Cinema

Beyond the world of Apu: the films of Satyajit Ray / Hood, John W. --New Delhi: Orient Longman, 2008

The author makes a thoroughly informed, socio-historical critique of all twenty-nine feature films of Satyajit Ray. Structured along themes, which the author has identified in Ray's movies, this reassessment analyses each film independently, on the basis of its individual merits and lapses, carefully avoiding the popular biography that is common on much of Ray criticism.

Economics

Financial reform in developing countries / Fenelli, Jose M., ed. --London: Macmillan, 1998 -Presented by Mr. Stephen McGurk, CO-0262B from International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

This book contains the results of a research project initiated and supported by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). This book contains case studies of financial reform experiences in Argentina, India, Nigeria, Turkey and Uruguay.

A Hundred small steps: report of the Committee on Financial sector reforms / India. Planning Commission. New Delhi: Planning Commission, 2009 (Reference)

The report argues that we need a change in mindset for the financial sector, one that recognizes that efficiency, innovation, and value for money are as important for the poor as they are for our new Indian multinationals, and these will come from improved governance, new entry, and competition. Indeed the Committee believes that the road to making Mumbai an international financial centre through every village in India.

India: managing financial globalization and growth / Kochar, Kalpna, ed.--New Delhi: BS Books, 2009

The book analyses issues that are extremely important today. After five years of extremely rapid growth, what are the stresses and strains building up in the Indian economy? Can growth be sustained? How should economic policies ranging from monetary policy to the social safety net be adjusted to the new reality of India's economy and financial systems?

Linking conservation and poverty reduction: landscape, people and power / Fisher, Robert. --London: Earthscan, 2008

The book offers an overview of the issues and a conceptual framework for addressing poverty reduction in the context of conservation, and conservation in the context of poverty reduction. It looks at the rationale for addressing the links between conservation and poverty reduction, arguing that such a focus is both ethically essential and a source of opportunities.

Microfinance India: state of the sector report 2008 / Srinivasan, N. --New Delhi: Sage, 2009 (Reference)

The report is a part of a series of annual reports on the microfinance sector in India, which seeks to document developments, clarify issues, publicise studies, stimulate research, identify policy choices, generate understanding and enhance support for the sector. It is a comprehensive document that provides the latest data and a holistic view of the sector, combines analysis and description and integrates a variety of topics hitherto treated separately.

Energy Resources

Energy for the 21st Century: a comprehensive guide to conventional and alternative sources / Nersesian, Roy L. --New Delhi: Pentagon Energy, 2009 (Reference)

As concerns over rising energy prices and potential shortages continue to grow, this comprehensive handbook provides a detailed analysis of the past, present, and future of all the principal energy sources-biomass, coal, oil, natural gas, hydro and nuclear power-as well as sustainable sources, especially fuel cell technology.  The book offers a comprehensive examination of the most current energy policies under consideration, with special attention to environmental concerns.

History

Organizations at war in Afghanistan and beyond / Sinno, Abdulkader H. --Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2008

The author examines the fortunes of the various factions in Afghanistan, including the Mujahideen and the Taliban, that have been fighting each other and foreign armies since the 1979 Soviet invasion. The author argues that the organizational theory applies not only to Afghanistan-where he doubts the effectiveness of American state-building efforts-but also to other ethnic, revolutionary, independence, and secessionist conflicts in north Africa, the Middle East, and beyond.

Partition and the South Asian diaspora: extending the subcontinent / Ghosh, Papiya. --London: Routledge, 2007

The book seeks to widen partition studies by looking at an unwritten strand of the sub continental partition diaspora that folded into the South Asian diaspora in a staggered sort of way, and by detailing how partition persists in the lives of its migrants and minorities in an increasingly transnational context. Covering six decades and underlining the interface between nations, diaspora and region, his study pulls together and re-maps insights from partition, refugee, diaspora, transnational and peace-studies.

Worlds at war: the 2,500-year struggle between East and West / Pagden, Anthony.--New York: Oxford University Press, 2008

The differences that divide West from East go deeper than politics, deeper than religion, argues author. The wars between East and West have not only been the longest and most costly in human history, they have also formed the West's vision of itself as independent, free, secular, and now democratic. They have shaped, and continue to shape, the nature of the modern world.

