Rajat Shubhro Mukherjee | University of Nottingham, UK (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by Rajat Shubhro Mukherjee

The steady rise in global population, the ever-increasing demand for resources, and the rising in... more The steady rise in global population, the ever-increasing demand for resources, and the rising income inequality have far reaching and deep-seated effects for people living in the world. These effects and the individual and societal responses to the surrounding threats can be called social risk and they directly influence every aspect of life of an individual. This dissertation attempts to understand the concept of social risk with context to rural India which is known to have the largest impoverished population in the world, the largest population of malnourished children, and also the largest democracy and the seventh largest economy. These dichotomies reflect on how social risks are perceived and assessed, especially by the policy makers who are in-charge of development and accountable for their actions. The dissertation attempts to make a conceptual framework that categorises social risks in order to understand more interconnected risks under these broad categories which have intergenerational effects on living standards, like adverse health effects and exclusion from institutions, social oppression and alienation, and economic marginalisation.
This dissertation then attempts to look at the current attempts to address the problem of burgeoning social risks and how have they fared in recent past and why were they changed. It argues that risk in society come from various interlinking hazards and vulnerabilities that exacerbate the individual effects of those hazards and vulnerabilities and reflect over generations and can affect both the economy and individual households. The study finds that these interconnections come together to affect the entire society and the economy, in the form of social risk, which is a network of interconnected individual risks. It also finds that majority of development policies in India have failed to account for these risks and this has left gaps in their expected outcomes. The dissertation then subsequently discusses an emerging model in India and briefly studies its scope and function in order to understand how policy thinking is accommodating the idea of social risk assessment and management in their discourse.

To improve government services to citizens, data must be shared between agencies, but to share th... more To improve government services to citizens, data must be shared between agencies, but to share these data is to damage citizenship

The following essay attempts to analyse the effect ‘Co-production’ has and the role it plays in p... more The following essay attempts to analyse the effect ‘Co-production’ has and the role it plays in public service delivery.

Critical analysis of the impact of Regulatory and Inspection Frameworks, together with audit and ... more Critical analysis of the impact of Regulatory and Inspection Frameworks, together with audit and accountability frameworks on Public Sector Performance

17th NAERUS Conference, University of Gothenburg, 2016 In a perfect world, development speaks of... more 17th NAERUS Conference, University of Gothenburg, 2016

In a perfect world, development speaks of a progressive movement beneficial equitably to all sections of the society. However, in reality it has been seen that the process of urbanization and inclusive urban development, as a practice of city planning and management, do not accrue equitably and justly to all the stakeholders. A process of Abjection takes root exists together with the progress that urban development purports. What thence form are ghettos that serve as moral spaces within a geographical parlance and house such actors who are integral, yet a segregated population working within the Urban Centres which are perceived as growth engines. The practices here reveal the fulfilment of the aspirations of a certain class of actors within the urban space who are perceived as politically active, while overlooking and overshadowing the moral spaces which consist of such other players who are trapped within those semi-permeable urban " Moral Bubbles " , as a result of planning and governance practices. This paper discusses the existence and growth of such 'bubbles' in the rapid urbanization of Mumbai and its surroundings, taking specifically in context the spatial existence of Commercial Sex Workers, inquired through a cultural and socioeconomic study of them within their habitat. Places like Thane, Bhiwandi around Mumbai are industrialized urban and peri-urban spaces that have seen quick economic growth but an equally quick abjection and oppression of the commercial sex workers who are now relegated to spaces which are evidently morally labelled and hence developmentally marginalized compared to the rest of the city.

Disclaimer - The system discussed here, Risk Informed Development Planning System, has been devel... more Disclaimer - The system discussed here, Risk Informed Development Planning System, has been developed by UNICEF and is being implemented at various places with the help of the local governance mechanisms.

The use of Technology has improved lives in ways which were never thought of, even when the technology was developed. In fact the development of Technology has single-handedly changed our lives more than any other form of initiative or institution. Using technology to make development policy decisions is not only important but the need of the hour and its use in averting risk for robust planning is undeniable.

