Marginal Communities Research Articles

A Comprehensive Study on the Effects of Microfinance Institutions’ Activities on Economic Growth of India

India has supported social banking for a long time. Policy directions to rapidly expand rural branches, mandate credit allocations for priority sectors (including agriculture), deliver large subsidy oriented credit programmes to serve marginal communities and poor households and control interest rates have been tried for over 35 years. For these purposes, microfinance industry is set to reach new heights. With superlative growth numbers in a period of economic downturn, the sector has come to attention of a wider range of investors. The rapid growth of the microfinance sector in the last few years has completely changed its complexion and nature. The growth has transformed microfinance: from being a sub-set of the development sector it has become a sub-set of the financial services industry. In the last two years competition amongst microfinance institutions (MFIs) as well as with the Self Help Group (SHG) movement has emerged India. This paper discusses the role of microfinance industry in country‟s economic growth in terms of its GDP. It also discusses the changed scenario in the competitive environment and the issues in microfinance institutions. Karl Pearson‟s coefficient of correlation is used to determine the role of microfinance in country‟s growth, which state a very high correlation between these two.

Occurrence of Centrosaurus apertus (Ceratopsidae: Centrosaurinae) in Saskatchewan, Canada, and expanded dinosaur diversity in the easternmost exposure of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Dinosaur Park Formation

Late Campanian terrestrial communities of western Canada are best known from the fluvial–paralic deposits of the Dinosaur Park Formation (DPF) in Dinosaur Provincial Park (DPP), Alberta. However, a growing list of localities from isolated DPF outcrops, outside of the DPP area, offers a glimpse into palaeocommunities that evolved isochronously with DPP biotas in greater proximity to the Western Interior Seaway. Over the past decade, one such locality was explored along Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park. The initial palaeoecological analysis of this marginal marine community was based on palynomorph and vertebrate microfossil diversity and has laid a foundation for the current study of its monodominant ceratopsian bonebed. The latter has resulted in new occurrences of Centrosaurus apertus and of the elmisaurine Citipes elegans for Saskatchewan based on incomplete yet diagnostic specimens. Centrosaurus apertus is unequivocally identified by a parietal bar bearing two prominent P1 and P2 hooks, which expands the geographical and habitat range of this species to the most coastal environment known from the DPF. Furthermore, the presence of Centrosaurus apertus suggests that the DPF in this region of Saskatchewan is closer in age to the lower DPF than to the uppermost DPF in DPP, which is at odds with a previous palynostratigraphic interpretation. The faunal composition of this bonebed also supports the presence of a widely distributed metacommunity across these deposits. This contribution demonstrates how evidence from multiple localities in the DPF along a spatial gradient, beyond the temporal gradient available within DPP alone, expands the picture of this metacommunity as a potential model system for biotic turnover in response to sea level rise at a geological temporal scale.

Unveiling Barriers: Challenges to Access High-Quality Education in South African Music Schools for Underprivileged and Marginalised Communities

Unveiling Barriers: Challenges to Access High-Quality Education in South African Music Schools for Underprivileged and Marginalised Communities

Econometric Analysis and Intercropping Nutri-Cereals with Legumes (Urad Bean, Arhar) on Climate Resilience in North Eastern Zone of Tamil Nadu

Background: Nutri cereal - Legume intercrop systems are particularly beneficial in North Eastern Zone of Tamil Nadu, which are characterized by high levels of malnutrition, resource limitation and rainfall variability. These conditions are further exacerbated by climate-related risks and uncertainty. Apart from enhancing water and nutrient use efficiency, improving soil fertility and financial gains, Millet-legume intercrop systems have become a better bet for increased food and nutrition security in marginal farming communities. Methods: A study conducted during the year of 2022 to 2024 at the Center of Excellence in Millet, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Athiyandal, Tamil Nadu. The study evaluated various intercropping ratios of finger millet with black gram and red gram across seven treatments, focusing on productivity, compatibility and economic viability. Result: Results indicated that intercropping finger millet with black gram at a 4:1 ratio produced taller plants (92.7 cm), more protective tillers (5.7 per plant), extensive root systems (19.9 cm), and higher chlorophyll content (3.67 mg/g). This combination resulted in the highest equivalent grain yield (2895 kg/ha) and demonstrated a favourable benefit-to-cost ratio (2.84), highlighting its potential for improving profitability and soil fertility. Conversely, intercropping with red gram yielded lower finger millet yields and less favourable economic returns, underscoring the importance of selecting suitable intercrops to maximize agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Framework in the Cultivation and Consumption of Kalanamak Rice: A Case Study

