Afonso Botelho | Rosary College, Goa University, Goa, India (original) (raw)

Papers by Afonso Botelho

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Restaurant Business, 2018

The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promoting casinos is ... more The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promoting casinos is necessary to bolster the economic growth of Goa especially in the aftermath of the mining ban that deprived Goa and its government of the substantial revenue generated through mining. The casino promotion, however, has met with strong protests in Goa from the time the government decided to encourage casinos to expand the growth of tourism in Goa. Casinos have taken strong roots in Goa and clearing the ever-growing forest of casinos is becoming more and more difficult as years roll by. The offshore casinos have almost fused with the landscape of Panjim making it almost next to impossible to visualize Panjim and the river Mandovi sans the casinos. At this juncture, accepting, despite all opposition, that the reality of Panjim ‘casinoscape’ will linger on into the future, the challenges ahead lie in implementing sustainable strategies to maximize the gains from casinos and counteract the pr...

Sociological Bulletin, 2006

Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early scho... more Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early schooling for their children. The enrolment in the English medium schools, however, is much lower than in the Marathi and Konkani medium schools. This educational situation seems to be the outcome of such factors as mobility aspirations, identity politics, education policy, financial constraints and inaccessibility of English medium schools. This paper examines the language patterns at home and school in Goa and argues that the denial of grants-in-aid to the English medium early schools deprives the poor of the equality of educational opportunities.

Sociology of globalisation: perspectives from India, 2006

Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plagui... more Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plaguing the scheduled tribes. Neither isolation nor assimilation, but slow and gradual integration into the mainstream population is the watchword of developmental strategies since independence. Educational advancement of tribes is crucial for their development. Constitutional provisions, policies and programmes have emphasized the removal of disparities and equalization of educational opportunities. Despite the many curricular and pedagogic concerns in the different policy statements the educational deprivation of the scheduled tribes has not been given adequate consideration. Their isolation and exploitation have historically deprived them of education and are still relevant to the educational experiences of these economically marginalized communities. Though overall tribal literacy and enrollment have increased, the dropout rates are significantly high. Moreover, the enrolment rates indicate a sharp decline in the number of scheduled tribes as one move up the educational ladder. This paper focuses on a scheduled tribe, the Gaudda community, in Goa. It proposes that education be tribalised to educationalise tribals in this era of globalisation, lest the system of education may lead to reproduction of inequalities.

JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND …, 2002

Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual coun... more Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual countries, like India, they are functionally distributed and the relationship among the different language categories, viz. official language, mother tongue, etc., is hierarchical. Mother tongue languages evoke strong emotions. However, socially less prestigious mother tongues are often discarded in favour of languages useful for social and economic advancement. The language shifts at home, school and other spheres are determined by the social, cultural and political contexts. This paper examines language shifts in the context of primary education and language in colonial and post-colonial Goa. The language shifts and the consequent controversies in Goa are manifestations of two opposing forces: the instrumental draw of language assimilation and the primordial pull of language preservation. The latter regard language shift as pathological and ubiquitous; the former view it as perfectly normal.

Environmental Concerns and Sustainable Development. Sakarama Somayaji and Ganesha Somayaji (eds.). New Delhi: TERI Press., 2009

The problem of garbage and waste disposal in Goa seems unsolvable. Day in and day out there appea... more The problem of garbage and waste disposal in Goa seems unsolvable. Day in and day out there appear in all, that is local and national papers, different reports about the exponential and uncontrollable growth of garbage and waste. With hundreds of tonnes of garbage, the impression one gets is that of a Goa that has been transformed into a huge environmental cesspool and the problem as insurmountable. The waste and garbage disposal problem, an environmental time bomb, is aggravated and becomes more complicated due to the stiff opposition of the locals to any landfill site or waste disposal treatment plant in their backyard. ‘Not in my backyard’ phenomenon seems to constitute a major setback and obstacle to all endeavours towards a garbage-free Goa. This essay is an attempt to examine and deepen our understanding of the NIMBY syndrome which obstructs all efforts towards solving Goa’s garbage woes.

