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Before the exodus of many people and the political leadership from the territory of Tibet, both the macro-governmental and micro everyday sociocultural existence were dominated by Buddhist religion and religious personalities. The wealth of the nation was decided and measured by the ever-increasing number of grand monasteries and religious personalities. This article argues that after more than six decades of democratic internal governance in exile, the earlier dominance of religion and religious personalities has now taken a hegemonic turn in this democracy without territory. Despite the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s unprecedented decision to relinquish his formal governmental authority in exile, the continued dominance of religion in the polity and everyday life of Tibetans is notable and is critically examined in this article.

The 20th century was the century of refugees. Several wars and territorial aggrandisement policies of nascent nation–states were responsible for the exodus of persecuted people across the world. Tibet, an isolated Himalayan nation, lost its freedom and thousands of Tibetans along with their leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, fled Tibet and took refuge in India after a long walk in the month of March 1959. The exodus has been an example not only of forced de-territorialisation of a people but also of their government. When the traditional Tibetan polity consisting of diverse cultural and regional elements came in contact with the modern democratic political institutions of the host nation–state, attempts are being made to consolidate their diverse identities through homogenising nationalistic programmes. Such attempts are fraught with multiple responses in the institutions and the public sphere among the Tibetan refugees which the article attempts to interpret.

The recruitment to military in modern nation states, by and large, is voluntary. Although it is commonly assumed that a soldiers’ job in the army is to fight against the enemies of their motherland, the Indian Army has a regiment of Tibetan soldiers who are not Indians as per the law of the land. Known as Special Frontier Force (SFF), this regiment was until recently a secret wing of the Indian Army. Joining the Indian Army during the heydays of their diasporic dispersal due to the Chinese territorial aggrandizement and Sino-Indian war of 1962, with a hope of direct encounter with their enemies, Tibetans continue to be voluntarily recruited to the now non-secret SFF. As part of the Indian Army, they should be ready to fight the enemies of their host country. In fact, over the decades, they have been requested by India to take part in several military exercises. In the changed international geopolitics, Tibetans in exile may not get another opportunity to fight against their own enemies. The trajectory of the value orientations of the Tibetan soldiers in the Indian Army constitutes the axial concern of this article.

This paper seeks to understand the nature of development through an examination of the gastronomic tradition. The Kuta Maha Jagat (KMJ) or the Great Universe of Kota, a cluster of 14 villages in the Udupi District of Karnataka State, is the geographical context of the study. It is a multi-jati community with Brahmins enjoying dominance in such domains as economy, education and ritual. After introducing food as an important aspect of socio-cultural reality, the description of the research universe is provided. Then the paper elucidates the centrality of gastronomy for the people of KW. The next part accounts the socio­economic transformation of the area and the nature of development. The argument of the paper is that in the context of development-induced stress the gastronomic tradition is reinvented.

This article is a critique of the project modernity from the vantage point of an indigenous occupational community of Goa which for centuries has been pursuing sustainable livelihood practices. It revolves around the traditional occupation of fishing in the context of modernist threat it faces. Informed by the theoretical insights provided by Frank’s theory of development of underdevelopment, this article argues that our understanding of environmental change as a social process is inextricably linked with the expansion and contradiction of the world economic system. While delineating Frank’s theory of underdevelopment as theoretical support, it captures the indigenous knowledge systems of the fishing community of Goa, highlighting its ecological sensitivity. It then addresses the changes that have affected this community in the wake of enforced modernisation and development. It specifically focuses on the social movements carried out by the traditional fishermen of Goa in an attempt to protect their traditional fishing practices.

Sarbeshwar Sahoo, Pentecostalism and Politics of Conversion in India. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 205, $99.9 (hardback). ISBN: 978-1-108-41612-2.

