Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, Sweden. My research areas include globalization, democratization, development, civil society, religion and nationalism with a primary focus on India. I have been teaching at Stockholm University since 1993, mainly within the field of global development and politics and I am currently the co-ordinator of the Forum for Asian Studies, Stockholm University. http://www.asianstudies.su.se/
This article is a case study of the campaign against the Coca-Cola Company in Plachimada, Kerala,... more This article is a case study of the campaign against the Coca-Cola Company in Plachimada, Kerala, India, which was a reaction against alleged environmental damages and water depletion caused by the company's production of soft drinks. It addresses the following questions: How was civil society used as a platform for this struggle and what was the outcome? Did this campaign affect the political participation of its members? The study is based on interviews and surveys of the villagers in Plachimada and connects to theories on social movements and political participation, as well as to the debate on Indian civil society. The findings presented show the importance of having a local, core group in charge of the campaign, while simultaneously making use of existing support groups at the regional, national, and international levels. It also reveals that after reaching its goal, the campaign has resulted in a general increase of political participation amongst its members.
Corporations are increasingly forced to widen their agendas to include social and environmental c... more Corporations are increasingly forced to widen their agendas to include social and environmental concerns, or corporate social responsibility (CSR). This development has been recorded in the current academic debate, and the views regarding its implications for business, the state, and civil society diverge. However, there is agreement within the CSR and corporate governance litera-tures that there is a lack of thorough empirical studies of these effects. Based on a case study of the multinational wind energy company Suzlon Energy's CSR projects in rural India, this article contends that CSR projects implemented through cross-sector partnerships can help to build the capacities of civil society organizations Helena Hede Skagerlind is a PhD Candidate at the
The region of Central Asia has become the focus of superpowers due to its rich energy resources a... more The region of Central Asia has become the focus of superpowers due to its rich energy resources and strategic location. It has been confronted with various threats such as illegal drug trafficking and narcotic movements, extremism, terrorism, ethnic and civil conflicts, border tensions, water and transport disputes, crime against women and many others. Unfortunately there has been limited regional cooperation and economic integration which makes it necessary to get a better understanding of economic integration and co-operation in other regions, particularly that of the EU. South Asia is the region of greatest civilization, located between the region of hydro carbons on the left and the South East Asian region on the right. The dynamics of the Great Game, emergence of the New Silk route, transport corridors taking shape, have made the region of Central Asia more exposed to external players such as China, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Turkey, USA including Japan who have been trying to gain a foothold in Central Asia within the emerging volatile situation in its neighbourhood as a result of the troops withdrawal from Afghanistan. This book envisages to provide a deeper and wider understanding of the region of Central and South Asia within the given perspective.
This article is a case study of the campaign against the Coca-Cola Company in Plachimada, Kerala,... more This article is a case study of the campaign against the Coca-Cola Company in Plachimada, Kerala, India, which was a reaction against alleged environmental damages and water depletion caused by the company's production of soft drinks. It addresses the following questions: How was civil society used as a platform for this struggle and what was the outcome? Did this campaign affect the political participation of its members? The study is based on interviews and surveys of the villagers in Plachimada and connects to theories on social movements and political participation, as well as to the debate on Indian civil society. The findings presented show the importance of having a local, core group in charge of the campaign, while simultaneously making use of existing support groups at the regional, national, and international levels. It also reveals that after reaching its goal, the campaign has resulted in a general increase of political participation amongst its members.
Corporations are increasingly forced to widen their agendas to include social and environmental c... more Corporations are increasingly forced to widen their agendas to include social and environmental concerns, or corporate social responsibility (CSR). This development has been recorded in the current academic debate, and the views regarding its implications for business, the state, and civil society diverge. However, there is agreement within the CSR and corporate governance litera-tures that there is a lack of thorough empirical studies of these effects. Based on a case study of the multinational wind energy company Suzlon Energy's CSR projects in rural India, this article contends that CSR projects implemented through cross-sector partnerships can help to build the capacities of civil society organizations Helena Hede Skagerlind is a PhD Candidate at the
The region of Central Asia has become the focus of superpowers due to its rich energy resources a... more The region of Central Asia has become the focus of superpowers due to its rich energy resources and strategic location. It has been confronted with various threats such as illegal drug trafficking and narcotic movements, extremism, terrorism, ethnic and civil conflicts, border tensions, water and transport disputes, crime against women and many others. Unfortunately there has been limited regional cooperation and economic integration which makes it necessary to get a better understanding of economic integration and co-operation in other regions, particularly that of the EU. South Asia is the region of greatest civilization, located between the region of hydro carbons on the left and the South East Asian region on the right. The dynamics of the Great Game, emergence of the New Silk route, transport corridors taking shape, have made the region of Central Asia more exposed to external players such as China, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Turkey, USA including Japan who have been trying to gain a foothold in Central Asia within the emerging volatile situation in its neighbourhood as a result of the troops withdrawal from Afghanistan. This book envisages to provide a deeper and wider understanding of the region of Central and South Asia within the given perspective.
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Papers by Henrik Berglund
Books by Henrik Berglund