Sociology of Globalisation: Perspectives from India. Sakarama Somayaji and Ganesha Somayaji (eds.), 2006

Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plagui... more Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plaguing the scheduled tribes. Neither isolation nor assimilation, but slow and gradual integration into the mainstream population is the watchword of developmental strategies since independence. Educational advancement of tribes is crucial for their development. Constitutional provisions, policies and programmes have emphasized the removal of disparities and equalization of educational opportunities. Despite the many curricular and pedagogic concerns in the different policy statements the educational deprivation of the scheduled tribes has not been given adequate consideration. Their isolation and exploitation have historically deprived them of education and are still relevant to the educational experiences of these economically marginalized communities. Though overall tribal literacy and enrollment have increased, the dropout rates are significantly high. Moreover, the enrolment rates indicate a sharp decline in the number of scheduled tribes as one move up the educational ladder. This paper focuses on a scheduled tribe, the Gaudda community, in Goa. It proposes that education be tribalised to educationalise tribals in this era of globalisation, lest the system of education may lead to reproduction of inequalities.

Sociological Bulletin, 2006

Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early scho... more Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early schooling for their children. The enrolment in the English medium schools, however, is much lower than in the Marathi and Konkani medium schools. This educational situation seems to be the outcome of such factors as mobility aspirations, identity politics, education policy, financial constraints and inaccessibility of English medium schools. This paper examines the language patterns at home and school in contemporary Goa's multilingual environment and argues that the denial of grants-in-aid to the much-desired English medium early schools deprives the poor of the equality of educational opportunities.

. Socio-economic Inequities and the Health Sector, 2014

Medicalization, an international phenomenon for some time now, has been responsible for prolifera... more Medicalization, an international phenomenon for some time now, has been responsible for proliferation of diseases and prescription of medical solutions by increasingly extending the medical categories to multiple aspects of people's lives. It has been further encouraged by pharmaceuticalization, biomedicalization and geneticization. Medicine still holds the centre stage in the process of medicalization but, along with it, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, the health-care markets and the aspirations of human desire, rather than a quest for health, have been accountable for the medicalization and overmedicalization of society. A deleterious result of disregarding the social context of complicated problems and educating people that non-diseases are diseases, have resulted in an increase in consumption of unnecessary drugs and diagnostic procedures. The possibility of meaningful health care reforms has therefore become problematical, especially in 'a pill for every ill' cultural disposition that is created, promoted and sustained by unbridled medicalization.

, Indica, Journal of the Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture, 2008

Domination, denial, devotion and desire encapsulate the linguistic and educational realities duri... more Domination, denial, devotion and desire encapsulate the linguistic and educational realities during the colonial and the post-liberation period. The Portuguese dominion imposed, directly or indirectly, the colonial language on the native population. Assimilation of the high status language of education, that is, Portuguese, on the part of the elite in Goa and denial of the status of a language to Konkani, considered a dialect of Marathi, deprived Goans of education in Konkani. Denial of the status of language for Konkani meant that Konkani medium of education suffered ignominy. Marathi medium of education profited from its association with Hindu religion as people chose Marathi due to devotional reasons. As regards English, from the middle of the nineteenth century, English turned to be the much desired language with potentialities towards migration and employment in British India and abroad. In this paper, the language and education policies and the preferences of people to one or the other medium of education are discussed. An effort is made to examine the subjective considerations as well as the objective constraints which might have influenced and are still influencing the local people to choose a certain language as the medium of instruction for their children. The paper ends with a brief note on Goan historiography.