This research article examines the dimensions of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) in the cultivation and consumption of Kalanamak rice (KNR), a heritage and indigenous agricultural product of India. It explores the historical and contemporary roles of KNR in promoting or hindering DEIB within its cultural and agricultural contexts. The research is a unique attempt to construct the DEIB framework in KNR by using secondary resources and qualitative personal interview data, applying the grounded theory approach. The study provides insights into a rarely studied heritage/indigenous crop in India concerning the DEIB framework in its cultivation and consumption. The case study of KNR indicates that the equity and integration of marginal communities in KNR fall short of the desired level. Nonetheless, there is an acknowledgment of the necessity for progress in establishing a DEIB framework. Challenges such as insufficient financial resources and expertise, stemming from a prevailing power and privilege imbalance, are a threat to DEIB in KNR and need to be addressed by policymakers for the benefit of stakeholders. The article also highlights some of the government interventions to improve the DEIB of the KNR farmers and communities.

Knapsack air assisted electrostatic sprayer for agricultural formulations

An experimental prototype of a backpack-type rechargeable battery-powered air-assisted electrostatic sprayer was designed and tested for performance while preserving techno-commercial competence and affordability for India's marginal and small farmer communities. The designed prototype electrostatic sprayer achieved good levels of charge induction on the spray particles at various electrode potentials (1 to 12 kV). At a charging electrode potential of 9 kV and a nozzle discharge rate of 2 mL s−1, electrostatically charged spray had a maximum charge to mass ratio (CMR) of 1.79 mC kg−1. The Electric Ducted Fan (EDF) used for high velocity air assistance was capable of transporting charged spray droplets onto distant targets such as orchard trees and field crops with a spray throw of up to 5 m. The high-pressure atomization method produced fine droplets within a Volume Median Diameter (VMD) range of 90 to 100 µm, resulting in better charge induction and wrap-around effect. As the prototype features fewer moving mechanical components, reduced total noise and vibrations, it promises operator comfort in the long run while requiring less system maintenance. Environmental contamination can be minimized as the large quantity of harmful chemicals be prevented from drifting into the soil and nearby waterbodies. The competitive performance and lower investment could encourage majority of the Indian famers to upgrade with the developed air assisted electrostatic spraying system contributing to agro-socio-economic welfare.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Reducing Healthcare Disparities

Healthcare disparities, particularly in vulnerable areas, are important human rights violations that contribute to poor health outcomes and higher healthcare expenses. Artificial intelligence (AI) provides promising solutions for reducing inequities by improving decision-making, disease diagnosis, and access to care. However, if deployed incorrectly, AI has the potential to perpetuate current imbalances. This study investigates the role of AI in addressing healthcare disparities and presents AI applications for closing these gaps, obstacles, ethical concerns, and future potential for using AI to create a more equitable healthcare system. Combining AI with equitable frameworks can encourage inclusion, improve healthcare outcomes, and minimize long-standing healthcare disparities. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare Disparities, Health Equity, Marginalized Communities, Health Access.

“Sweet Like Honey”: Twa Photographers Reframing the Past, Present and Future in a Remote Rwandan Marginalised Community

ABSTRACT Nyabageni, a small village in north-west Rwanda, is home to a remote rural community of historically marginalised people, formerly known as Twa. Today the village is made up of both those who grew up in the forest and those born in the new settlement into a very different Rwanda. This article examines the artistic work of 12 members of the community who took part in a participatory photography workshop in May 2022. It discusses what the Nyabageni artists’ striking images tell us about conceptions of the past, present and future, and how their self-narratives contest and reframe ongoing prejudice. Close readings of individual photographs show how they: re-animate the past; place members of the community in roles they have previously been excluded from; mobilise visual imagery to activate social change; and stress reparative internal perspectives on a close-knit community. Focusing on the aesthetic and strategic choices made by the photographers, we discuss the complexity and sophistication of their vision, which expands existing literature on Twa identities in the Great Lakes. We also reflect on the role of photography in foregrounding the complex memories, dreams and aspirations of marginalised indigenous people.

