Postdoctoral research of Dr. phil. Samuel Vijaya Bhaskar Poldas
Analysis of the influence of religious interpretations for climate change on the climate related behavior of citizens in Hyderabad, India
Start: 04/2011
End: 12/2012
As part of the ongoing DAAD supported postdoctoral research ("Analysing junior college students' awareness of climate change in the emerging mega-city of Hyderabad and developing teaching modules to augment their knowledge on the issue.") the author has a conducted survey with 129 junior college Students from 38 colleges in Hyderabad. In the questionnaire developed for this purpose, he included five questions to analyze how far the students accept certain explanations for climate change, which include the influences of transcendental elements. For, in a preliminary research (discussions, media analysis) it was observed that the citizens of different faiths in Hyderabad during the drought periods have either performed rituals or offered prayers for rains. Moreover, the people who initiated these measures described the drought as a punishment for the people.
The research planned here explores the reasons why citizens in Hyderabad believe that climate change is caused by transcendental elements and that its effects can be appeased through rituals / prayers. It also asks how far this attitude characterizes their predispositions, readiness and reservations with regard to the integration of environmental and climate protection goals into individual and collective action.
Researcher: Dr. phil. Samuel Vijaya Bhaskar Poldas
Cooperation Partner:
Advisor: Dr. Hans Liudger Dienel
Funding: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Project Website: siehe
Publications and Presentations:
Geschichte der Homöopathie in Indien von ihrer Einführung bis zur ersten offiziellen Anerkennung 1937. Quellen und Studien zur Homöopathiegeschichte, Band 13, Karl F. Haug Verlag, Stuttgart, 2010. (Dissertation)
Schröder, Sabine; Bhaskar Poldas: Ready to Move…?!. Bürgerausstellung zum Thema Mobilität in Hyderbad, 2009.