Tribal Communities and The Exclusion-Inclusion Debate in India. Sakarama Somayaji and Ganesha Somayaji (eds.), 2010

The Gauddas desire their inclusion in the process of development and nation building. Their aspir... more The Gauddas desire their inclusion in the process of development and nation building. Their aspirations to belong to the mainstream society motivate them to seek English medium primary education for their children. They strongly believe that English medium primary education will enable the next generation of the scheduled tribe of Gauddas to compete with the privileged sections of the Goan society on an equal footing. The paper describes the efforts at the educational empowerment of the tribal children in many states through increasing access to English medium primary education, conducted on a flexible or limited bilingual mode. The paper then makes a rather groundbreaking suggestion that schools which are exclusively located in a predominantly tribal area, and which offer a bilingual education policy (English with mother tongue) be considered eligible for grants-in-aid as these schools are primarily aimed at the empowerment of the marginalised.

Identity. Cultural Pluralism and State: South Asia in Perspective. N. K. Das and V. R. Rao (eds.), 2009

Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early scho... more Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early schooling for their children. The enrolment in the English medium schools, however, is much lower than in the Marathi and Konkani medium schools. This educational situation seems to be the outcome of such factors as mobility aspirations, identity politics, education policy, financial constraints and inaccessibility of English medium schools. This paper examines the language patterns at home and school in contemporary Goa's multilingual environment and argues that the denial of grants-in-aid to the much-desired English medium early schools deprives the poor of the equality of educational opportunities.

Contemporary Discourse , 2011

To the functionalists, schools performed an integrative function in the society. Neo-Marxists arg... more To the functionalists, schools performed an integrative function in the society. Neo-Marxists argued schools to be active in reproducing class inequalities. With marketisation of education, schools were seen as the locus of the transformation of linguistic capital into educational capital, cultural capital and into economic capital. The resistance theory and, more specifically, the centrality of agency in production and reproduction of society put forth subsequently seem more optimistic.

Gyana, 2010

The Education Policy in Goa (1990) decreed that only primary schools conducted in the regional la... more The Education Policy in Goa (1990) decreed that only primary schools conducted in the regional languages, and not in English, will be eligible for grants-in-aid from the government. As a result, many schools switched over to regional languages. Some schools preferred to continue with English as the medium of instruction (MOI), but charged exorbitant fees to make up for the denial of grants-in-aid. Many such schools, charging prohibitive fees, have been established in the last eighteen years and are still mushrooming, both in urban and rural areas. The education policy, thus, has made English primary education inaccessible to those with limited financial capabilities and especially to the socially and economically backward classes and tribes.
The paper is primarily based on the primary data acquired through interviews with language protagonists, principals, educationists and activists. The paper provides detailed verbatim quotes of interviewees and analyses them. Secondary data available in newspapers, magazines, books and journals have also been made use of to enhance its explorative value.
The paper concludes that the rush to English schools is due to the faulty policy of the government machinery functioning almost entirely in English. More importantly, the paper maintains that the denial of grants to English schools has resulted in the emergence of the dual schooling system in Goa, intensifying the existing divide between the haves and have-nots perpetuating societal inequality. .
The idea of language rights or linguistic human rights was stimulated by the model of linguistic imperialism so as to arrest the growth of 'killer' languages indulging in linguistic genocide. Often, however, the term suicide is more apposite than genocide. Howsoever much one may blame language policies and social, economic, religious and political forces, it seems that the loss of linguistic diversity results less from linguistic genocide than from linguistic suicide. Arguments favouring language rights, which aim at maintaining heterogeneity and diversity of languages in the world, are often essentially normative and ultimately subjective and moral. It must be noted that both the linguistic imperialism and the language rights discourse are constructing their critical frameworks from the very paradigms they intend criticising - the grand modernist project. The challenge today is to move beyond the dichotomy between linguistic imperialism and language rights and attempt an understanding of the mobilization of language resources for different ends in more mobile, fluid, and contextual ways.
In Goa, collapsing the concepts of mother tongue and regional language has resulted in making the regional language the MOl during early schooling. The script controversy surrounding the mother tongue has exacerbated the problem. The parents, therefore, prefer to educate their children in English medium schools and this pronounced preference has led to the mushrooming of Nurseries, Kindergartens and Primaries in English. The English medium institutions charge heavy fees thereby depriving poor parents of their human right to choose the medium of instruction desired by them for their children. Parents manifest a distinct preference for the language of status and economic potential for their children's early schooling but are severely constrained by financial difficulties. The medium of instruction policy, apparently meant to promote linguistic rights suppress the human rights of the poor and the weaker sections of society. They are forced to opt for the regional language medium for their childrens' early schooling thereby not promoting equality but perpetuating social and economic inequalities.