A taxonomy of artists’ postures to grasp the plurality of cultural production practices: Putting an end to the cicada and the ant

The rooted dichotomy between art and economy tends to simplify our understanding of the conditions under which makers of cultural products operate. The contingencies of the last decades, leading to a greater plurality of artists’ practices, urge us to create new conceptual tools to seize the effective cultural production structures. This paper aims to open this dichotomy - anchored in institutional sociology, creative economy, arts management and cultural entrepreneurship - and to reveal the relational complexity of cultural production. Building on a meta-study of a body of qualitative research published between 2012 and 2022 based on semi-directed interviews, focus groups and case studies about artists’ effective practices in music, performing arts, visual and mediatic arts from underground scenes or marginal communities, we identify 20 postures adopted by artists. We place these postures on two axes reflecting the intensity of economic and artistic logics. This taxonomy explains more accurately today's conditions of cultural production. It allows us to better understand: the multiplicity of artists’ and works’ trajectories, as well as creation networks; the coexistence and co-dependency of postures within the same practice; and the diversity of artists’ practices beyond a disciplinary logic and a linear conception of artistic career.

Heterotrophy confers corals with resistance but limits their range expansion: a case of marginal coral communities

Heterotrophy confers corals with resistance but limits their range expansion: a case of marginal coral communities

The Mycetoma Research Center, University of Khartoum, Sudan's experience in community engagement initiatives spans 3 decades.

Mycetoma profoundly affects marginalised communities, especially in impoverished and remote areas with limited access to healthcare. This chronic and debilitating inflammatory disease highlights the typical issues of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), such as insufficient attention, funding, and resources, which perpetuate neglect and suffering. Patients often delay seeking medical help, leading to advanced disease stages, severe complications, and lasting disabilities. The lack of medical infrastructure and skilled healthcare professionals worsens the situation, causing delays in diagnosis and inadequate treatment. Engaging affected communities in tailored interventions is essential to tackle these challenges, promote collaboration, raise awareness, and mobilise resources to improve healthcare access and enhance diagnostic and treatment capabilities. Since 1991, the Mycetoma Research Center (MRC) at the University of Khartoum, Sudan, has led community engagement initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for mycetoma-affected individuals through education, advocacy, and local collaboration. In this communication, the MRC shares its extensive experience in community engagement to benefit mycetoma-affected communities.

Bhakti, Equality, and Power: Temple Potters and Sacred Food (Mahaprasada) in Orissa

Abstract This article analyses the relationship between Bhakti, power, and equality in South Asia, by studying the meanings of Mahaprasada, or the sacred food of the Jagannatha temple in Orissa, as represented in nineteenth-century European and Indian texts. The article further juxtaposes these textual meanings with the social practices of the low-caste potters of the temple who make the vessels where the sacred food is prepared. Despite missionary condemnations of the idolatry of the Jagannatha cult and administrative attacks on the cult’s rituals and practices, Mahaprasada was paradoxically celebrated by these same texts as embodying the potential of destroying caste hierarchies. The article critically examines such colonial framings of Mahaprasada, by bringing them into conversation with the community cosmologies, economic practices, and political strategies of the temple potters. The article argues that the potters’ entanglements with the temple revealed complex contingencies in the ways in which Mahaprasada determined relations of caste and market. As a low-caste, yet ritually significant, group instrumental in the making of Mahaprasada, the temple potters participated in a market of the sacred food, where ritual and economic values merged, and were shaped by other power relations of the temple. In matters of caste, the potters both upheld and challenged caste distinctions by both their ritual roles and heterogeneous sectarian inheritances. Put together, I examine how paradoxical subtleties of colonial constructions of Bhakti were defied by the economically complex and religiously multiple worlds of marginal communities.

Breaking barriers and empowering marginal women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh for sustainable economic growth: a narrative inquiry

PurposeThe bread and butter of marginal communities primarily rely on their artisanal work, to which the communities’ women have notable contributions despite facing numerous challenges. This study aims to unveil the challenges along with latent opportunities of different marginal women entrepreneurs in the rural areas of Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThis study used narrative inquiry to explore the real-life business phenomena of 15 marginal women entrepreneurs with more than 5 years of business experience living in 4 districts of Bangladesh. This approach was used to document participants’ responses through the storytelling of their daily business experiences.FindingsThe findings of this paper indicate that vulnerable living conditions, social negligence, availability of substitutes, frequent sickness, increasing price of raw materials, lack of entrepreneurial skills and lack of managerial skills are the major challenges of marginal women entrepreneurs. In contrast, minimum capital requirement, home-based business, traditional profession, retaining cultural heritage and lack of accountability are the main opportunities that motivate marginal women to continue their entrepreneurial activities.Research limitations/implicationsThe insight of this research can promote and sustain marginal women entrepreneurship and aid researchers, policymakers and businesses in improving the various entrepreneurial aspects of informal community entrepreneurs in developing countries. However, the study was limited to five marginal community entrepreneurs (Rishi, Kumor, Jele, Cobbler and Kamar) in Bangladesh. Therefore, conducting future research encompassing all marginalized communities is recommended, and empirical studies on this domain are highly encouraged.Social implicationsThe insight of this research can promote and sustain marginal women entrepreneurship and aid researchers, policymakers and businesses in improving the various entrepreneurial aspects of informal community entrepreneurs in developing countries.Originality/valueIn the authors’ knowledge, this is unique research on marginal women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh.

