional cooperation in post-pandemic should, therefore, aim to reduce both intra- and inter- regional trade facilitation gaps as well as to expand the connectivity. The process of South Asian regional integration has to contribute to narrowing the gaps by providing resources for the development of trade infrastructure. Therefore, South Asia has to enhance its own connectivity and trade facilitation arrangement to take forward the agenda of South Asian integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities face increasing heat risk due to global and local warming, and the risk is greater in the developing world. South Asia, in particular, faces increasing urban climate risk, but the translation of urban climate knowledge into sustainable climate-sensitive planning is weak. In this paper, we report on our conversations with experts from the Sri Lankan urban planning community on the barriers to and opportunities for urban climate mitigation action. We uncover six themes (insights, integrate, specify, exhort, commitment, and continuity) that best exemplify both the barriers to and opportunities for enhancing heat risk resilience in this primate city. We then map a set of agencies and actors that need to be involved in any holistic risk resilience plan and draw wider lessons to sustainably manage the urgent practical gaps in heat health planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to identify the intricate connections arising from finance and governance to water, food, and energy, utilizing data from 2000 to 2021 for eight South Asian countries. To address cross‐sectional dependence and panel heterogeneity, this study applied an augmented mean group (AMG) approach to discover long‐term connections across the chosen indicators. The estimators' outcome shows interconnectedness across water, food, and energy (WFE) resources, showing that water promotes food and energy, and food promotes water and energy. In contrast, energy fosters food production and reduces water availability. Further, governance positively influences food production (0.434%), water (0.044%), and energy consumption (0.142%). Likewise, finance positively and significantly responds to WFE consumption. Our results highlighted that governance unilaterally influences energy dynamics while bidirectional causal links emerge between finance, food, and energy. The obtained outcomes are re‐validated with feasible generalized least square (FGLS) and Driscoll and Kraay (DK) estimators. Ultimately, our study offers valuable insights for shaping economic, environmental, and food and water security policies in the region and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Asian countries face a shortage of clean drinking water and have little access to basic sanitation facilities. Furthermore, despite its beautiful landscape, this region has the lowest share of global tourism. Therefore, this study is a baseline attempt to examine the short-term and long-term effects of access to clean drinking water and sanitation on tourism inflow to South Asia from 1995 to 2020. The estimated result of the cross sectional dependence test and CIPS unit root analysis urges using the cross sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) technique. The estimation result of CS-ARDL reveals that GDP per capita and institutional quality significantly impact international tourism in the long run. At the same time, death from unsafe drinking water and sanitation significantly negatively affects it. However, in the short run, only institutional quality reveals a significant positive effect on tourist arrival. The findings urge selected South Asian countries to enhance the quality of government institutions and improve access to clean drinking water and sanitation for the development of the tourism sector. Furthermore, sustainable policies are recommended to attract international tourists and address factors that impede tourism activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palliative care is a comprehensive approach aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with serious illness and their families. Nevertheless, there exists a dearth of systematically synthesized empirical evidence regarding the key elements that contribute to good home palliative care (HPC) from a familial standpoint in the context of South and Southeast Asia. This paper aims to describe family perspectives on key elements of good home palliative care in both regions. We conducted a scoping review using Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. The search was done in 6 electronic databases: PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and APA PsycArticles Full Text. Inclusion criteria were (1) exploring family experiences of palliative care, (2) home setting, and (3) South and Southeast Asian countries. Twenty-four studies were included from Bangladesh (n = 1), India (n = 6), Indonesia (n = 7), Malaysia (n = 2), Singapore (n = 2), and Thailand (n = 6). Five key elements of HPC from family perspectives were comprehensive moral and psychological support; religious and spiritual activities with religious figures involvement; empathetic, responsive, and continued home palliative care; adequate access to information and skills training; and facilitation in dealing with systemic barriers. The crucial role of religious and spiritual activities and the need for facilitation in facing systemic barriers were specific to South and Southeast Asia. HPC teams should be able to provide holistic support for patients and their families, which is influential for the quality of care. Improving care on a systemic level in these regions should be a policy priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the utilization and advancements of constructed wetlands (CWs) in South Asia (SA), focusing on their roles, costs, and efficacy enhancements through pre- and post-treatment units for various pollutants. Notable findings include Phragmites and Canna species as commonly used macrophytes, achieving high removal rates for various pollutants. CWs consistently remove total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, emerging contaminants, and antimicrobial resistant bacteria at substantial rates. Anaerobic baffled reactors are effective pretreatment devices for high-strength wastewater. Moreover, CWs exhibit lower operational and maintenance