Journal of Social and Economic Development, 2002

Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual coun... more Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual countries, like India, they are functionally distributed and the relationship among the different language categories, viz. official language, mother tongue, etc., is hierarchical. Mother tongue languages evoke strong emotions. However, socially less prestigious mother tongues are often discarded in favour of languages useful for social and economic advancement. The language shifts at home, school and other spheres are determined by the social, cultural and political contexts. This paper examines language shifts in the context of primary education and language in colonial and post-colonial Goa. The language shifts and the consequent controversies in Goa are manifestations of two opposing forces: the instrumental draw of language assimilation and the primordial pull of language preservation. The latter regard language shift as pathological and ubiquitous; the former view it as perfectly normal.

International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Systems, 2018

The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promotingcasinos is n... more The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promotingcasinos is necessary to bolster the economic growth of Goa especially in the aftermath of the mining ban that deprived Goa and its government of the substantial revenue generated through mining. The casino promotion, however, has met with strong protests in Goa from the time the government decided to encourage casinos to expand the growth of tourism in Goa. Casinos have taken strong roots in Goa and clearing the ever-growing forest of casinos is becoming more and more difficult as years roll by. The offshore casinos have almost fused with the landscape of Panjim making it almost next to impossible to visualize Panjim and the river Mandovi sans the casinos. At this juncture, accepting, despite all opposition, that the reality of Panjim 'casinoscape'will linger on into the future, the challenges ahead lie in implementing sustainable strategies to maximize the gains from casinos and counteract the prospective ill-effects from casino type tourism instead of imagining a return back to the Panjimof the 1990s and earlier.

Drafts by Afonso Botelho

Gyana, 2018

Identity is a problematic analytical concept which has acquired diverse meanings, ranging from em... more Identity is a problematic analytical concept which has acquired diverse meanings, ranging from emphasizing sameness and persistence through changes to something that implies multiplicity and fluidity. Identities are not static but dynamic, always undergoing changes with alteration in circumstances. This paper makes use of secondary data in an attempt to explain the dynamic nature of the concept of identity and, specifically, Goan identity. While the concept of 'Goan' or what constitutes Goan identity is baffling, to say the least, it is also experiencing a seismic shift. The historical encounter with the colonial other has left a significant imprint on the Goan personality and the post-liberation developments in the form of in-migration, out-migration and the Goan diaspora have ushered in further changes in the perception and evolution of the Goan identity. It is imperative that the traditional understanding of the Goan identity keep abreast with the transformation in the Goan self-awareness from the time of India's Independence and Goa's liberation. Along with the evolving Goan consciousness have surfaced various issues and concerns. One major concern which attracts one's attention is the desire of many diehard Goans, votaries of nation-state, to bring about cultural homogenization. In this context, it is argued that it is worthwhile to abandon the search for homogeneity, which may be antithetical to the spirit of democracy and aspire for the creation of a national state which endorses cultural pluralism.

Thesis Chapters by Afonso Botelho

An academic directory and search engine.

Restaurant Business, 2018

The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promoting casinos is ... more The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promoting casinos is necessary to bolster the economic growth of Goa especially in the aftermath of the mining ban that deprived Goa and its government of the substantial revenue generated through mining. The casino promotion, however, has met with strong protests in Goa from the time the government decided to encourage casinos to expand the growth of tourism in Goa. Casinos have taken strong roots in Goa and clearing the ever-growing forest of casinos is becoming more and more difficult as years roll by. The offshore casinos have almost fused with the landscape of Panjim making it almost next to impossible to visualize Panjim and the river Mandovi sans the casinos. At this juncture, accepting, despite all opposition, that the reality of Panjim ‘casinoscape’ will linger on into the future, the challenges ahead lie in implementing sustainable strategies to maximize the gains from casinos and counteract the pr...