The idea of Incentives and Structure of Retail Corruption enables political theorists and public ... more The idea of Incentives and Structure of Retail Corruption enables political theorists and public policy experts to provide a diagnosis of the problem and a prognosis of any intervention they suggest. This paper, in its brevity attempts to address the idea of incentives, structures, and the catalysts of corruption and delves in the idea of short of interventions.

This paper discusses the various issues faced by Adivasi or Tribal women in Central India, namely... more This paper discusses the various issues faced by Adivasi or Tribal women in Central India, namely consisting of two states Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It discusses the idea of development vis-a-vis the tribal communities and how do they survive in the face of contemporary social, political and economic situation in India.

Analysis of the cause and the effect of the Bombay Textile Mill Strike.

The effect of the Agreement on Agriculture on Indian Agriculture and Economy as imposed by the Wo... more The effect of the Agreement on Agriculture on Indian Agriculture and Economy as imposed by the World Trade Organization, from a people centric lens.

The paper talks about the definition, idea, and perspective of the Developmental State, through a... more The paper talks about the definition, idea, and perspective of the Developmental State, through a political-economic and historical analysis of it

Network Association of European Researchers on Urbanization in the South

This paper was presented by Anisha Thomas and I at the N-AERUS Conference in Brussels on 28th Nov... more This paper was presented by Anisha Thomas and I at the N-AERUS Conference in Brussels on 28th November, 2014, organized jointly by N-AERUS or the Network Association of European Researchers on Urbanization in the South, Cities Alliances (Affiliated to the UN), and the ULB.

The paper discusses the idea of how development cooperation and development aid have affected policy formation towards the development of commercial sex workers in India. The fungible nature of non-debt development aid has caused the government to completely replace budgetary expenditure towards human trafficking and commercial sex work by foreign aid, allowing not only foreign money to flow in, but also to fill gaps in knowledge while knowledge creation since all co-production of knowledge now is happening at the behest of the donor agencies and the civil society in this case. There is hence a dichotomy in policy making the form of interventionist vs participatory approach towards the development of sex workers. The study therefore tends to briefly showcase the greater effect of this dichotomy on human trafficking by highlighting its effects on policy making and human development...

Master's Dissertation on how the change in the patent regime changed the Pharmaceutical Industry ... more Master's Dissertation on how the change in the patent regime changed the Pharmaceutical Industry and eventually affected the Welfare aspect of India. it deals in the economics of Inventions and Innovations and traces how the two happen and how distributive strategies for Drugs are built based on Inventions and Innovations occur.

In 2005 the Indian Patents Act was amended and Section 5, which allowed only for Process patent w... more In 2005 the Indian Patents Act was amended and Section 5, which allowed only for Process patent was removed in accordance with the Uruguay Rounds of GATT that gave birth to the WTO. This ushered in the era of Product Patenting in India and changes the industry and welfare.

Conference Presentations by Rajat Shubhro Mukherjee

– The perception of development is that it is a movement beneficial for all sections of the socie... more – The perception of development is that it is a movement beneficial for all sections of the society, an all-encompassing utopia. In reality it has been seen that the process of urbanization as a practice of city planning, do not accrue equitably and justly to all the stakeholders. A process of abjection exists together with the progress that urban development purports (Harvey, 2003). Social vulnerabilities are thence exploited to form ghettos that serve as moral spaces within a geographical parlance and house such actors who are integral, yet a segregated population working within the Urban Centres which are perceived as growth engines. These social vulnerabilities mix with political and cultural hazards to form semi-permeable urban " Moral Bubbles " where one class of socio-political players marginalise another. These moral bubbles become epicentres for maximizing vulnerability of these marginalised urban actors by presenting to them heightened levels of social, ecological, and cultural hazards, hence affecting the Social Risk in which these actors exist. This paper discusses the existence and growth of social risk within such 'bubbles' in the rapid urbanization of Mumbai, taking specifically in context the spatial existence of Commercial Sex Workers, inquired through a cultural and socioeconomic study of them within their habitat. Places like Thane, Bhiwandi around Mumbai are industrialized urban and peri-urban spaces that have seen quick economic growth but an equally quick abjection and oppression of the commercial sex workers who are now relegated to spatial quagmires within the city. The paper ultimately discusses the sustainability of policy practices in large urban spaces vis-à-vis marginal groups like the commercial sex workers.

