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1 – 10 of 18This essay seeks to extend the original gambit of this forum, of thinking possible modes of postcolonial sociology, unto a more relational terrain. It takes as its point of…
Abstract
This essay seeks to extend the original gambit of this forum, of thinking possible modes of postcolonial sociology, unto a more relational terrain. It takes as its point of departure the vexed status of history in sociology and the hermeneutic suspicion of comparison in postcolonial theory. Any potential rapprochement between postcolonial theory and sociology must engage with the deeply incongruent status of history and comparison across these fields. I attempt to bridge this divide historically by revisiting an anti-imperial internationalist sociology forged in interwar colonial India. I seek thereby to show what Pierre Bourdieu called a “particular case of the possible” and to participate in ongoing efforts to “provincialize” sociology.
This chapter argues that the process of imagination is molded by the intersecting notions of space, time, and measurements. It shows that economic spaces are shaped by notions of…
Abstract
This chapter argues that the process of imagination is molded by the intersecting notions of space, time, and measurements. It shows that economic spaces are shaped by notions of particular space-time held by historical actors and by imaginations of their past and future fictional spaces. The case study of colonial period South Asia examines how financial accounting and other measurements were co-opted to give form to future “fictional” expectations. South Asian economic spaces are shown to be the locus for control and dominance of future economic relationships, which were visualized in particular ways by the colonial rulers.
A conclusion reached is that economic spaces are not just enclosed spaces within borders where economic activity occurs shaped by the dominant culture and economy of a state. The economic spaces in colonial India were sites of economic conflict and violence, where contesting notions of economic time collided, and where widely contrasting economic futures were imagined. Indian nationalists looked into the past to spur their imagination of a different future for India. In fact, the conflict or violence that was part of the recasting of India’s national economic space was not entirely between racial groups (European colonists and native Indians) or strictly between economic classes (bourgeoisie upper castes and proletariat lower castes). Contrary expectations amongst the nationalists themselves are apparent. The process of imagination reveals the ensemble of cultural, social, and technical practices that actors used to give form to fictional expectations of the future and the spatialisation of economic spaces.
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What is “postcolonial sociology”? While the study of postcoloniality has taken on the form of “postcolonial theory” in the humanities, sociology's approach to postcolonial issues…
Abstract
What is “postcolonial sociology”? While the study of postcoloniality has taken on the form of “postcolonial theory” in the humanities, sociology's approach to postcolonial issues has been comparably muted. This essay considers postcolonial theory in the humanities and its potential utility for reorienting sociological theory and research. After sketching the historical background and context of postcolonial studies, three broad areas of contribution to sociology are highlighted: reconsiderations of agency, the injunction to overcome analytic bifurcations, and a recognition of sociology's imperial standpoint.
By the mid-19th century the British colonial state introduced liberal education to India. Amongst various disciplines, political economy illustrates the concerns of the colonial…
Abstract
Purpose
By the mid-19th century the British colonial state introduced liberal education to India. Amongst various disciplines, political economy illustrates the concerns of the colonial state with the education of Indians, and its anxiety with quelling political discontentment. The emerging Indian nationalist intelligentsia also utilized ideas from classical political economy, first taught in educational institutions, to critique colonial policy and proposed the development of “Indian Economics”, suited to national economic interests. This paper explores the development of political economy as a specific knowledge form in Calcutta University and Bombay University, and its connection with colonial educational policy.
Design/methodology/approach
This study relies primarily on university records and the proceedings of the Education Department to bring out the politically sensitive nature of the teaching of economics in colonial India.
Findings
The study finds that political economy grew from being a minor part of the overall university syllabi to becoming part of the first university departments created in early-20th-century India. The government and nationalist forces both found the discipline to be relevant to their respective agendas. The circulation of knowledge theoretical framework is found to be relevant here.
Originality/value
The history of political economy in Indian universities, especially during the 19th century, has not been dealt with in any detail. This study tries to fill this gap. The close connection between politics and the teaching of economics has also not been studied closely, which this paper does.