Sociological Bulletin, 2006

Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early scho... more Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early schooling for their children. The enrolment in the English medium schools, however, is much lower than in the Marathi and Konkani medium schools. This educational situation seems to be the outcome of such factors as mobility aspirations, identity politics, education policy, financial constraints and inaccessibility of English medium schools. This paper examines the language patterns at home and school in Goa and argues that the denial of grants-in-aid to the English medium early schools deprives the poor of the equality of educational opportunities.

Sociology of globalisation: perspectives from India, 2006

Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plagui... more Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plaguing the scheduled tribes. Neither isolation nor assimilation, but slow and gradual integration into the mainstream population is the watchword of developmental strategies since independence. Educational advancement of tribes is crucial for their development. Constitutional provisions, policies and programmes have emphasized the removal of disparities and equalization of educational opportunities. Despite the many curricular and pedagogic concerns in the different policy statements the educational deprivation of the scheduled tribes has not been given adequate consideration. Their isolation and exploitation have historically deprived them of education and are still relevant to the educational experiences of these economically marginalized communities. Though overall tribal literacy and enrollment have increased, the dropout rates are significantly high. Moreover, the enrolment rates indicate a sharp decline in the number of scheduled tribes as one move up the educational ladder. This paper focuses on a scheduled tribe, the Gaudda community, in Goa. It proposes that education be tribalised to educationalise tribals in this era of globalisation, lest the system of education may lead to reproduction of inequalities.

JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND …, 2002

Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual coun... more Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual countries, like India, they are functionally distributed and the relationship among the different language categories, viz. official language, mother tongue, etc., is hierarchical. Mother tongue languages evoke strong emotions. However, socially less prestigious mother tongues are often discarded in favour of languages useful for social and economic advancement. The language shifts at home, school and other spheres are determined by the social, cultural and political contexts. This paper examines language shifts in the context of primary education and language in colonial and post-colonial Goa. The language shifts and the consequent controversies in Goa are manifestations of two opposing forces: the instrumental draw of language assimilation and the primordial pull of language preservation. The latter regard language shift as pathological and ubiquitous; the former view it as perfectly normal.

Environmental Concerns and Sustainable Development. Sakarama Somayaji and Ganesha Somayaji (eds.). New Delhi: TERI Press., 2009

The problem of garbage and waste disposal in Goa seems unsolvable. Day in and day out there appea... more The problem of garbage and waste disposal in Goa seems unsolvable. Day in and day out there appear in all, that is local and national papers, different reports about the exponential and uncontrollable growth of garbage and waste. With hundreds of tonnes of garbage, the impression one gets is that of a Goa that has been transformed into a huge environmental cesspool and the problem as insurmountable. The waste and garbage disposal problem, an environmental time bomb, is aggravated and becomes more complicated due to the stiff opposition of the locals to any landfill site or waste disposal treatment plant in their backyard. ‘Not in my backyard’ phenomenon seems to constitute a major setback and obstacle to all endeavours towards a garbage-free Goa. This essay is an attempt to examine and deepen our understanding of the NIMBY syndrome which obstructs all efforts towards solving Goa’s garbage woes.