Drafts by Rajat Shubhro Mukherjee

The steady rise in global population, the ever-increasing demand for resources, and the rising in... more The steady rise in global population, the ever-increasing demand for resources, and the rising income inequality have far reaching and deep-seated effects for people living in the world. These effects and the individual and societal responses to the surrounding threats can be called social risk and they directly influence every aspect of life of an individual. This dissertation attempts to understand the concept of social risk with context to rural India which is known to have the largest impoverished population in the world, the largest population of malnourished children, and also the largest democracy and the seventh largest economy. These dichotomies reflect on how social risks are perceived and assessed, especially by the policy makers who are in-charge of development and accountable for their actions. The dissertation attempts to make a conceptual framework that categorises social risks in order to understand more interconnected risks under these broad categories which have intergenerational effects on living standards, like adverse health effects and exclusion from institutions, social oppression and alienation, and economic marginalisation.
This dissertation then attempts to look at the current attempts to address the problem of burgeoning social risks and how have they fared in recent past and why were they changed. It argues that risk in society come from various interlinking hazards and vulnerabilities that exacerbate the individual effects of those hazards and vulnerabilities and reflect over generations and can affect both the economy and individual households. The study finds that these interconnections come together to affect the entire society and the economy, in the form of social risk, which is a network of interconnected individual risks. It also finds that majority of development policies in India have failed to account for these risks and this has left gaps in their expected outcomes. The dissertation then subsequently discusses an emerging model in India and briefly studies its scope and function in order to understand how policy thinking is accommodating the idea of social risk assessment and management in their discourse.

To improve government services to citizens, data must be shared between agencies, but to share th... more To improve government services to citizens, data must be shared between agencies, but to share these data is to damage citizenship

The following essay attempts to analyse the effect ‘Co-production’ has and the role it plays in p... more The following essay attempts to analyse the effect ‘Co-production’ has and the role it plays in public service delivery.

Critical analysis of the impact of Regulatory and Inspection Frameworks, together with audit and ... more Critical analysis of the impact of Regulatory and Inspection Frameworks, together with audit and accountability frameworks on Public Sector Performance

17th NAERUS Conference, University of Gothenburg, 2016 In a perfect world, development speaks of... more 17th NAERUS Conference, University of Gothenburg, 2016

In a perfect world, development speaks of a progressive movement beneficial equitably to all sections of the society. However, in reality it has been seen that the process of urbanization and inclusive urban development, as a practice of city planning and management, do not accrue equitably and justly to all the stakeholders. A process of Abjection takes root exists together with the progress that urban development purports. What thence form are ghettos that serve as moral spaces within a geographical parlance and house such actors who are integral, yet a segregated population working within the Urban Centres which are perceived as growth engines. The practices here reveal the fulfilment of the aspirations of a certain class of actors within the urban space who are perceived as politically active, while overlooking and overshadowing the moral spaces which consist of such other players who are trapped within those semi-permeable urban " Moral Bubbles " , as a result of planning and governance practices. This paper discusses the existence and growth of such 'bubbles' in the rapid urbanization of Mumbai and its surroundings, taking specifically in context the spatial existence of Commercial Sex Workers, inquired through a cultural and socioeconomic study of them within their habitat. Places like Thane, Bhiwandi around Mumbai are industrialized urban and peri-urban spaces that have seen quick economic growth but an equally quick abjection and oppression of the commercial sex workers who are now relegated to spaces which are evidently morally labelled and hence developmentally marginalized compared to the rest of the city.

Disclaimer - The system discussed here, Risk Informed Development Planning System, has been devel... more Disclaimer - The system discussed here, Risk Informed Development Planning System, has been developed by UNICEF and is being implemented at various places with the help of the local governance mechanisms.

The use of Technology has improved lives in ways which were never thought of, even when the technology was developed. In fact the development of Technology has single-handedly changed our lives more than any other form of initiative or institution. Using technology to make development policy decisions is not only important but the need of the hour and its use in averting risk for robust planning is undeniable.

