There are nerve-wracking debates on certain aspects of research in social sciences. Many academics enjoy such debates. Often they do bring forth pearls of wisdom. At other times, they may be blank and vacuous. However, there is wisdom in identifying the best approaches in social science research that will be of maximum benefit to the people.
Research is mostly done at taxpayers’ expense. Whether we go for project-oriented research or basic research or empirical research or conceptual research, we should remember that the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Scholars should necessarily focus on non-project-linked research activities as well on basic issues in social science research. Though drawing inferences from the analysis of the data collected is certainly important, reflective research evolving theoretical insights is equally significant. This aspect stands emphasised in a leading centre of social science research, the CMDR: Centre for Multi-disciplinary Development Research, Dharwad, Karnataka – 580 004; Website: www.cmdr.ac.in.
It is an autonomous, non-profit social science research institute, started in 1976 and financed by the Indian Council of Social Science Research and the Karnataka government.
Research is sometimes sponsored by agencies such as the Planning Commission, All India Handicrafts Board, Industrial Finance Corporation of India, public sector banks, the World Bank, the International Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Ford Foundation, the International Development Research Centre (Canada), the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East, the SAARC Secretariat, the World Health Organisation, the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (Nepal), the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF and the Department of International Development of the U.K.
The objectives of the centre include conducting research on issues of socio-economic development and decentralised planning covering economic, social, political and cultural dimensions of human behaviour. The centre attempts to combine conceptual and empirical perceptions in its research studies. It examines the relevance of the received theories in social sciences which have alien origins and forms new theories of relevance to Indian conditions.
It undertakes research with multidisciplinary perspectives on specific socio-economic problems of Karnataka, on the Indian economy and on developing economies in general. It arranges for continuous investigation into economic problems of a fundamental theoretical nature and attempts to recast the various accepted theoretical frames into a new mould of relevance to the socioeconomic characteristics of the economy.
The centre conducts investigations to help government, organisations of employers or other bodies of persons interested in promoting studies pertaining to socioeconomic issues. Further, it provides consultancy services on market analysis, project evaluation and feasibility, financial analysis and budget formulation and analysis.
The centre maintains a grand vision on its development as a vibrant centre of excellence and action plans to achieve its objectives. It conducts effective research methodology courses. It plays a great role in motivating young postgraduates into undertaking serious social science research studies. Potential researchers will find this centre a fine place for dedicated academic work and pointed studies.
The ICSSR has designated the centre as a national-level data bank for education. The centre continues to compile, process, and present the data and information about different aspects of education on an ongoing basis.
The Centre has been participating in selected international programmes. It is a member of the Asian Network for Training and Innovation in Educational Planning (ANTRIEP), an outfit of UNESCO Paris.
Some of the thrust areas of research are the following:
Education and development
Sociological and political dimensions of educational development.
Inclusive education.
Linkages between educational development and development of other sectors.
Quality and standard of education.
Database for the educational sector.
Globalisation and education.
Private-public partnerships in education.
Equity in access, utilisation and performance in education (with a focus on gender, regional and other social dimensions).
Financing of education.
Issues of governance.
Scope and institutional framework of vocational and professional education.
Policy analysis of primary, secondary and higher education.
Health and development
Economic, sociological and political dimensions of health-care services of different systems.
Database for health sector.
Linkages between health sector development and development of other sectors.
Community mobilisation for health-care services.
Globalisation and health services.
Private-public partnership in health.
Resource costs of morbidity and under-nutrition
Health accounts, including sub-regional and disease-specific accounts.
New Paradigms of Livelihood in the rural sector
Water resources and cropping pattern.
Off-farm avenues for livelihood.
Shifts in the social and cultural living conditions in the rural areas.
Gender issues in the pattern of shifts of livelihood.
Micro-financing and livelihood.
Challenges of child labour and women empowerment.
Rural urban migration; impact of urbanisation on rural livelihood system.
Food security issues.
Farmers’ suicides: Multidisciplinary perspectives with a focus on implications of the prevailing institutional support system for livelihood.
Social Costs of economically focussed development
Impact on employment.
Impact on poverty eradication.
Challenges of inclusive growth.
Impact on cultural aspects of society.
Impact on values and social institutions.
Challenges to Sustainable Development
Issues relating to environmental economics.
Forest resources, water resources and sustainability of development; challenges of drinking water supply in rural and urban areas.
Common property resources and the poor.
Politics, sociology and economics of inter-State distribution of river water.
Natural resources accounting with sub-regional perspectives.
The centre has collaborative efforts. It joins hands with institutions such as the Karnataka Historical Research Society, the Fiscal Research Foundation (New Delhi), the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad), the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (New Delhi), the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and several universities. It has innovative development programmes on the anvil. It maintains excellent work ethics and work discipline that not only generates committed researchers but also ensure the transparent performance of scholars in their future career. All these confirm that a student who joins this centre for research will benefit greatly from the fine environment and its faculty with commitment.