Sociology of Globalisation: Perspectives from India. Sakarama Somayaji and Ganesha Somayaji (eds.), 2006

Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plagui... more Ethnological research has reiterated the isolation, exploitation and cultural backwardness plaguing the scheduled tribes. Neither isolation nor assimilation, but slow and gradual integration into the mainstream population is the watchword of developmental strategies since independence. Educational advancement of tribes is crucial for their development. Constitutional provisions, policies and programmes have emphasized the removal of disparities and equalization of educational opportunities. Despite the many curricular and pedagogic concerns in the different policy statements the educational deprivation of the scheduled tribes has not been given adequate consideration. Their isolation and exploitation have historically deprived them of education and are still relevant to the educational experiences of these economically marginalized communities. Though overall tribal literacy and enrollment have increased, the dropout rates are significantly high. Moreover, the enrolment rates indicate a sharp decline in the number of scheduled tribes as one move up the educational ladder. This paper focuses on a scheduled tribe, the Gaudda community, in Goa. It proposes that education be tribalised to educationalise tribals in this era of globalisation, lest the system of education may lead to reproduction of inequalities.

Sociological Bulletin, 2006

Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early scho... more Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early schooling for their children. The enrolment in the English medium schools, however, is much lower than in the Marathi and Konkani medium schools. This educational situation seems to be the outcome of such factors as mobility aspirations, identity politics, education policy, financial constraints and inaccessibility of English medium schools. This paper examines the language patterns at home and school in contemporary Goa's multilingual environment and argues that the denial of grants-in-aid to the much-desired English medium early schools deprives the poor of the equality of educational opportunities.

. Socio-economic Inequities and the Health Sector, 2014

Medicalization, an international phenomenon for some time now, has been responsible for prolifera... more Medicalization, an international phenomenon for some time now, has been responsible for proliferation of diseases and prescription of medical solutions by increasingly extending the medical categories to multiple aspects of people's lives. It has been further encouraged by pharmaceuticalization, biomedicalization and geneticization. Medicine still holds the centre stage in the process of medicalization but, along with it, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, the health-care markets and the aspirations of human desire, rather than a quest for health, have been accountable for the medicalization and overmedicalization of society. A deleterious result of disregarding the social context of complicated problems and educating people that non-diseases are diseases, have resulted in an increase in consumption of unnecessary drugs and diagnostic procedures. The possibility of meaningful health care reforms has therefore become problematical, especially in 'a pill for every ill' cultural disposition that is created, promoted and sustained by unbridled medicalization.

, Indica, Journal of the Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture, 2008

Domination, denial, devotion and desire encapsulate the linguistic and educational realities duri... more Domination, denial, devotion and desire encapsulate the linguistic and educational realities during the colonial and the post-liberation period. The Portuguese dominion imposed, directly or indirectly, the colonial language on the native population. Assimilation of the high status language of education, that is, Portuguese, on the part of the elite in Goa and denial of the status of a language to Konkani, considered a dialect of Marathi, deprived Goans of education in Konkani. Denial of the status of language for Konkani meant that Konkani medium of education suffered ignominy. Marathi medium of education profited from its association with Hindu religion as people chose Marathi due to devotional reasons. As regards English, from the middle of the nineteenth century, English turned to be the much desired language with potentialities towards migration and employment in British India and abroad. In this paper, the language and education policies and the preferences of people to one or the other medium of education are discussed. An effort is made to examine the subjective considerations as well as the objective constraints which might have influenced and are still influencing the local people to choose a certain language as the medium of instruction for their children. The paper ends with a brief note on Goan historiography.

Tribal Communities and The Exclusion-Inclusion Debate in India. Sakarama Somayaji and Ganesha Somayaji (eds.), 2010

The Gauddas desire their inclusion in the process of development and nation building. Their aspir... more The Gauddas desire their inclusion in the process of development and nation building. Their aspirations to belong to the mainstream society motivate them to seek English medium primary education for their children. They strongly believe that English medium primary education will enable the next generation of the scheduled tribe of Gauddas to compete with the privileged sections of the Goan society on an equal footing. The paper describes the efforts at the educational empowerment of the tribal children in many states through increasing access to English medium primary education, conducted on a flexible or limited bilingual mode. The paper then makes a rather groundbreaking suggestion that schools which are exclusively located in a predominantly tribal area, and which offer a bilingual education policy (English with mother tongue) be considered eligible for grants-in-aid as these schools are primarily aimed at the empowerment of the marginalised.