The idea of Incentives and Structure of Retail Corruption enables political theorists and public ... more The idea of Incentives and Structure of Retail Corruption enables political theorists and public policy experts to provide a diagnosis of the problem and a prognosis of any intervention they suggest. This paper, in its brevity attempts to address the idea of incentives, structures, and the catalysts of corruption and delves in the idea of short of interventions.

This paper discusses the various issues faced by Adivasi or Tribal women in Central India, namely... more This paper discusses the various issues faced by Adivasi or Tribal women in Central India, namely consisting of two states Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It discusses the idea of development vis-a-vis the tribal communities and how do they survive in the face of contemporary social, political and economic situation in India.

Analysis of the cause and the effect of the Bombay Textile Mill Strike.

The effect of the Agreement on Agriculture on Indian Agriculture and Economy as imposed by the Wo... more The effect of the Agreement on Agriculture on Indian Agriculture and Economy as imposed by the World Trade Organization, from a people centric lens.

The paper talks about the definition, idea, and perspective of the Developmental State, through a... more The paper talks about the definition, idea, and perspective of the Developmental State, through a political-economic and historical analysis of it

Network Association of European Researchers on Urbanization in the South

This paper was presented by Anisha Thomas and I at the N-AERUS Conference in Brussels on 28th Nov... more This paper was presented by Anisha Thomas and I at the N-AERUS Conference in Brussels on 28th November, 2014, organized jointly by N-AERUS or the Network Association of European Researchers on Urbanization in the South, Cities Alliances (Affiliated to the UN), and the ULB.

The paper discusses the idea of how development cooperation and development aid have affected policy formation towards the development of commercial sex workers in India. The fungible nature of non-debt development aid has caused the government to completely replace budgetary expenditure towards human trafficking and commercial sex work by foreign aid, allowing not only foreign money to flow in, but also to fill gaps in knowledge while knowledge creation since all co-production of knowledge now is happening at the behest of the donor agencies and the civil society in this case. There is hence a dichotomy in policy making the form of interventionist vs participatory approach towards the development of sex workers. The study therefore tends to briefly showcase the greater effect of this dichotomy on human trafficking by highlighting its effects on policy making and human development...

Master's Dissertation on how the change in the patent regime changed the Pharmaceutical Industry ... more Master's Dissertation on how the change in the patent regime changed the Pharmaceutical Industry and eventually affected the Welfare aspect of India. it deals in the economics of Inventions and Innovations and traces how the two happen and how distributive strategies for Drugs are built based on Inventions and Innovations occur.

In 2005 the Indian Patents Act was amended and Section 5, which allowed only for Process patent w... more In 2005 the Indian Patents Act was amended and Section 5, which allowed only for Process patent was removed in accordance with the Uruguay Rounds of GATT that gave birth to the WTO. This ushered in the era of Product Patenting in India and changes the industry and welfare.

– The perception of development is that it is a movement beneficial for all sections of the socie... more – The perception of development is that it is a movement beneficial for all sections of the society, an all-encompassing utopia. In reality it has been seen that the process of urbanization as a practice of city planning, do not accrue equitably and justly to all the stakeholders. A process of abjection exists together with the progress that urban development purports (Harvey, 2003). Social vulnerabilities are thence exploited to form ghettos that serve as moral spaces within a geographical parlance and house such actors who are integral, yet a segregated population working within the Urban Centres which are perceived as growth engines. These social vulnerabilities mix with political and cultural hazards to form semi-permeable urban " Moral Bubbles " where one class of socio-political players marginalise another. These moral bubbles become epicentres for maximizing vulnerability of these marginalised urban actors by presenting to them heightened levels of social, ecological, and cultural hazards, hence affecting the Social Risk in which these actors exist. This paper discusses the existence and growth of social risk within such 'bubbles' in the rapid urbanization of Mumbai, taking specifically in context the spatial existence of Commercial Sex Workers, inquired through a cultural and socioeconomic study of them within their habitat. Places like Thane, Bhiwandi around Mumbai are industrialized urban and peri-urban spaces that have seen quick economic growth but an equally quick abjection and oppression of the commercial sex workers who are now relegated to spatial quagmires within the city. The paper ultimately discusses the sustainability of policy practices in large urban spaces vis-à-vis marginal groups like the commercial sex workers.