costs compared to conventional treatment methods. However, the bibliometric analysis reveals limited regional cooperation in SA. Key challenges identified include the absence of guidelines for media, vegetation, and maintenance. The review underscores the necessity for further research in optimizing CWs' efficiency through land area management, plant selection, and enhanced design and operation and maintenance protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Asian narratives are underrepresented in dance movement psychotherapy academia. Systematically supporting more anecdotal literature on utilising the body's innate wisdom in illness prevention and treatment is essential to support equitable accommodation of oral narratives. In this critical reflection, I have integrated my emerging perspectives as a member of the South Asian diaspora, a clinician who has trained and worked within the medical model and an early career researcher. I present two anecdotal themes and brief case examples relevant to contemplating the value of oral narratives within dance movement psychotherapy. They are: (1) embodied storytelling as a way of building emotional intelligence, and (2) intuition as a way of trusting one's bodily cues in individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue critically examines the interplay between the law and politics of state trans/formation, status precarity and the abuse of law. Globally, governments have exercised state power to undermine citizenship status, democratic well-being and the rule of law. This introduction makes the case for this focus and highlights the range of the special issue's intervention. Firstly, it shows how the contributions in the special issue build upon scholarship that tackles these three values independently and offers a more comprehensive analysis of contemporary challenges of the law and politics of citizenship. It studies the mutual attrition of citizenship, law and democracy by adopting a focus on South and Southeast Asia, especially India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Secondly, it emphasises the special issue's methodological contribution by drawing from the theory-generative capacities of focusing on Asia and the Global South more generally. Thirdly, the introduction highlights the cross-cutting substantive contributions of the articles, especially status liminality and statelessness, securitisation and authoritarian politics, bureaucracy and paperwork, and minority and human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides empirical evidence on the relationship between women's land ownership and nutritional outcomes in Nepal. Using three waves of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey and employing a bounding technique by Oster, I estimate bounded treatment effects of land ownership. The results show that women's land ownership is associated with a reduction in the incidence of childhood underweight and stunting and an increase in women's body mass index. Additionally, I find the selection on unobservable characteristics has to be larger than the selection on observable characteristics to drive these estimates to zero, suggesting that land ownership credibly improves nutritional outcomes. Furthermore, heterogeneous results show that the negative association between land ownership and childhood nutritional status is more prominent in male children and children from the Brahmin caste. Similarly, the negative relationship between land ownership and underweight in women is more pronounced in women employed in agriculture and rural areas. While I argue that landownership improves nutrition, these estimates are sensitive to the assumptions made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of financial instability (FI) on environmental degradation (ED) along with economic growth (EG), foreign direct investment (FDI), and energy consumption (EC) in five South Asian economies from 1980 to 2021. The study uses a fixed-effect panel model and a two-step system GMM for robust outcomes. The empirical findings demonstrate that FI has a positive and significant effect on ED in South Asian economies. However, the impact of FI on ED varies across South Asian countries. Overall, the impacts of EG, FDI, and EG are positive and significant on ED in South Asia. The effects of EG, FDI, and EG are also heterogeneous for countries in South Asia. However, FDI reduces ED in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. Therefore, the study provides several policy recommendations to combat ED in the South Asian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The objective of the current study was to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi adolescents aged 15–19 y and to identify whether wealth-related inequality exists for overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi older adolescents. Methods We analyzed publicly available national representative secondary data from the 2019–2020 Bangladesh Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey. This cross-sectional survey was carried out among 18 249 adolescents aged 15–19 y regardless of their marital status using a two-stage stratified sampling technique (the data of 9128 eligible adolescents were included in this analysis). The WHO reference population for body mass index-for-age (1+Z score) was considered as overweight/obesity. Results We found that girls had significantly (p<0.05) higher prevalence of overweight/obesity (11.63%) than boys (8.25%); however, their biological sex as well their age were not significantly associated with higher odds of overweight/obesity. Those who were in their higher grade (grade 11 and higher) in the school and had been exposed to media were more likely (1.67 and 1.39 times, respectively) to be overweight/obesity compared with primary grade (0–5) and those who experienced no media exposure, respectively. Inequality analysis revealed that adolescents belonging to wealthy households had significantly higher rates of overweight/obesity than those in poorer households (concentration index=0.093). Conclusions The study exhibited the multifaceted nature of overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi older teenagers, revealing that their school grade, exposure to media content and wealth-related inequality emerged as significant contributing factors. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and public health strategies to address the escalating burden of overweight and obesity in this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Health data sciences can help mitigate high burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in South Asia by increasing availability and affordability of healthcare services. This review explores the current landscape, challenges, and strategies for leveraging digital health technologies to improve CVD outcomes in the region. Recent Findings: Several South Asian countries are implementing national digital health strategies that aim to provide unique health account numbers for patients, creating longitudinal digital health records while others aim to digitize healthcare services and improve health outcomes. Significant challenges impede progress, including lack of interoperability, inadequate training of healthcare workers, cultural barriers, and data privacy concerns. Summary: Leveraging digital health for CVD management involves using big data for early detection, employing artificial intelligence for diagnostics, and integrating multiomics data for health insights. Addressing these challenges through policy frameworks, capacity building, and international cooperation is crucial for improving CVD outcomes in region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pomfret fish, particularly the black pomfret (Parastromateus niger), serves as a significant economic resource in South Asia, particularly in the coastal regions of Balochistan, Pakistan. This study investigates various biological parameters of Parastromateus niger collected from the Gaddani coastal area of Pakistan, focusing on length-weight relationships, gut fullness, and population demographics. A total of 117 fish specimens were collected, with females dominating the samples. Length and weight data were analyzed separately for males and females, with statistical calculations revealing strong correlations (r2 values ranging from 0.918 to 0.985) between length and weight for both sexes. Gut fullness was categorized into five levels, with the highest percentage observed during July, suggesting potential breeding activity during this period. The zooplanktons were identified as primary dietary components of Parastromateus niger. The study also highlights the importance of regulatory measures to sustainably manage fish populations, especially during breeding seasons, and calls for further research into the intensive culturing and feeding regimes of black pomfret to enhance its production. Overall, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the biological characteristics and potential for aquaculture development of Parastromateus niger in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite decades of a call to action to engage men in reproductive health, men are often left out of programs and interventions. In India, where half of pregnancies are reported as unintended, patriarchal gender norms and still dominant patterns of arranged marriages make engaging men in family planning and strengthening couples communication critical in increasing reproductive autonomy and helping young couples meet their reproductive goals. This study explores the feasibility and acceptability from the men's perspective of the pilot of a gender transformative intervention for newly married couples in India. Methods: A pilot study was conducted of TARANG, a 4 month intervention for newly married women, with light touch engagement of husbands (4 sessions). A total of 41 husbands participated in the pilot, and we collected baseline knowledge and endline feasibility and acceptability data from them, along with in depth qualitative interviews with 13 men. The study was conducted in June 2023-January 2024. Results: Men had low levels of knowledge about biology, family planning, with the majority of men reporting that no one had provided them information about these topics. Most men wanted to delay the first birth by at least 2 years, yet less than a quarter had discussed childbearing plans with their partner or engaged in family planning methods. While all men reported high acceptability (satisfaction and usefulness), feasibility (participation) was low, with only 43% attending 2 or more sessions. Main barriers to participation included commitments due to work and migration. Men reported that the intervention led to improvements in their relationships with their wives, gave them a sense of empowerment, and led them to become resources for other men in their community. Conclusions: Men in these rural communities are not receiving the information that they need to meet their reproductive goals, however, they greatly desire this information and ways to improve relationships with their new wives. Such an intervention appears to have the potential to help change norms and spread information in the community and provide men with positive, life affirming feelings. Providing information through technology could address barriers to in-person engagement. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov : 03/13/24.NCT06320964 Plain language summary: Despite many years of calls to engage men in reproductive health programming, there are still a paucity of interventions that engage men. In the Indian context, with high prevalence of arranged marriages, strict gender norms, and patrilocal marriage patterns where women move into their husbands family's home, engaging men is especially important as they are critical decision-makers. With this in mind, we designed an intervention for newly married women, with an add on component for their husbands, to help young couples meet their reproductive goals. In this paper we report on the feasibility and acceptability of a 6 month pilot of this intervention with 40 newly married men in Rajasthan, India using mixed methods. We find that the intervention was highly feasibility and acceptable, and men felt that the intervention had value and should be considered. However, attendance was low due to work commitments and migration. The intervention appeared to change norms and increase knowledge about family planning and communication about childbearing. Men reported that the intervention led to improvements in their relationships with their wives, gave them a sense of empowerment, and led them to become resources for other men in their