Identity. Cultural Pluralism and State: South Asia in Perspective. N. K. Das and V. R. Rao (eds.), 2009

Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early scho... more Many parents in post-liberation Goa exhibit a pronounced preference for English medium early schooling for their children. The enrolment in the English medium schools, however, is much lower than in the Marathi and Konkani medium schools. This educational situation seems to be the outcome of such factors as mobility aspirations, identity politics, education policy, financial constraints and inaccessibility of English medium schools. This paper examines the language patterns at home and school in contemporary Goa's multilingual environment and argues that the denial of grants-in-aid to the much-desired English medium early schools deprives the poor of the equality of educational opportunities.

Contemporary Discourse , 2011

To the functionalists, schools performed an integrative function in the society. Neo-Marxists arg... more To the functionalists, schools performed an integrative function in the society. Neo-Marxists argued schools to be active in reproducing class inequalities. With marketisation of education, schools were seen as the locus of the transformation of linguistic capital into educational capital, cultural capital and into economic capital. The resistance theory and, more specifically, the centrality of agency in production and reproduction of society put forth subsequently seem more optimistic.

Gyana, 2010

The Education Policy in Goa (1990) decreed that only primary schools conducted in the regional la... more The Education Policy in Goa (1990) decreed that only primary schools conducted in the regional languages, and not in English, will be eligible for grants-in-aid from the government. As a result, many schools switched over to regional languages. Some schools preferred to continue with English as the medium of instruction (MOI), but charged exorbitant fees to make up for the denial of grants-in-aid. Many such schools, charging prohibitive fees, have been established in the last eighteen years and are still mushrooming, both in urban and rural areas. The education policy, thus, has made English primary education inaccessible to those with limited financial capabilities and especially to the socially and economically backward classes and tribes.
The paper is primarily based on the primary data acquired through interviews with language protagonists, principals, educationists and activists. The paper provides detailed verbatim quotes of interviewees and analyses them. Secondary data available in newspapers, magazines, books and journals have also been made use of to enhance its explorative value.
The paper concludes that the rush to English schools is due to the faulty policy of the government machinery functioning almost entirely in English. More importantly, the paper maintains that the denial of grants to English schools has resulted in the emergence of the dual schooling system in Goa, intensifying the existing divide between the haves and have-nots perpetuating societal inequality. .
The idea of language rights or linguistic human rights was stimulated by the model of linguistic imperialism so as to arrest the growth of 'killer' languages indulging in linguistic genocide. Often, however, the term suicide is more apposite than genocide. Howsoever much one may blame language policies and social, economic, religious and political forces, it seems that the loss of linguistic diversity results less from linguistic genocide than from linguistic suicide. Arguments favouring language rights, which aim at maintaining heterogeneity and diversity of languages in the world, are often essentially normative and ultimately subjective and moral. It must be noted that both the linguistic imperialism and the language rights discourse are constructing their critical frameworks from the very paradigms they intend criticising - the grand modernist project. The challenge today is to move beyond the dichotomy between linguistic imperialism and language rights and attempt an understanding of the mobilization of language resources for different ends in more mobile, fluid, and contextual ways.
In Goa, collapsing the concepts of mother tongue and regional language has resulted in making the regional language the MOl during early schooling. The script controversy surrounding the mother tongue has exacerbated the problem. The parents, therefore, prefer to educate their children in English medium schools and this pronounced preference has led to the mushrooming of Nurseries, Kindergartens and Primaries in English. The English medium institutions charge heavy fees thereby depriving poor parents of their human right to choose the medium of instruction desired by them for their children. Parents manifest a distinct preference for the language of status and economic potential for their children's early schooling but are severely constrained by financial difficulties. The medium of instruction policy, apparently meant to promote linguistic rights suppress the human rights of the poor and the weaker sections of society. They are forced to opt for the regional language medium for their childrens' early schooling thereby not promoting equality but perpetuating social and economic inequalities.