Information technology / Political aspects

Government 2.0: using technology to improve education, gut red tape, reduce gridlock, and enhance democracy / Eggers, William D. --Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2007

The author shows how much promise technology holds for making government more efficient, transparent, and responsive to its citizens. The author displays a keen understanding of policy making in the digital age. The book provides a major contribution to the public policy debate.

International Relations

US relations with Afghanistan and Pakistan: the imperial dimension / Malik, Hafeez. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008

This is an analytical study of US power, described as an imperial system as against a policy of imperial conquest. An imperial system regulates the affairs of the world politically, economically and in international trade. Against the background of US power, the author examines US relations with Afghanistan and Pakistan highlighted by the fact that both states have forged new asymmetrical alliances with the US. These alliances not only serve the strategic interests of the US but also protect the security interests of both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Linguistics/Politics

The Essential Chomsky / Chomsky, Noam. --New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2008

The book assembles the core of Noam Chomsky's important writings, including excerpts from his most influential texts over the past forty years. This is a comprehensive overview of Chomsky's thought. Among the dominant figures in linguistic theory over the past century, since the 1960s Chomsky has also secured a place as perhaps the leading dissident voice in the United States.

Management

New concepts and practices related to human behaviour: challenges of globalization effects / Shrivastav, S.K., ed. New Delhi: Viva Books, 2008

The book examines the various dimensions of human behaviour, which affects individuals, families, societies and nations. Human behaviour is a very important phenomenon, but it is also  as complex as it is important. Human behaviour is responsible for good and bad happenings, for successes and failures, for inventions and discoveries, for accidents and mishaps, for love and care, for hatred and violence, for development and progress, for destruction and backwardness and  so on.

Open Source Technology

Open source: technology and policy / Deek, Fadi P. --New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008

From the Internet's infrastructure to operating systems like GNU/Linux, the open source movement comprises some of the greatest accomplishments in computing over the past quarter century. The book discusses key open source applications, platforms and technologies used in open development in the first part. The second part explores social issues ranging from demographics and psychology to legal and economic matters. The third part discusses the free software foundation, open source in the public sector (government and education), and future prospects.

Poverty

Governance and poverty reduction: beyond the cage of best practices / Singh, Amita, ed.-- New Delhi: PHI Learning, 2009

This book attempts to bring out micro level studies from many regions in South Asia to address issues of entrepreneurship, knowledge and professionalism. The book highlights areas of active networking, partnerships and collaborations amongst state and non-state bodies, NGOs and specialist science and technical organizations.

Public Administration

The Governance discourse: a reader / Chakrabarty, Bidyut, ed.--New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2008

Governance is a much discussed and also most contentious concept in contemporary academic discourse for a variety of reasons. The book examines the core argument of governance that has attracted universal attention is the widening of the concept of public administration which has traditionally been technocratic and mono-institutional, focusing almost exclusively on formal government.

Quotations

Inspiring thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi / Mishra, Anil Dutta. --New Delhi: Concept Publishing, 2008

The book attempts to elucidate the central concepts of Gandhi-his thoughts on every walk of life that are everlasting, time-tested and written for common people in simple language. The material is drawn from a number of sources, including Harijan, Young India, Hind Swaraj, My Experiments with Truth and Satyagrah in South Africa.

Sociology

State of the world's cities 2008/09: harmonious cities  / UN Habitat. --London: Earthscan, 2008 (Reference)

This report adopts the concept of harmonious cities as a theoretical framework in order to understand today's urban world, and also as an operational tool to confront the most important challenges facing urban areas and their development processes. It recognizes that tolerance, diversity, social justice and good governance, all of which are inter-related, are as important to sustainable development as physical planning.

Sports

 The Best XI / Boycott, Geoffrey. --London: Penguin  books, 2008

Geofery Boycott has made his own selection of the best ever teams from Australia, India, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, pausing to consider both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, before deciding who might be selected for the best team ever. Based on his own fresh analysis and interpretation of the statistics, author has come up with his own, sometimes surprising best eleven of all time.

New Additions in Authors Corner

(For reference only)

Abraham, P (A-6450)

From powerless village to union power secretary: memoirs of an IAS officer --New Delhi: Concept Publishing, 2009

The autobiography portrays life of author in a remote village with humble background; education in his   village school; a first generation educated from his family; first to go to the college from his village; the   sacrifice made by his parent's; his academic excellence and his determination to get into the premier Indian   Administrative Service, is truly a remarkable journey from a powerless village to the top of the ladder in the   administrative echelons in the country.

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