Aim. This article is a report of a mixed method to examine the determinants of reproductive health and quality of life among Indian women. Background. Reproductive health among married women in stressed regions of industrialized countries is an increasingly important consideration, but little is known about the important factors influencing reproductive health and quality of life. Methods. A descriptive correlational research design was used between January and April 2006 with 145 randomly selected married women in a rural mining region of India. The instruments used were the Reproductive Health Index Questionnaire and Interview and Ferrans and Power's Quality of Life Index. Inferential statistics were done using anova and manova. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Results. Reproductive health and quality of life was low among Indian women in mining communities. Higher age groups, better economic status, higher age at menarche, fewer number of children, absence of long-term illness, reproductive illness and domestic violence were important determinants of reproductive health and quality of life among these women in mining communities. Conclusion. The findings suggest that physical, psychological, sexual, family, socio-economic, energy level and cognitive domains of reproductive health and quality of life need to be assessed and are influenced by important determinants among women. These domains reflected in the theory of goal attainment should be an essential part of nursing process for providing women's reproductive health care in the mining community. Language: en

Background Women facing social and economic disadvantage in stressed communities of developing countries are at greater risk due to health problems. This paper investigates the relationships between structural, health and psychosocial predictors among women in mining and agricultural communities. This paper is a report of a study of the predictors of the health-related quality of life among Indian women in mining and agricultural communities. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used. The instruments used are SF-36 Health Survey and Coping Strategy Checklist. ANOVA, MANOVA and GLM were used in the analysis. The study was conducted between January-September 2008 with randomly selected women in a mining (145) and an agricultural community (133) in India. Results Women in the agricultural community had significantly increased Physical Health, Mental Health and SF36 scores compared with those in the mining community. Years of stay, education and employment were significant predictors among women in the agricultural community. 39% (33%) and 40% (26%) of the variance in Physical and Mental health respectively among women in agricultural and mining communities are predicted by the structural, health and psychosocial variables. Conclusion Perceived health status should be recognised as an important assessment of Physical and Mental Health among women in rural stressed communities. Cognitive, emotional and behavioural coping strategies are significant predictors of health related quality of life. Implications. Nurses should use the SF-36 as a diagnostic tool for assessing health related quality of life among women and discuss coping strategies, so that these can target women’s adaptive behaviour. This should be an essential part of the nursing process for facilitating adaptive process for improved health related quality of life.

This article is a report of a mixed method to examine the determinants of reproductive health and quality of life among Indian women.Reproductive health among married women in stressed regions of industrialized countries is an increasingly important consideration, but little is known about the important factors influencing reproductive health and quality of life.A descriptive correlational research design was used between January and April 2006 with 145 randomly selected married women in a rural mining region of India. The instruments used were the Reproductive Health Index Questionnaire and Interview and Ferrans and Power's Quality of Life Index. Inferential statistics were done using anova and manova. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data.Reproductive health and quality of life was low among Indian women in mining communities. Higher age groups, better economic status, higher age at menarche, fewer number of children, absence of long-term illness, reproductive illness and domestic violence were important determinants of reproductive health and quality of life among these women in mining communities.The findings suggest that physical, psychological, sexual, family, socio-economic, energy level and cognitive domains of reproductive health and quality of life need to be assessed and are influenced by important determinants among women. These domains reflected in the theory of goal attainment should be an essential part of nursing process for providing women's reproductive health care in the mining community.

This paper is a qualitative study of women's well-being and reproductive health status among married women in mining communities in India. An exploratory qualitative research design was conducted using purposive sampling among 40 selected married women in a rural Indian mining community. Ethical permission was obtained from Goa University. A semi-structured indepth interview guide was used to gather women's experiences and perceptions regarding well-being and reproductive health in 2010. These interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, verified, coded and then analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Early marriage, increased fertility, less birth intervals, son preference and lack of decision-making regarding reproductive health choices were found to affect women's reproductive health. Domestic violence, gender preference, husbands drinking behaviors, and low spousal communication were common experiences considered by women as factors leading to poor quality of marital relationship. Four main themes in confronting women's well-being are poor literacy and mobility, low employment and income generating opportunities, poor reproductive health choices and preferences and poor quality of martial relationships and communication. These determinants of physical, psychological and cultural well-being should be an essential part of nursing assessment in the primary care settings for informed actions. Nursing interventions should be directed towards participatory approach, informed decision making and empowering women towards better health and well-being in the mining community.