Institutional Repository

Scholar@UOC is the primary academic repository of the University of Calicut.

This repository is aimed to collect, preserve and distribute the research output of the members of our University. This is an open access system hosted and managed by the University Library.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 38

Recent Submissions

Cartographies of structures of power a study of select works of Mario Vargas Llosa
(St Josephs College Devagiri, 2025) Namitha V. S.; Wilson Rockey
he thesis titled “Cartographies of Structures of Power: A Study of Select Works of Mario Vargas Llosa” is an attempt to theoretically analyse and conceptualise the dynamics of power represented in the works of Mario Vargas Llosa. A Latin American-Peruvian Nobel laureate, Mario Vargas Llosa’s works are interwoven with the intricacies of structures of power present within the different societal institutions. The thesis pays attention to the numerous layers of power with its subtle nuances that come to act in the select works of Vargas Llosa, including The Time of the Hero (1963), The Green House (1966), Conversation in the Cathedral (1969) and The Feast of the Goat (2000). The research argues that the different aspects of power found in these novels can be brought into the Foucauldian theoretical framework of power. It also refers to the theories of power put forth by scholars like Niccolo Machiavelli, Max Weber, Thomas Hobbes, Pierre Bourdieu and Antonio Gramsci. The thesis also attempts to bring out the elements of the Foucauldian Resistance in the works of Vargas Llosa. Power exists in every institution, every group and every individual in the society, regardless of age, gender, financial status or profession. There exists no society in which power is distributed equally. The discussion of power can be identified in the literary texts from time immemorial, including the ancient Greek and Indian classics. In his works Michel Foucault studies the history of society and analyses the exercise of power from the traditional to the modern period. He classifies power into three – sovereign power, disciplinary power and the biopower. The various forms of power such as the military power, masculine power, parental power, dictatorial power, psychological power and the religious power can be identified in the select works of the author; and are theoretically capable of being categorised under the disciplinary, sovereign and the biopower formulated by Foucault. Antonio Gramsci’s concept of hegemony can also be applied to the fictional world of the select novels, where in a power-hierarchical relationship, the subordinate group permits itself to be dominated. Individuals in these works fail to recognise themselves as targets of power and are unaware of their objectified status in the way they are in conformity to certain norms and practices of the society. By performing their routine activities, they are unknowingly placed in a fixed position in the social hierarchy, which can be explained with the help of Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus and symbolic power.
Social capital and member empowerment an empirical study among cooperatives in Kerala
(St. Thomas College - Autonomous, 2025) Sijo Jacob, V.; Thomas Paul Kattookaran
This research aims to determine the level of social capital formation among cooperative members in Kerala and tries to examine the role of influencing factors such as trust, social networks, norms and values, communication and information sharing and leadership and governance on the formation social capital. The study further attempted to determine the role of social capital in empowering and satisfying cooperative members and the mediating effect of member empowerment between social capital and member satisfaction. This study also identified the change in empowerment attained by cooperative members after becoming a member in a cooperative society. The present study is a descriptive and quantitative one based on primary and secondary data. The research considered the members of primary cooperatives in Kerala as the population. By employing a multi-stage sampling technique the research identified diary cooperatives, miscellaneous non-credit cooperative societies, credit and thrift societies, primary agricultural credit cooperatives, miscellaneous credit cooperative societies, educational and training cooperatives and consumer cooperatives as the proxies of cooperative sector and collected primary data from 756 members who are spread across three districts in Kerala using a structured questionnaire. The secondary sources of data were collected from various books, journals, reports and databases. Based on the requirements, the study employed a comprehensive set of statistical tools including frequency distributions, mean scores, standard deviation, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Kruskal Wallis H test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyse the data. This study unravels that there is a high level of social capital generation among cooperative members in Kerala. The results clearly clarifies that the influencing factors has a significant role in the formation of social capital among cooperatives and the social capital so formed leads to member empowerment and member satisfaction. It is also evident from the findings that member empowerment partially mediate between social capital and member satisfaction. The investigation further reveals that there is a change in the level of empowerment of members. Therefore, this study affirms that, social capital is also a crucial determinant of cooperative and member development along with financial, human and physical capital.