Sea-ice and macrozooplankton distribution as determinants of top predator community structure in Antarctic winter

The Antarctic Peninsula marine ecosystem is highly productive, with large populations of commercially and ecologically important species including Antarctic krill Euphausia superba, Adélie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae, and crabeater seals Lobodon carcinophagus. The ecology of the peninsula is rapidly changing due to accelerating climate change and fishing pressure. Systematic ecosystem surveys have focused on austral spring and summer, leaving an information gap on winter ecosystem dynamics. Using data from 5 consecutive ecosystem surveys, we quantified the composition and distribution of winter predator communities and investigated the physical and biological influences on community structure. Seabirds and marine mammals clustered into 3 communities: an ice-associated community represented by Adélie penguins and crabeater seals; a diverse marginal ice zone community dominated by fur seals and several species of seabirds including 3 petrels, kelp gulls Larus dominicanus, and Antarctic terns Sterna vittata; and an open water community consisting of southern fulmars Fulmarus glacialoides and 4 species of petrels. These communities were distributed along an environmental gradient ranging from ice-covered, cold, saline water to ice-free, warmer, and fresher water with greater chlorophyll concentrations. Predator communities were also associated with different communities of macrozooplankton: ice-associated predators with an extremely diverse assemblage of typically mesopelagic zooplankton; marginal ice zone predators with a community of large-bodied euphausiids (E. superba, E. crystallorophias); and open water predators with a community of small-bodied euphausiids (Thysanoessa macrura). Our synthesis of integrated winter predator and macrozooplankton communities relative to sea-ice concentration provides reference points for future ecosystem assessments within this rapidly changing region.

Online Community, Analysis of Marginal School Communities to Increase Self Potential

Technological changes in this day and age mean that people in all parts of the world can communicate with each other, even over long distances. In Indonesia itself, there is a lot of use of online platforms in cyberspace. One of them is by creating an Online Community which allows a group of people to gather with the same goal to solve or discuss problems that are happening around them. Marginal school communities become online community forums for those interested in being part of volunteering who live in Yogyakarta. The volunteer action in question is carrying out various program plans which are considered to help improve personal quality and create personal potential for street children and marginalized children who do not receive the rights they should have. So, it can be seen that the Marginal School Community recruits online through their personal Instagram account called (@sekolah_marjinal). This Marginal School Community carries out various programs that support street children, such as teaching and learning programs, posyandu programs and community health centers and identity advocacy programs. The method used in this research to collect data is literature study, which involves searching or reading data from journals, books, related websites and scientific articles.

Substance and City: Exploring Drug Culture and Urban Marginalization in Jeet Thayil's "Narcopolis"

The present research article attempts to study the portrayal of drug addiction and its effects on individual identity, societal structures and marginal communities in Jeet Thayil's novel "Narcopolis". Through a close analysis of the characters' experiences with addiction of drugs and the consequences it has on their lives, the study focuses on the broader social implications of drug use in the urban landscape of Mumbai, particularly focusing on how marginal communities are impacted. The article also examines the novel's use of language and narrative techniques to convey the complexities of addiction and urban life, shedding light on the ways in which Thayil's work challenges traditional notions of identity and community in the face of addiction.

Social, Environmental and Techno-Economic Impact of Rural Electrification Isolated with Photovoltaic Systems

Objective: To analyze the social, environmental, and techno-economic impact of rural electrification through the implementation of photovoltaic systems in isolated communities, in order to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants and promote sustainable development. Theoretical Framework: Successful cases of off-grid rural electrification with photovoltaic solar energy in Latin America for the economic and social development of isolated communities are reviewed. The drivers and limitations of this technology in Latin America, the cost of energy and the contribution to local development are analyzed to promote its adoption and sustainability. Method: A qualitative documentary method is used to study the social, environmental and techno-economic impact of rural electrification with photovoltaic systems in rural and marginal communities in Latin America, focusing on the case study of the community of Masa 2 in the Gulf of Guayaquil. Aspects such as the adoption of solar systems, implementation costs, benefits for the inhabitants and the need for a management plan to guarantee the sustainability of the systems are evaluated. Results and Discussion: The results of the study show that isolated electrification with photovoltaic systems in the case study has had a positive impact on the development of the quality of life of the inhabitants, allowing access to basic services such as electricity and telecommunications and providing the possibility of receiving virtual classes and entertainment, among other benefits. The need for policies that promote the adoption of photovoltaic technology is emphasized, as well as the importance of considering technical, economic and social aspects to ensure the successful implementation of rural electrification. Research Implications: The paper discusses the importance of implementing photovoltaic systems with management plans, in addition to the positive impact on the quality of life of the inhabitants, economic savings and access to basic services and improving educational opportunities. Originality/Value: The multidisciplinary approach in addressing the social, environmental and techno-economic impact of implementing photovoltaic systems in isolated communities. The study also analyzes the benefits of rural electrification in terms of local development, access to basic services and improvement of the quality of life of the villagers, highlighting the horizontal analysis of the state of losses or gains.

