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The Indian Ocean region has seen an exchange of goods and commodities since antiquity. Long before the emergence of modern nation states and the Westphalian concept of sovereignty, Indian territory saw a regular arrival of foreign merchants and commodities. At the same time, there is a long history of Indian merchants and commodities exploring the expanses of Southeast Asia, West Asia, Southeast Africa and beyond. The Indian Ocean region comprises a number of emerging and developing economies and is considered a dynamic region in terms of trade prospects. A number of preferential trade agreements are doing the round in this region which not only present a prospect to revive the age-old trade linkages within the Indian Ocean region but also foster a promising model of South-South cooperation. Being a large economy, India has an important role to play within the region. Not only that, platforms such as RCEP present India an opportunity to participate in rule-making in the realms of international economic law. Such engagements become even more significant when rule-making at the global trade institution WTO is experiencing a phase of stagnation and while the world is witnessing a wave of protectionism, isolationism, and very recently, a trade war between two giant economies.

Several important elements, such as non-discrimination and multilateralism, characterize global trade governance. Yet, it is not a static phenomenon and is certainly not limited to the principles of Most Favored Nation and National Treatment, or reducing tariff barriers. Multilateralism remains an important stimulant in addressing contemporary challenges, such as reducing trade barriers as a means to stem mercantilist tendencies and further global trade governance. Preferential trade agreements have added a desirable wing to competitive trade liberalization through which more than 50% of today’s international trade transpires. Notably, the multi-level global trade governance under the auspices of WTO experienced a gradual increase in its complexity as it evolved. In contrast, deeper and easier integration has been witnessed at regional levels. For example, South Asian countries experimented with SAARC to create regional ripples that parallel bilateral and multilateral currents in an effort to further harness the fruits of participatory governance and trade liberalization. South Asia houses roughly a population of roughly 1.67 billion people, including 40% of the world’s poor. Yet, it remains one of the least-integrated regions. The conundrums of trade barriers have become vital in global trade governance. The study of eliminating trade barriers in a South Asian milieu illustrates the shortcomings as well as lessons to learn and amend.

The focus of this academic work centers upon the emergence of present Scandinavian languages i.e. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. The paper explains the notion of language and discusses various socio-cultural and political factors crucial with the help of different standardization stages of development of a standard language e.g. 'selection of norm', 'elaboration of function', 'codification' and 'acceptance'. The case study involves finding the oldest common language 'Proto-Scandinavian' or 'Proto-Norse' from which the concerning languages follow their respective course of development during the Middle Ages to their present existing forms.

The paper illustrates the cultural politics involving the African-American community that witnessed movements during various stages starting from the late 18th century and culminating in the 20th century. There was an amalgamation of various social, cultural and to some extent political initiatives led by various African-American intellectuals and civil activists for the elevation and emancipation of the Afro-American community and for the reclamation of the civil rights and equality for blacks in the American society. One of these intellectuals, Du Bois played an important role in furthering the cause of African-African community and giving them their rightful place in the highly divided country bruised by the Civil War.The African-American Liberation Movement focused on assimilation of blacks into the urban American society after a ghettoization of areas in the North following mass migrations of African-Americans from the South. Political activism by Du Bois and other persons such as Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington and others sought recognition of African roots in their mixed African-American heritage and fostering of realization of pride in their roots, rich and distinctive cultural heritage and also uniting them while remaining moderate. At the same time he fought against social ills such as racial discrimination and segregation and being himself a supporter of higher education for black community, he wrote extensively on a variety of themes ranging from family to religion and so forth. Various organizations such as National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People (NAACP) canalized the ideological discourses.The Harlem Renaissance characterized change and enhancement of music as well as political and ideological writing. These events are of paramount importance while looking at the shaping of African-American cultural identity.

This work investigates identities in the Caribbean. The report approaches the notion of identity with the help of the vectors or elements such as race, culture, language, religion, history, etc. in the context of the Caribbean. The focus bases on evaluating the implications of colonisation upon the region, and the impacts that the arrival of immigrants from various immigrants laid upon the indigenous people, culture, society and politics in general. One may notice that race, ethnicity, languages are entwined with history. The work explores concepts such as 'la desdicha genealogica', 'la errancia o exilio', to name a few, and it presents the point of view of few post-colonial writers on the basis of the identity elements approached in the multi-lingual, multi-ethnic world. The report also evaluates the challenges the region faces. Este trabajo investiga las identidades en el Caribe. El informe acerca a la nocion de identidad con la ayuda de los vectores o elementos por ejemplo la raza, la cultura, la lengua, la religion, la historia, etc. en el contexto del Caribe. El enfoque basa en evaluar la colonizacion de la region, y los impactos que la llegada de los inmigrantes de varios continentes dejo sobre los indigenas, la cultura, sociedad y la politica en general. Se ve que raza, etnicidad, y lenguas son encadenados con la historia. El trabajo explora conceptos por ejemplo ‘la desdicha genealogica’, ‘la enrancia o exilio’, etc. y presenta el punto de vista de los escritores poscoloniales a base de los elementos de identidad aproximados en el mundo pluri-lingual, pluri-etnico. El informe tambien evalua los desafios que afronta la region.