http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/india Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:13:58 -0400 Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:13:58 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1927/deconstructing-social-classification-and-mobility-the-hindu-varna-system-platos-magnificent-myth-and-the-british-caste-system By Aadi C. Krishna - This research elucidates the striking parallelism between the Hindu Varna System and Plato's Magnificent Myth through an unorthodox view of their class-based classification, social mobility, and meritocracy while arguing that these stem from the Arguments from Division of Labor and Biological Determinism. Furthermore, it establishes that the Caste System introduced in India by the British in the 18th Century fundamentally differs from the systems followed in ancient India and Athens and investigates the fundamental forces and the motivations behind its implementation. Lastly, the paper conducts... Fri, 10 Dec 2021 02:49 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1927/deconstructing-social-classification-and-mobility-the-hindu-varna-system-platos-magnificent-myth-and-the-british-caste-system http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1880/a-critical-analysis-of-the-biopsychosocial-risks-associated-with-postpartum-depression-in-indian-mothers By Dia A. Kapoor - Motherhood is an essential yet challenging feat that requires constant emotional, social, and physical support. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a devastating illness that has detrimental effects on both the mother and her child. PPD is a growing problem in developing countries such as India, where populations are unaware and unaccepting of mental illnesses. Existing literature has identified several biological and psychological factors contributing to PPD. Interventions and public health policies have been motivated by recognized factors; however, they have not been as successful at reducing rates... Mon, 22 Feb 2021 02:36 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1880/a-critical-analysis-of-the-biopsychosocial-risks-associated-with-postpartum-depression-in-indian-mothers http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1868/stereotypes-in-bollywood-cinema-does-article-15-reinforce-the-dalit-narrative By Khushi Gupta - The vacuum created by the absence of any response or resistance from the Dalit characters elaborate that the oppressed themselves cannot speak and thus are spoken for. Having denied Dalits their voice, the non- Dalits have become a self-appointed spokesperson of the Dalits throughout history. Such depiction in Bollywood have resulted in the misrepresentation and misappropriation of Dalits experiences. The continuous stereotypical representation as submissive, dark-skinned, shabby and under-confident individuals continue in the films. There is a repeated portrayal of men and women being outcasted... Tue, 26 Jan 2021 11:54 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1868/stereotypes-in-bollywood-cinema-does-article-15-reinforce-the-dalit-narrative http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1824/how-populist-conservatism-influences-the-rhetoric-of-ethnic-entrepreneurs By Aishwari Krishna - This research paper investigates the impact that the rhetoric of a populist conservative ethnic entrepreneur can have on ethnic conflict by analyzing the tweets of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over the years, the emergence of right-wing leaders in power has led to the increasing importance of the study of their impacts on society. Ethnic conflict between Indian Hindus and Muslims has recently been exacerbated, so India under Modi’s tenure was an ideal nation to study. The original content analysis compares tweets from two time periods, those during a period of crisis and those from... Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:51 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1824/how-populist-conservatism-influences-the-rhetoric-of-ethnic-entrepreneurs http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1769/united-states-patents-biopiracy-and-cultural-imperialism-the-theft-of-indias-traditional-knowledge By Daanyaal R. Kumar - This article aims to present the biopiracy of traditional knowledge from India by the United States, which has occurred directly through the use of patent law and indirectly through economic power and cultural imperialism. Throughout this essay, I will analyze U.S. patent law, patent law cases where Indian traditional knowledge is being stolen, and the influence of U.S. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in India. Through lenses of economic power and cultural imperialism, I will examine how economic power and U.S notions of cultural imperialism have given the United States the... Thu, 03 Oct 2019 08:21 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1769/united-states-patents-biopiracy-and-cultural-imperialism-the-theft-of-indias-traditional-knowledge http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1759/climate-change-as-a-security-issue-in-the-indo-pacific-region-borders-environmental-phenomena-and-preexisting-vulnerabilities By Billie R. Trinder - In recent years, climate change has been increasingly framed as a security issue, with some theorists going so far as to call it the most important security issue of the 21st century. This paper will examine the relationship between climate change and human security through the lens of environmental possibilism (Sprout, 1965), recognizing related environmental phenomena as risk intensifiers. It is recognized that climate change acts as a risk multiplier to violent conflict rather than a direct cause, where the vulnerability and ability or inability of populations to adapt to environmental change... Fri, 15 Feb 2019 09:38 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1759/climate-change-as-a-security-issue-in-the-indo-pacific-region-borders-environmental-phenomena-and-preexisting-vulnerabilities http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1702/domestic-violence-and-the-indian-womens-movement-a-short-history By Kaamila Patherya - The Indian women’s movement, from the 1920s until the 1970s, was heavily influenced and directed by the external economic and political forces of the nation, to the effect that women’s issues were effectively sidelined, never occupying central concern in the minds of people. The period from the 1920s until Independence saw the imbuement of the women’s movement with nationalist politics, its contours shaped by the on-going struggle for freedom from British imperialism. This period, from the 1920s to the 1970s, was characterized by the inception of various local women’s associations... Wed, 08 Nov 2017 10:33 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1702/domestic-violence-and-the-indian-womens-movement-a-short-history http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1397/china-and-india-in-africa-implications-of-new-private-sector-actors-on-bribe-paying-incidence By Sankalp Gowda - This paper seeks to address one of the most common critiques of Asian firms doing business in Africa: that low levels of corporate governance and poor managerial practices have undermined anti-corruption efforts throughout the continent. The paper first details and analyzes the managerial practices of Indian and Chinese firms to distinguish what factors might make these firms more likely to pay bribes. Next, it uses data from the 2006-2014 World Bank Enterprise Surveys to empirically test the claim that the presence of Indian and Chinese firms has increased bribe-paying incidence in African countries... Mon, 25 Apr 2016 08:44 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1397/china-and-india-in-africa-implications-of-new-private-sector-actors-on-bribe-paying-incidence http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1372/was-amir-khusrau-a-historian-examining-his-work-in-a-contemporary-framework By Neha Chaudhary - Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrau (1253-1325) is one of the most celebrated poets of medieval India, writing both in Persian, the courtly language of Muslims of the Sultanate period, and Hindavī, the vernacular language of the Delhi area. Also known as Tūtī e-Hind (=Parrot of India) and “Turk of India” for his poetic eloquence and fluency in Persian and Hindavī[2], Amīr Khusrau has stood for a major cultural icon in the history of Indian Civilisation for almost seven hundred years. In this paper, we delve into his work and try measure it on the standards of modern history writing... Wed, 02 Mar 2016 11:20 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1372/was-amir-khusrau-a-historian-examining-his-work-in-a-contemporary-framework http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1340/from-jalaluddin-to-akbar-analyzing-the-akbarid-notion-of-kingship By Saarang Narayan - Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar is placed among the elite few in history; he is amongst the “Great”[1]. Popularly known for his liberal policies and just administration, he is remembered widely as an ideal ruler. It is almost dangerous, thus, to analyse any of his aspects of kingship–many of which are rhetoric for the masses today. His populist policies made him popular during his reign, and even today, continue to keep him alive as an epitome of leadership. It is thus an important task, I claim, to look into what it is that elevated Jalaluddin Mohammad to the status of Akbar (great... Fri, 29 Jan 2016 05:24 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1340/from-jalaluddin-to-akbar-analyzing-the-akbarid-notion-of-kingship http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1320/united-states-india-defense-relations-a-strategic-partnership-for-the-21st-century By John Pedro - The uptick in U.S.-India cooperation originated late in the Clinton administration, was carried through the Bush Administration, and has been continued by the Obama Administration's pivot to Asia and recent renewal of the mutual defense framework. I argue that although past relations have been tumultuous, collaboration will continue to grow in the future as a result of converging interests and strategic necessities. India is rapidly growing in influence and power; with 1.3 million active personnel, it is the world's third largest military, and with 1.2 billion people, its largest democracy.1 In... Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1320/united-states-india-defense-relations-a-strategic-partnership-for-the-21st-century http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1330/media-initiation-in-environmental-education-an-indian-model-of-environmental-pedagogy By Nithin Kalorth - Environmental communication is now an emerging and a significant curriculum from schools to research centers. The effective and efficient environmental communication occurs when learners interact with their surrounding environment/ecology in which they live and reciprocate for sustainable protection and restoration of it. Developing countries in Asia and Africa are now setting up new role models and practices in curricula of environmental communication. The traditional theory based environmental communication curriculum of the last century is now actively investigated and restructured through... Tue, 01 Sep 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1330/media-initiation-in-environmental-education-an-indian-model-of-environmental-pedagogy http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1061/the-shah-bano-controversy-a-case-study-of-individual-rights-religious-tolerance-and-the-role-of-the-secular-state By Jill M. Oglesbee - Since Independence, the Indian government has struggled to achieve political modernity within acceptable religious boundaries. Religious diversity in India necessitates governmental sensitivity toward sometimes opposing principles, and yet, when religious practices threaten an individual’s access to the rights of citizenship, a secular government has to intervene. The Indian Supreme Court case of Mohammad Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum and others brought to the forefront issues of citizenship, minority identity, and national sovereignty amidst an environment of fear and tension during the... Sat, 29 Aug 2015 07:57 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1061/the-shah-bano-controversy-a-case-study-of-individual-rights-religious-tolerance-and-the-role-of-the-secular-state http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1584/indias-anti-gmo-rhetoric-wielding-gandhian-thought-to-undermine-corporate-capitalist-agriculture By Julia Sullivan - As a predominantly rural and densely populated developing nation, India is positioned at the vanguard of the global debate surrounding GMOs. As concerns related to food security mount, what transpires in India is of great importance. Citizens' collective memory of the country's colonial experience and Gandhi's role as an independence leader, however, have made for a poignant encounter with biotechnology. A range of diverse anti-GMO civil society groups have risen to the fore, some of which, despite not having come together on a cohesive campaign, articulate their organizational objectives through... Sun, 31 May 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1584/indias-anti-gmo-rhetoric-wielding-gandhian-thought-to-undermine-corporate-capitalist-agriculture http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1092/the-human-rights-impacts-of-vawa-2013-a-true-victory-for-native-american-women By Lauren R. Kelly - The level of gender violence against native women in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. Furthermore, the vast majority of Native American gender violence victims are abused at the hands of non-native men. Native American tribes are considered to be “domestic dependents” of the United States, meaning that they have the inherent authority to govern themselves and also maintain U.S. citizenship rights. This system creates multiple overlapping governing systems on tribal reservations, as illustrated by determining jurisdiction over gender violence crimes. Tribal courts... Fri, 01 May 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1092/the-human-rights-impacts-of-vawa-2013-a-true-victory-for-native-american-women http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/909/two-roadmaps-for-kashmiri-democracy By Pratik Raghu - This is not to imply, however, that Kashmiris are or have been resigned to victimization. In April of 2013, supporters of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) in Indian-controlled Kashmir protested a court ruling that sentenced more than twenty political prisoners to life in prison, in addition to demanding the return of the remains of recently-executed Kashmiri extremist, Mohammed Afzal Guru (Safvi, 2013). These specific requests are united by the general call for long-term peace and democracy in Kashmir. As atrocities committed by India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have mounted... Sun, 24 Aug 2014 03:14 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/909/two-roadmaps-for-kashmiri-democracy http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1392/dont-fear-the-reaper-analyzing-the-effect-of-health-on-microfinance-participation By Sam Thompson - The randomized introduction of microfinance to neighborhoods surrounding Hyderabad, India provides an opportunity to analyze the relationship between health and an individual's decision to borrow. Employing the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab's data from the aforementioned randomized controlled trial (RCT), I find that healthy individuals (those who lose fewer than 15 working days a year to illness) are significantly more likely to participate in microfinance. Accounting for intra-neighborhood correlation, however, the