Stony Corals and Their Associated Fauna Residing in Marine Lakes under Extreme Environmental Conditions

Tropical marine lakes are small land-locked marine waterbodies occurring in karstic coastal areas. During biodiversity surveys in 12 marine lakes in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua province, Indonesia, we recorded at least 37 species belonging to 29 genera of hard corals. Their observed associated symbiont fauna consisted of bivalve molluscs and polychaete worms. Marine lake temperature ranged from 30.0 to 32.5 °C, acidity from pH 7.6 to 8.1, and salinity from 26.4 to 33.2 ppt. This study provides the first inventory of the marginal coral communities in the extreme habitat of marine lakes, under chronic extreme environmental conditions of higher temperatures, land-based nutrient loads, and sedimentation.

PROBLEMS OF THE ADAPTIVE APPROACH TO THE SOCIALIZATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL

Relevance. In situations of forced resettlement, most Ukrainians demonstrate active adaptation to new living conditions, but they may not develop a psychological state of internal balance and well-being. The reason for this is communication difficulties, the migrant's inability to integrate into local communities. This raises the problem of "social adaptation-maladaptation" - the leading mechanism of interaction between an individual and a new social environment. Methodology. To prove the hypothesis: long-term psychological maladaptation leads to the marginalization of the individual and the formation of special marginal communities, it should be assumed that 1) subjective indicators of an individual's adaptability in a group are: a) understanding of the system of relationships and role relations in the group; b) acceptance of one's own role, accompanied by a sense of emotional comfort; c) experiencing a state of personal well-being in this environment; 2) the degree of adaptation - maladaptation of a person depends on: the significance of changes in the objective circumstances of life and subjective readiness for self-change. Results. Four limitations of the adaptive paradigm of socialization have been identified: 1) in difficult life circumstances, adaptation allows an individual to survive, but the quality of his life is significantly reduced and there is a threat of consolidating unproductive life strategies. 2) adaptation does not always lead to an increase in the well-being of the individual and can become a significant factor in his neurotization. 3) the reverse side of adaptation is the marginalization of the individual and the formation of marginal communities. Adaptation performs a stabilizing function in society, but also acts as a limitation for the development of personality and social innovation. An important addition to the adaptation model of socialization should be the idea of social integration of the individual.

Warming-driven increased synchrony of tree growth across the southernmost part of the Asian boreal forests

Climate change has profoundly affected the synchrony of tree growth at multiple scales, thereby altering the structure and function of forest ecosystems. The Asian boreal forests extend southward to the Greater Khingan Range in northeast China. Given the ecological importance and susceptibility to climate change, the impacts of warming on this marginal forest community have been extensively investigated. Nonetheless, how tree growth synchrony changes across this region remains less understood. Focusing on this knowledge gap, we compiled a contiguously-distributed tree-ring network, containing 18 sampling populations and 475 individual larch trees, to explore the changes in multiple-scale growth synchrony across this region. We found increasing growth synchrony at both the individual and population levels over the past decades. The increasing trend of the regional inter-population growth synchrony was well in line with the increasing temperature and PDSI. Furthermore, 11 of the 18 sampling populations showed significant increases in their intra-population growth synchrony. We further associated the sliding intra-population growth synchrony with local climates. Intra-population growth synchrony of 13 and 11 sampling populations were significantly positively correlated with local temperature, and negatively correlated with local PDSI, respectively, demonstrating the driving role of warming-induced drought on growth synchrony. The linear regression model quantifying this relationship suggested that an increase of 1 °C in annual mean temperature would drive the intra-population growth synchrony to increase by 0.047. As warming trends in the study area are projected to continue over this century, our study warns of the further consequences of the increasing growth synchrony may have on the functioning, resilience, and persistence of forests.