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Shan Zhou, Luping Qin, Jixuan Zhang and Xinying Cao
This paper aims to employ social cognitive theory (SCT) as a theoretical framework to investigate the influencing factors affecting the knowledge transfer effectiveness of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to employ social cognitive theory (SCT) as a theoretical framework to investigate the influencing factors affecting the knowledge transfer effectiveness of construction workers in China. The mediating role of their knowledge transfer willingness is also assessed.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire on knowledge transfer among Chinese construction workers is designed and subsequently analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM), with a total sample of 288 construction workers.
Findings
The SEM results show that the knowledge self-efficiency, blood and geographic relationships, and trust relationship promote knowledge transfer willingness and positively influence the knowledge transfer effectiveness of construction workers. However, the effect of organizational culture on knowledge transfer willingness and effectiveness is nonsignificant.
Practical implications
The results are conducive to managers and governments formulating strategies to optimize the learning mechanism of construction workers and facilitate their obtaining of resources from the project, thus easing skill shortages and promoting the transformation of construction workers into industrial workers.
Originality/value
This paper innovatively proposes blood and geographic relationships as research variables, expanding their scope. Furthermore, SCT is applied to enable future research to better understand individual knowledge transfer behavior from both personal and environmental perspectives.
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FIVE years ago a score or so of Work Study enthusiasts met in Holland to consider the desirability of creating an organic link between their national bodies. The following year…
Abstract
FIVE years ago a score or so of Work Study enthusiasts met in Holland to consider the desirability of creating an organic link between their national bodies. The following year, slightly increased in numbers, they gathered in Germany to create what is now the European Work Study Federation. Since then, through an annual Congress in Stockholm, London and Zurich, it has established itself as an international body.
The complex interplay of religion, reputation and repeated transactions among trade and business communities that dominate the Indian intermediary markets are detailed. Using…
Abstract
The complex interplay of religion, reputation and repeated transactions among trade and business communities that dominate the Indian intermediary markets are detailed. Using prior historical sociological and ethnographic accounts, the author highlights some unique aspects of Indian merchant communities and the common elements that these share with other business communities in Asia. The analysis lends credit to the notion that marketing theory can gain substantially from a focus on identity, family and other forms of kinship relations. Strategic implications drawn from the analysis show that while foreign consumer goods firms cannot afford to ignore the large and growing Indian market, their success will depend to a large extent on their understanding of the intricacies of the Indian merchant communities that dominate various marketing channels.
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The study's objectives are to conduct a comprehensive review of existing knowledge, thoroughly understand the present state of green finance, identify emerging research trends…
Abstract
Purpose
The study's objectives are to conduct a comprehensive review of existing knowledge, thoroughly understand the present state of green finance, identify emerging research trends, perform content analysis and offer valuable guidance for advancing this field.
Design/methodology/approach
Data has been collected by selecting highly indexed databases, Scopus and Web of Science. These databases are well-known repositories of academic papers, journals and other scholarly publications related to various fields of study. This research uses the PRISMA methodology for conducting a structured literature review and employs a bibliometric approach to summarize the findings of the previous studies. “R” studio and Biblioshiny are used to clean the data and visualize the results. The TCCM framework is utilized to propose potential avenues for future research in the domain of green finance.
Findings
The research uncovers the potential areas in the domain of green finance for future work, encompassing green bonds, the green economy, connectivity, forces, constraints and sustainable development. Furthermore, this process enhances the theoretical underpinnings of scholarly investigations within the discipline by succinctly synthesizing and evaluating preexisting literature. This contribution could facilitate more informed and focused research endeavors in green finance.
Practical implications
The research findings have practical implications for researchers, practitioners, regulators, legislators, issuers and investors involved in green finance. The results can take initiatives to improve practices related to issuing and pricing green financial products and enhance the understanding of interconnectedness within the field.
Originality/value
This ground-breaking research sheds light on various emerging areas by taking a new approach, including the most widely read articles, authors and journals and the broader conceptual and intellectual framework. That includes finding and expanding original research streams, summarizing the most seminal works, and suggesting new research pathways.
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