Social Science is the study of human society and of individual relationships with it. Often these studies are referred to in the plural as the Social Sciences, including geography, history, government, and sociology, taught at various levels from school to college to university and to specialized research institutions. This "International Encyclopedia of Social Science" has been formulated as per the educational goals of Social Studies in India and abroad. It includes subject areas, such as: Anthropology and Archaeology: Area Studies; Business and management; Communications; Disability Studies; Economics; Education; Environmental Studies; ethnic Studies; Futures Studies; Gender Studies; Genealogy; Geography; Gerontology; History; Humanities; Law; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans-gendered Studies; Library and Information Science; Linguistics and Human Languages; Migration and Ethnic Relations; Organizational Studies; Peace and Conflict Studies; Philosophy; Political Science; Cultural Studies; Psychology; Recreation and Leisure Studies; Research Tools and Methods; Rural Development; Science; Technology, and Society Studies; Sexology; Social Engineering; Social Policy; Social Research; Social Welfare; Social work; Sociology; Statistics; Urban Studies; Women's Studies; etc. The "International Encyclopedia of Social Science" contains entries varying from definition of key terms and biography of key theorist to surveys of leading concepts, debates, themes and schools. This unique multi-volume reference Encyclopedia offers readers a similar education as that of social science researchers. It has been compiled in a way so that it remains easily accessible to general readers. Most entries do not require any advanced knowledge to understand the purposes of each selected entry. The Encyclopedia has been authored by leading specialists in the field under the direction of a select editorial team. It is well referenced and the bibliography is provided in detail. There is an exhaustive index at the end. This "International Encyclopedia of Social Science" will be valuable to readers and researchers in Social Science and humanities at all academic levels. As a teaching resource it will be useful to both instructors and students alike and will become a potent reference source. It will form an essential publication worth keeping for general and academic collections, especially in libraries of all types. The board of editors has therefore worked to produce this "International Encyclopedia of Social Science" Just like a user-friendly reference book for students and researchers in Social Sciences and humanities. It is hoped that the major users of this work will be students, facility, and researchers in academic, special, and large public libraries.

A need to trace the development of the concept of planning region and regional planning with a view to bringing out the inherent strength and weaknesses of regional approach to socio-economic development in a country like India has been felt by the experts of ISD, Lucknow. It leans heavily on limited number of sources, and hence can not be said to be comprehensive. The treatment of the subject in general and has more relevance to developing economics. However, it is hoped that despite its apparent weaknesses it will help in clarifying the still obscure concept of region and regional planning.

Economics is the social science concerned with the production and consumption of goods and services and the analysis of the commercial activities of a society.

There is a long history of emergence, growth and development of Economics, as an established discipline. Many great philosophers and economists have contributed towards it growth.

The present work, in three volumes contains vital information on all these great man of letters. All leading economists, past and present, from the entire globe find place in this monumental work.

Alphabetically arranged by name, their biographical sketch, theories propounded, works authored and the other significant achievements are explained elaborately.

India is primarily a rural country with a large number of villages still suffering from the pangs of poverty, illiteracy, diseases and unemployment. Despite framing and implementation of a number of rural development programmes such as Community Development Programme, IRDP, Jawahar Rozgaar Yojna, Indira Awas Yojna and many other such development programmes from time to time, problems of deprivation and destitution, illiteracy, unemployment and diseases could not improve. In fact, the causes of failure of these programmes are many, which need immediate rectification.

The book is an analytical study of those programmes in different aspects and different areas.