Archives

New Arrivals on Display : 15th April,  2010

Architecture

Banaras: the city revealed / Michell, George, ed.--Mumbai: Marg Publications, 2005 (Reference)

The volume opens with an account of the growth of Banaras over a span of more than 2, 000 years, and provides a detailed account of the city in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the majority of the city's noteworthy structures were created. The authors describe representative architectural examples, many of which are illustrated here for the first time. Their chapters are accompanied by a historical chart and a set of city maps locating all the buildings.

Nature's spokesman: M Krishnan and Indian wildlife / Guha, Ramachandra, ed. --New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007

The book showcases author's essays on large mammals, little creatures, nature in temple art and folklore, nature's  desecration and its conservation, all described in his inimitable style-wry and humorous.

Economics

Arguments for a better world: essays in honor of Amartya Sen / Basu, Kaushik, ed. --New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2008 2 Vol.  (Reference)

Amartya Sen has made deep and lasting contributions to the academic disciplines of economics, philosophy, and the social sciences more broadly. He has engaged in policy dialogue and public debate, advancing the cause of a human development focused policy agenda, and a tolerant and democratic polity. This volume of essays, written in honor of his 75th birthday by his students and peers, covers the range of contributions that Sen has made to knowledge. They are written by some of the world's leading economists, philosophers and social scientists, and address topics such as ethics, welfare economics, poverty, gender, human development, society and politics. The second volume covers the topics of human development and capabilities; gender and household; growth, poverty and politics
 

Construction management / Dharwadker, P. P. --New Delhi: Oxford, 1995

This book is aimed at the position up-to-fate in the sphere of construction and consultancy in the country. In this book an effort has been made to create a new awareness of the recent trends in national and international construction business and consultancy profession.

Economic survey 2009-10 / India. Ministry of Finance.  Department of Economic Affairs. Economic Division. --New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2009 (Reference)

This government publication provides information on economic survey of India in 2009-10. The report analyses how the pace of economic improvement has moved up considerably during the last five years (including 2009-10). The publication also reviews different facets of Indian economy in detail.

Freefall: free markets and the sinking of the global economy / Stiglitz, Joseph. --London: Allen Lane, 2010

This book lays out not only the course of the financial crisis which began in 2007, but also its underlying causes, and shows why much more radical reforms are needed than are currently being contemplated if we are to avoid similar systematic crisis in the future. The book shows why the bailout has been only marginally effective and how it could have been much more so, and outlines the enormous opportunity not yet taken to design a new global financial architecture.

Report of The Thirteenth Finance Commission, 2010-2015: as presented in the August House, The Lok Sabha (under the Chairmanship of Dr Vijay L Kelkar) / India. Finance Commission. --Delhi: Akalank Publications, 2010 (Reference)

The Thirteenth Finance Commission was constituted by the President under Article 280 of the Constitution on 13 November 2007 to make recommendations for the period 2010-15. Dr. Vijay Kelkar was appointed the Chairman, along with other members.  The detailed terms of reference, consultations, workshops and seminars, working groups and task forces and recommendations are mentioned in this publication.

Climate change represents a global challenge whose impact can be addressed through open, inclusive and frank dialogue. This survey makes the case for meeting both the climate challenge and the development challenge by recognizing the links between the two and proceeding along low-emissions, high-growth pathways. The survey examines the key building blocks in order to assess the best possible options available to countries at different levels of development.

Environment

Cool it: the skeptical environmentalist's guide to global warming / Lomborg, Bjorn. --New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2007

This book that transform the debate about global warming by offering a fresh perspective based on human needs as well as environmental concerns. The author argues that any of the elaborate and expensive actions now being considered to stop global warming will cost hundreds of billions of dollars, are often based on emotional rather than strictly scientific assumptions, and may very well have little impact on the world's temperature for hundreds of years.

Governance

Indian monocracy: perspectives and challenges of 21st century / Joginder Singh. --New Delhi: Gyan Publishing, 2007

This book seeks to examine and raise some of the issues, facing the nation, government and citizens, so that citizens should at least get the fruits of democracy. Good or bad governance affects us all. In the case of some, it is in smaller degrees, and in the case of others by larger degrees. This book is a journey through such times, lived not only by the author, but his generations.

History

Rebels, wives, saints: designing selves and nations in colonial times / Sarkar, Tanika. --Ranikhet: Permanent Black, 2009

The colonial universe outlined in this book centres around woman as both defiled and defiled and deified (woman as widow, woman as goddess); the nation as woman-goddess within a country comprising plural traditions, male reformers battling Hindu conservatives. This book is about the structure of the early colonial universe in India, a world of linked coherences and incoherence's, of arguments, protests, and rebellion.

Management

The No asshole rule: building a civilised workplace and surviving one that isn't / Sutton, Robert.--Sphere: London, 2007

The author believes passionately that civilized workplaces are not a naïve dream and that the rule a zero-tolerance attitude to assholes can bolster performance. Using serious and hilarious examples from his organizations across the globe, author shows how destructive characters hurt their fellow human beings and undermine organizational performance.