Historical geography of Eranad
(Farook College, 2025) Shana Parveen, P. T.; Manmathan, M. R.
Immigration, forced or voluntary, is an inevitable part of any nation and traces back its origin to human history itself. Invasions and evacuations could be the underlying foundations of any Civilization. As a result, displacement, statelessness, and rehabilitation are not mere historical events but lived realities that continue to shape the lives of communities, all over the world and all over the ages. Displacement, in a close analysis, not only reshapes the lives of people but also deeply affects their identities and livelihoods. The Indian-origin Sri Lankan repatriated Tamils represent a population that has long struggled with issues of identity, livelihood, and integration. This study explores their rehabilitation and financial inclusion in Kerala, where 1,599 families were resettled across five plantations managed by Kerala Forest Development Corporation and the Rehabilitation Plantation Limited. The central problem of this research arises from their persistent socio-economic disadvantages, their limited access to financial resources, and the uncertainty surrounding the sustainability of plantations. Although financial inclusion has been widely researched, the quality dimension remains the least considered, leaving a critical gap in understanding and addressing the true inclusiveness of financial systems for this ‘marginalized group’. This research aimed to examine the socio-economic status of the repatriates, the level of financial inclusion, the role of government and non-governmental agencies, the challenges they face, and the sustainability of the rehabilitation process. It employed a mixed-methods approach and gathered data from 315 respondents with an interview schedule using a stratified random sampling technique, supplemented by a questionnaire with estate managers and secondary data from KFDC and RPL, and other official records. The analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics, particularly using non-parametric tests. The findings show pathetic socio-economic conditions with low-income levels, weak asset ownership, limited education, and over-dependence on estate work. Despite universal account holding, financial inclusion is poor, with low access to loans, insurance, and digital banking. Even though the welfare dependency is high, housing and pensions are inadequate, and NGO participation comes to a naught, in the estates. The community continues to experience an identity crisis, which is marked by feelings of being second-class citizens, mental distress, and social exclusion. The sustainability of the rehabilitation plantations is moderate. The study is significant because these people remain marginalized with limited socio-economic integration, and its findings can help shape policies for inclusive development. For they are often haunted by the gnawing question, ‘Where do we belong?’ The theoretical implication of this study is to deepen the understanding of financial inclusion among marginalized repatriates, linking Socio-Economic Mobility and Marginal Man theories to highlight the influence of education, income, and identity. It recommends promoting vocational training, expanding housing support, diversifying incomes through eco-tourism and entrepreneurship, increasing NGO participation, strengthening awareness of repatriate-specific financial schemes, and providing community-oriented social interaction programmes. Fundamentally, the study substantiates that the unified efforts by the government, civil society, and financial institutions are essential to ensure sustainable rehabilitation and to strengthen socio-economic resilience.
Financial inclusion and rehabilitation of Sri Lankan repatriated Tamils in Kerala
(Govt. College Kodanchery, 2025) Suhaib,T.; Jubair, T.