community. This suggests that engaging newly married men is possible, but interventions must be designed carefully to be sure to be able increase participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fluoride pollution in agricultural environments, particularly from industrial activities such as brick kilns, poses significant risks to crop yield and livestock health. This study investigates the impact of fluoride pollution on clover fodder, a critical feed source for livestock in the Peshawar region of Pakistan, and explores strategies to mitigate fluoride uptake using calcium amendments. Clover, specifically Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.), is prone to accumulating high fluoride content, exacerbated by nearby brick kilns emitting hydrogen fluoride (HF). This accumulation poses a risk of fluorosis in livestock consuming the contaminated fodder. Methodology: A pot experiment was conducted to assess the effectiveness of adding calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at varying concentrations (0, 20, 40, and 60 µg/kg) to reduce fluoride uptake in clover. The study spanned three months, with plants harvested every four weeks to measure fluoride levels. Results: showed that increasing soil calcium significantly reduced fluoride content in clover leaves. At 60 µg/kg CaCO3, fluoride concentration decreased to 22 µg/kg from an initial 60 µg/kg at 0 µg/kg CaCO3. This reduction was consistent over 12 weeks, demonstrating the potential of calcium amendments to mitigate fluoride uptake. Additionally, a survey of farmers and agricultural extension workers in the affected areas revealed a lack of awareness and mitigation strategies for fluoride pollution. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for policy interventions and educational programs to address fluoride pollution in agricultural systems. Implementing effective service economy strategies, such as providing subsidies for calcium amendments and conducting workshops on pollution management, can help reduce fluoride levels in fodder crops and safeguard livestock health. This study underscores the importance of collaborative efforts between government and local communities to develop sustainable solutions for managing fluoride pollution in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars commenting on the reception of the historian and theorist 'Abd al-Raḥmān Ibn Khaldūn (1332–1406) in modern South Asia have held that it was orientalists and Westernised intellectuals rather than indigenous intellectuals who popularised him in the region. Contesting these impressions, I argue that local intellectuals displayed their agency in using the historian's work to respond to various crises of colonial modernity. They read, translated, and appropriated Ibn Khaldūn to seek inspiration for modern Muslim nationalism, as validation for sectarian convictions and the rhetoric of Islamic reform, and to resist colonial and Hindu revivalist narratives of despotic Muslim rule in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is necessitated by the high rate of infant mortality in South Asia (SA) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the need to enhance the chances of these regions achieving SGD 3. The endemic nature of infant mortality in these regions constitutes a threat to attaining the 2030 sustainable development goal (SDG) 3 target. This study examined whether carbon emission matters and how other socioeconomic factors militate against the attainment of the infant mortality target in SA and SSA for the period 1981-2019. The study analyzed annual panel series using the robust least squares estimator. The result revealed that carbon emission per capita is the most critical impediment to attaining the SDG 3 target (25 infant mortality rate per 1000 in 2030) in SA and SSA. Fortunately, an increment in per capita income would be the strategic action to attaining the infant mortality target in these regions, and it is imperative to promote maternal education through improvement in female school enrollment rates. While the South Asian economies could afford to rely on foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in addition to the aforementioned strategies, the SSA countries should not strongly depend on FDI to address the menace of infant mortality, rather improved social spending that is devoid of corruption and other systemic encumbrances would be more productive in arresting infant mortality in this region. Also, policymakers in Sub-Saharan African economies are encouraged to rely less on FDI and are strongly advised to improve government social spending and to implement pollution abatement policies and environmental regulations in line with international treaties and best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Insect Biodiversity & Systematics is the property of Tarbiat Modares University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Local history in Pakistan has a complex relationship with national historical narratives that are derived from ideological debates on Muslim nationhood in South Asia. This article discusses how 'local' is understood in Pakistan's historiography and puts forth an argument for the adoption of an environmental framework to enhance our understanding of local history. Mapping methodology used for a project on the Rachna Doab is discussed in order to demonstrate how local environmental history can give new insights into history by eschewing preconceived frames of reference and using a different concept of space and time defined by environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Qur'anic Studies is the property of Edinburgh University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: This quasi-experimental study aimed to describe the outcome of a social skills intervention for adolescents with depression followed up at an outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit. Twenty adolescents with depression attending a tertiary care facility in Colombo, Sri Lanka were recruited, who participated in two social skills training programmes (6 months apart), in addition to pharmacological treatment. Outcome of the programme was measured by a self-administered questionnaire that assessed perceived changes in social skills, before and after the intervention. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to determine the statistical significance of improvement in social skills. Results: The sample consisted of 80% (n = 16) female adolescents. Median scores (inter-quartile range) for social skills before and after the first social skills programme were 31.5 (21.0–36.0) and 33.0 (28.25–40.25) respectively, indicating a significant improvement in social skills following intervention (p = 0.011, r = 0.57). A similar improvement was observed after the second programme (n = 10), reporting higher median scores for social skills after intervention (29.5 vs. 37.5, p = 0.005, r = 0.89). A significant improvement was also observed in perceived ability to cope with depressive thoughts after intervention (p = 0.032), indicating that social skills training can be a useful adjunct to pharmacological interventions, in the management of depression in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "love jihad" conspiracy theory in India purports that Muslim men are deceptively seducing or kidnapping non-Muslim women in large numbers to convert and marry them. State laws in India have moved to control conversions—resulting in legislation as disinformation—and sparked violent attacks against Muslims. We identify this as the third wave of state-level anti-conversion laws in India and study how the conspiracy theory is embedded into the text of the law and its relation to the current period of Hindu nationalist ascendancy. Combining narrative analysis of the 2021 Gujarat amendment and interrogating the everyday experiences of interfaith couples who face administrative, police, and vigilante violence we analyze the infrastructure and frameworks of Hindu nationalist ideological dominance in India today. Our study questions the presumptions that underlie the characterization of India as a "democracy" considering the current political, ideological, and legal configurations in the country under the BJP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS) occurs in the child and adolescent age group. It is characterised by the acute onset of Obsessive-compulsive Disorders (OCD) and/or tic disorders following an infection with Group A Beta-haemolytic Streptococci (GABHS), but it can also present with a variety of unique clinical manifestations. Despite the high prevalence of streptococcal infections in the Indian subcontinent, very few cases have been reported due to a lack of awareness. Hereby, the authors present a case series of four cases (one female and three males) of PANDAS with rare presenting symptoms, including dissociative (conversion) disorder and hoarding disorder, each with evidence of a preceding streptococcal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dethroned: The Downfall of India's Princely States John Zubrzycki. London: C. Hurst & Co., 2023. £25.00. 360 pp. The Return of the Taliban: Afghanistan After the Americans Left Hassan Abbas. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2023. £16.99/$26.00. 320 pp. Sheikh Abdullah: The Caged Lion of Kashmir Chitralekha Zutshi. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2024. £25.00/$35.00. 376 pp. Days of Opportunity: The United States and Afghanistan Before the Soviet Invasion Robert B. Rakove. New York: Columbia University Press, 2023. £30.00/$35.00. 488 pp. Pakistan and American Diplomacy: Insights from 9/11 to the Afghanistan Endgame Ted Craig. Lincoln, NE: Potomac Books, 2024. $34.95. 296 pp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) significantly increases the risk of depression, yet research on mental health in this population remains limited. Aim: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prevalence of depression among multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients, emphasizing the necessity for integrated mental health care. Methods: A systematic search across PubMed, Cochrane, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar identified 536 articles, which were screened for eligibility after removing duplicates. Prevalence data were analyzed using R programming, with back-transformation applied to enhance accuracy. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed with the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist, and the study protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023449156). Results: Ultimately, twelve studies involving 3,258 participants were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of depression among MDR-TB patients was found to be 54% (95% CI: 42%-65%). Although substantial heterogeneity was noted (I² = 72%; P < 0.01), excluding one study (Walker et al.) due to high Cook's distance revised the prevalence to 55% (95% CI: 43%-68%), with reduced heterogeneity (I² = 68%; P < 0.01). Subgroup analyses indicated minimal variability among studies using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (52%, 95% CI: 40%-64%) and substantial variability among those employing the Patient Health Questionnaire (54%, 95% CI: 30%-79%). Funnel plot analysis and Egger's test revealed no significant publication bias (P = 0.2105). Conclusion: This study highlights a high prevalence of depression among MDR-TB patients, underscoring the urgent need for integrated mental health care strategies tailored for this vulnerable population. Further research is essential to refine these strategies effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the involvement of members of South Asian communities in cricket (in Bradford and Leeds, UK). The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) identified that despite the high level of interest in cricket within these communities, relatively few were participating in opportunities provided through ECB structures; instead, they were engaged in various forms of 'informal' cricket. Using data from a small-scale survey and group interviews, this paper speaks to issues of diversity and equality utilizing Rowe's theory of sporting capital framed with insights from Critical Race Theory (CRT). We argue that Rowe's model should be refined by incorporating the concepts of cultural competence and cultural wealth. Doing this can safeguard against deficit models of capital that stress what people lack rather than what they possess. This provides the sporting establishment with better insight to how their sport is perceived and engaged with by those outside the mainstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]