Memoirs

Remembered childhood: essays in honour of Andre Beteille / Karlekar, Malavika, ed. --New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2009

This book is a compilation of articles in honour of Andre Beteille, India’s leading social anthropologist. But perhaps not many are aware that Betellie started writing about his early life sometime years ago- about his two grandmothers, childhood in Chandernagore, and then schooling in Calcutta; some of these pieces have been published. This volume opens up a new genre of writing in India. Descriptive, often-evocative, and invariably open-ended and with photographs accompanying each essay.

Mountaineering

High adventure: our ascent of the Everest / Hillary, Edmund. --New York: Roli Books, 2005

The authoritative first-person account of Hillary and Tenzing's ascent of Mount Everest, re-issued on the 50th anniversary of this landmark achievement. This is a mountaineering classic but it is also a thrilling and inspiring story of courage and endurance- a story that will captivate a new generation of readers.

Political Science

Altered states: globalization, sovereignty, and governance / Smith, Gordon. --Ottawa: International Development Research Centre, 2000

The authors explore the dynamics of globalization and discuss what makes today's globalization distinct. They consider whether sovereignty itself is an impediment or a requirement to security and prosperity. And, in three urgent areas ripe for progress-preventing deadly conflict, providing opportunities for the young, and managing the many harms of climate change.

Local governance: an inspiring journey into the future / India. Second Administrative R. --New Delhi: Government of India, 2007

In this report on Local Governance, the Administrative Reforms Commission has examined in detail the issues relating to rural and urban local governance in India with a special focus on the need for real democratic decentralization in the country in order to usher in genuine grass rots democracy as envisaged by the founding fathers of our republic. The report examines these issues in three parts-the first part deals with common issues of local governance that are relevant for both rural and urban areas as well as the rural-urban continuum; the second deals with rural governance issues; and the third with urban governance.

Population/Climate Change

State of world population 2009: facing a changing world: women, population and climate / United Nations Population Fund. --New York: UNFPA, 2009 (Reference)

This report shows that climate change is more than an issue of energy efficiency or industrial carbon emissions, it is also an issue of population dynamics, poverty and gender equity. This report shows that women have the power to mobilize against climate change, but this potential can be realized only through policies that empower them. It also shows the required support that would allow women to fully contribute to adaptation, mitigation and building resilience to climate change.

Public Administration

National electronic government: comparing governance structures in multi layer administrations / Eifert, Martin, ed. --London: Routledge, 2004

This book is one of two volumes presenting a comparative study to evaluate the success of the implementation of e-government in the UK, US, France, Germany, Finland, Australia and Japan. This particular volume examines national strategies and their institutional framework of coordination and cooperation by focusing on relevant players, the interplay of administrative levels and the types of control used by them.

Science

Four laws that drive the universe / Atkins, Peter. --New York: Oxford University Press, 2007

The author explains the basis and deeper implications of each law, drawing out their precision, clarity, and beauty.  Using a minimum of mathematics, he guides the reader through concepts such as entropy, free energy, and to the brink and beyond of the absolute zero of temperature. Among the many laws of science, there lurks a mighty handful: four simple laws that direct and constrain everything that happens in the universe.

Water Resources

A Guidebook for local catchment management in cities / United Nations Human Settlement Programme. Nairobi: United Nations Human Settlement Programme, 2005 (Reference)

This guidebook provides basic information on how cities can protect their fresh water resources through proper management of the local catchments. It is for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which have set a target for halving the proportion of people without sustainable access access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, by 2015. The guidebook deals with the principles and practices for better management of water resources which, in turn, will lead to general improvement in the health of the local population, food security, environmental protection and sustainable development.        

New Additions in Authors' Corner

(For reference only)

International Journal of Environmental Consumerism (IJEC): the official journal of The Environmental & Consumer Protection (ECPFO) Vol. 5, Issue 9 & 10, January-December, 2009

International Journal of Environmental Consumerism (IJEC) is a bi-annual multidisciplinary journal published by The Environmental and Consumer Protection Foundation (ECPFO). This special issue is devoted on climate change and sustainable consumption as both the areas are of immense importance.

New Additions in Electronic Reports

(For reference only)

Global development finance 2010: external debt of developing countries. The World Bank

A World Bank's annual report on the external debt of developing countries. It includes comprehensive data for 128 countries, as well as summary data for regions and income groups.

Global economic prospects 2010: crisis, finance, and growth. The World Bank

The global economic recovery that is now underway will slow later this year as the impact of fiscal stimulus wanes. Financial markets remain troubled and private sector demand lags amid high unemployment, according to a new report from the World Bank.

Global Economic Prospects 2010 warns that while the worst of the financial crisis may be over, the global recovery is fragile. It predicts that the fallout from the crisis will change the landscape for finance and growth over the next 10 years.

Report of The 13th Finance Commission, 2010-2015. Finance Commission, India

The Thirteenth Finance Commission was constituted by the President under Article 280 of the Constitution on 13 November 2007 to make recommendations for the period 2010-15. Dr. Vijay Kelkar was appointed the Chairman, along with other members.  The detailed terms of reference, consultations, workshops and seminars, working groups and task forces and recommendations are mentioned in this publication.

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