inclusion of clustered standard errors reduces the significance of said... Tue, 15 Apr 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1392/dont-fear-the-reaper-analyzing-the-effect-of-health-on-microfinance-participation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/814/gharial-gavialis-gangeticus-habitat-use-and-behavior-analysis-in-response-to-repeated-aggression By Leslie Sadowski - Gavialis gangeticus, the Indian gharial, is the only extant gharial species in the world. The gharial is a large crocodilian in the family Gavialidae and is characterized by a long snout. Due to its sparse numbers and increased habitat destruction, its behavior as compared to other living crocodilians remains relatively unknown. This particular specimen, located at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, was a female of approximately 28 years. The study was done in order to determine causes for aggression towards certain species of fish in the gharial‟s enclosure. These species of fish were too large... Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:51 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/814/gharial-gavialis-gangeticus-habitat-use-and-behavior-analysis-in-response-to-repeated-aggression http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1483/india-and-nigeria-similar-colonial-legacies-vastly-different-trajectories-an-examination-of-the-differing-fates-of-two-former-british-colonies By Caroline Cohn - The nations of Nigeria and India both have exceptionally diverse populations, endured the deliberate divide-and-rule strategies executed by British colonizers who sought thereby to exacerbate existing differences, and experienced peaceful transfers from colonial rule to independence. Despite these key similarities in certain aspects of their colonial and decolonization experiences, India and Nigeria have had very different levels of success in their efforts to create and maintain politically stable nation-states. Today, India is distinguished from other post-colonial independent nations for its... Fri, 15 Nov 2013 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1483/india-and-nigeria-similar-colonial-legacies-vastly-different-trajectories-an-examination-of-the-differing-fates-of-two-former-british-colonies http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/769/rural-urban-migration-and-agricultural-transformation-in-india-observing-the-impact-on-childhood-migration-from-bihar-to-new-delhi By Daniel A. Rosenblum - This paper addresses the agricultural transformations occurring in India in relation to the migration of children from rural to urban centers. With a shifting system of landholding, climatic changes, increasing mechanization and industrialization of agriculture, and new development projects, the agrarian system in rural India is rapidly changing. Based on fieldwork conducted in India, interviews with local experts and urban/rural informants, this paper draws connections between the transformations occuring in the agricultural sector with the increase in the number of children running away to major... Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:57 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/769/rural-urban-migration-and-agricultural-transformation-in-india-observing-the-impact-on-childhood-migration-from-bihar-to-new-delhi http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/760/anxieties-of-empire-examining-frontier-governance-in-19th-century-british-india By Zaib Un Nisa Aziz - In May 2012, Shakil Afridi received a sentence of thirty-three years “rigorous imprisonment” and a large fine for aiding foreign intelligence gatherers in their quest for Osama bin Laden. The Pakistani state did not charge Afridi – a doctor from the Khyber area of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) – under the national criminal code, where they would have risked a controversial public trial and a possible death sentence. Instead, Mohammad Nasir Khan, assistant Political Agent of Bara, Khyber Agency, announced on May 23rd, 2012 that Dr. Afridi had been tried &... Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:45 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/760/anxieties-of-empire-examining-frontier-governance-in-19th-century-british-india http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1210/revisions-to-lipsets-economic-theory-of-democratic-development-india-as-a-case-study By Anwesha Banerjee - Seymour M. Lipset dubbed economic development a “social requisite to democracy,” considering factors such as national wealth, a large degree of industrialization, and high levels of education to be necessary fertilizers to prepare a breeding ground for democracy. Citing many different cases throughout history leading up to the present (which, for him at the time of writing his article, “Some Social Requisites of Democracy,” was 1959), he famously posited that “the more well-to-do a nation, the greater the chances that it will sustain democracy.”1 While these... Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1210/revisions-to-lipsets-economic-theory-of-democratic-development-india-as-a-case-study http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/407/health-and-nutritional-status-of-the-indian-tribes-of-tripura-and-effects-on-education By Sanjoy Deka - Tribal communities in India mainly consist of forest dwellers who have accumulated a rich knowledge on the uses of various forests and forest products over the centuries. According to Article 342 of the Indian Constitution, the Scheduled Tribes are the tribes or tribal communities or part of or groups within these tribes and tribal communities which have been declared as such by the President through a public notification. India possesses a total of 427 tribal communities, of these more than 130 major tribal communities live in North East India, which is comprised of the 8 states Meghalaya, Mizoram... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/407/health-and-nutritional-status-of-the-indian-tribes-of-tripura-and-effects-on-education http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/389/resistance-in-luci-tapahonsos-a-radiant-curve-the-application-of-european-poetic-form-to-navajo-storytelling By Kristina S. Ten - Elements of defiance in the face of traditionally European ideals and practices are evident throughout Luci Tapahonso’s 2008 A Radiant Curve, most notably in her use of French- and Italian-based forms for many of her poems. Her use of the sestina and villanelle to tell various stories about her family and, on a larger scale, the Navajo people, exhibits the strength of her culture’s storytelling tradition and its ability to resound through any medium. Furthermore, the author’s non-linear structure and integration of the genres of both prose and poetry allow for a well-rounded... Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:29 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/389/resistance-in-luci-tapahonsos-a-radiant-curve-the-application-of-european-poetic-form-to-navajo-storytelling http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/238/food-and-dining-in-jhumpa-lahiris-interpreter-of-maladies By Tori E. Godfree - In “A Temporary Matter,” Shoba and Shukumar have grown estranged from one another, despite being married and living together.  They no longer eat meals together or cook together, until they receive a notice that repair workers will cut their power for an hour every night, which forces them to eat together by candlelight: “Tonight, with no lights, they would have to eat together.  For months now they’d served themselves from the stove, and he’d taken his plate into his study, letting the meal grow cold on his desk before shoving it into his mouth without... Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:50 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/238/food-and-dining-in-jhumpa-lahiris-interpreter-of-maladies http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/55/impressions-of-ashoka-in-ancient-india By Patrick M. Hutchison - In the latter part of the third century B.C. India was rapidly changing. The Mauryan dynasty was expanding across the sub-continent of India and the line of kings which had begun with Chandragupta had lost another of its sons, Bindusara. Bindusara's son Ashoka was the next of the Mauryan kings. The small amount of land left to conquer, Kalinga, was soon taken by Ashoka and with it, the entire Indian sub-continent was made a part of the Mauryan dynasty. Ashoka had finished what Chandragupta had started so many decades earlier. The conquest of the Mauryans had reached its natural climax and Ashoka... Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:28 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/55/impressions-of-ashoka-in-ancient-india http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/5/decolonization-and-the-collapse-of-the-british-empire By David Pierce - Before World War II it was stated fairly, “The sun never set on the British Empire.” For decades, this was true: the British colonial Empire touched all corners of the globe. After the War concluded, however, a worldwide process of decolonization commenced in which Britain granted independence to all of its major colonies, beginning notably in India. The British decision to grant independence to India arose primarily out of necessity; however, Gandhi’s successful social movements also inspired a fundamental change in the perceptions of colonial power that eventually led to the... Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:08 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/5/decolonization-and-the-collapse-of-the-british-empire http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1279/indo-pakistani-enmity-and-the-reorganization-of-asia-strategic-opportunities-for-china-and-india By Soleine Leprince Ringuet - The Indo-Pakistani tensions represent an opportunity for China to increase its leverage on the region, because both Pakistan and India are very sensitive to the positioning of foreign powers. But new events- the end of the Cold war, the nuclear tests and the beginning of the war on terror - forced China to reassess both its strategic interests and its position on the India-Pakistan conflict. Several contemporary developments may lead China to adopt a stance more favorable to India. India itself is now “a swing state” that can choose among several options how to diminish the importance... Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1279/indo-pakistani-enmity-and-the-reorganization-of-asia-strategic-opportunities-for-china-and-india