Immigration, forced or voluntary, is an inevitable part of any nation and traces back its origin to human history itself. Invasions and evacuations could be the underlying foundations of any Civilization. As a result, displacement, statelessness, and rehabilitation are not mere historical events but lived realities that continue to shape the lives of communities, all over the world and all over the ages. Displacement, in a close analysis, not only reshapes the lives of people but also deeply affects their identities and livelihoods. The Indian-origin Sri Lankan repatriated Tamils represent a population that has long struggled with issues of identity, livelihood, and integration. This study explores their rehabilitation and financial inclusion in Kerala, where 1,599 families were resettled across five plantations managed by Kerala Forest Development Corporation and the Rehabilitation Plantation Limited. The central problem of this research arises from their persistent socio-economic disadvantages, their limited access to financial resources, and the uncertainty surrounding the sustainability of plantations. Although financial inclusion has been widely researched, the quality dimension remains the least considered, leaving a critical gap in understanding and addressing the true inclusiveness of financial systems for this ‘marginalized group’. This research aimed to examine the socio-economic status of the repatriates, the level of financial inclusion, the role of government and non-governmental agencies, the challenges they face, and the sustainability of the rehabilitation process. It employed a mixed-methods approach and gathered data from 315 respondents with an interview schedule using a stratified random sampling technique, supplemented by a questionnaire with estate managers and secondary data from KFDC and RPL, and other official records. The analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics, particularly using non-parametric tests. The findings show pathetic socio-economic conditions with low-income levels, weak asset ownership, limited education, and over-dependence on estate work. Despite universal account holding, financial inclusion is poor, with low access to loans, insurance, and digital banking. Even though the welfare dependency is high, housing and pensions are inadequate, and NGO participation comes to a naught, in the estates. The community continues to experience an identity crisis, which is marked by feelings of being second-class citizens, mental distress, and social exclusion. The sustainability of the rehabilitation plantations is moderate. The study is significant because thesepeople remain marginalized with limited socio-economic integration, and its findings can help shape policies for inclusive development. For they are often haunted by the gnawing question, ‘Where do we belong?’ The theoretical implication of this study is to deepen the understanding of financial inclusion among marginalized repatriates, linking Socio-Economic Mobility and Marginal Man theories to highlight the influence of education, income, and identity. It recommends promoting vocational training, expanding housing support, diversifying incomes through eco-tourism and entrepreneurship, increasing NGO participation, strengthening awareness of repatriate-specific financial schemes, and providing community-oriented social interaction programmes. Fundamentally, the study substantiates that the unified efforts by the government, civil society, and financial institutions are essential to ensure sustainable rehabilitation and to strengthen socio-economic resilience.
Biochemical characterization of semiochemicals from luprops tristis coleoptera tenebrionidae and the cytotoxic evaluation of a selected volatile compound on rat cell lines
(MES Mampad College, 2025) Sajidha Mohammed; Muhammed Abdul Rafeeq. K.U
Indoor insect pests adversely affect human health and the built environment. In addition to causing bites, stings, allergic reactions, and potential disease transmission, they release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that compromise indoor air quality. Even at low concentrations, VOCs have been linked to respiratory and allergic disorders, underscoring the importance of studying pest populations in relation to indoor system features and surrounding environments. This study employed a questionnaire-based survey across 403 indoor spaces in Kerala to document insect prevalence, structural features, seasonal variations, and health symptoms reported by residents. Findings indicated that tropical climate alone does not fully explain pest populations; instead, anthropogenic changes such as the establishment of rubber and coconut plantations in surrounding areas significantly facilitated pest adaptation and infestations. The indoor environment was frequently cited as the second most common factor associated with illness, with residents reporting a rise in allergy and respiratory issues in spaces with higher pest prevalence. Luprops tristis (Mupli beetle) emerged as a major nuisance species, aggregating in thousands within homes. Volatilome profiling of 500–1000 beetles detected 41 compounds, of which 18 were identified through reference comparisons. Eleven of these are compounds with reported allergenic or respiratory effects, providing a plausible explanation for unexplained allergic reactions in households. Cytotoxicity testing of heptadecane, a dominant compound, using the MTT assay on normal rat epithelial cells, revealed dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth, with the highest concentration (100 μg/ml) reducing viability by 12.89%.This research underscores the ecological and toxicological significance of indoor insect pests in tropical environments. By linking pest ecology, environmental modifications, and health concerns, it provides a basis for integrating entomological insights into strategies for improving indoor air quality and safeguarding public health.