Journal of Social and Economic Development, 2002

Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual coun... more Languages are a privileged means of social, economic and political mobility. In multilingual countries, like India, they are functionally distributed and the relationship among the different language categories, viz. official language, mother tongue, etc., is hierarchical. Mother tongue languages evoke strong emotions. However, socially less prestigious mother tongues are often discarded in favour of languages useful for social and economic advancement. The language shifts at home, school and other spheres are determined by the social, cultural and political contexts. This paper examines language shifts in the context of primary education and language in colonial and post-colonial Goa. The language shifts and the consequent controversies in Goa are manifestations of two opposing forces: the instrumental draw of language assimilation and the primordial pull of language preservation. The latter regard language shift as pathological and ubiquitous; the former view it as perfectly normal.

International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Systems, 2018

The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promotingcasinos is n... more The government of Goa has been promoting casino tourism in Goa arguing that promotingcasinos is necessary to bolster the economic growth of Goa especially in the aftermath of the mining ban that deprived Goa and its government of the substantial revenue generated through mining. The casino promotion, however, has met with strong protests in Goa from the time the government decided to encourage casinos to expand the growth of tourism in Goa. Casinos have taken strong roots in Goa and clearing the ever-growing forest of casinos is becoming more and more difficult as years roll by. The offshore casinos have almost fused with the landscape of Panjim making it almost next to impossible to visualize Panjim and the river Mandovi sans the casinos. At this juncture, accepting, despite all opposition, that the reality of Panjim 'casinoscape'will linger on into the future, the challenges ahead lie in implementing sustainable strategies to maximize the gains from casinos and counteract the prospective ill-effects from casino type tourism instead of imagining a return back to the Panjimof the 1990s and earlier.

Gyana, 2018

Identity is a problematic analytical concept which has acquired diverse meanings, ranging from em... more Identity is a problematic analytical concept which has acquired diverse meanings, ranging from emphasizing sameness and persistence through changes to something that implies multiplicity and fluidity. Identities are not static but dynamic, always undergoing changes with alteration in circumstances. This paper makes use of secondary data in an attempt to explain the dynamic nature of the concept of identity and, specifically, Goan identity. While the concept of 'Goan' or what constitutes Goan identity is baffling, to say the least, it is also experiencing a seismic shift. The historical encounter with the colonial other has left a significant imprint on the Goan personality and the post-liberation developments in the form of in-migration, out-migration and the Goan diaspora have ushered in further changes in the perception and evolution of the Goan identity. It is imperative that the traditional understanding of the Goan identity keep abreast with the transformation in the Goan self-awareness from the time of India's Independence and Goa's liberation. Along with the evolving Goan consciousness have surfaced various issues and concerns. One major concern which attracts one's attention is the desire of many diehard Goans, votaries of nation-state, to bring about cultural homogenization. In this context, it is argued that it is worthwhile to abandon the search for homogeneity, which may be antithetical to the spirit of democracy and aspire for the creation of a national state which endorses cultural pluralism.

Anthropology Review Database, 2007

The book is set against the Australian government’s attempt at literacy benchmarking in primary e... more The book is set against the Australian government’s attempt at literacy benchmarking in primary education. Introducing innovative research procedures, it uncovers glaring divergences between the students’ language experiences at school and the multiple discourses in their every day lives. It ends with tentative ideas for enhancing language practices in classrooms.

Sociological Bulletin, 2004

The book, a revised version of a PhD thesis completed under the supervision of late Prof. M. S. A... more The book, a revised version of a PhD thesis completed under the supervision of late Prof. M. S. A. Rao, examines the system of education, specifically the function of non-professional graduate degree in the labour market. The findings, reiterating the influence of socioeconomic background on the quality of educational institutions attended and on the educational, occupational and income achievements, corroborate the major works in the area. Mirchandani presents a fairly comprehensive appraisal of the different theoretical perspectives on the role of education in determining differential occupational allocations and incomes.

Sociological Bulletin, 2005