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Well-being is realised through the interaction of the individual's desires and capacities, and external contexts. Contexts in postcolonial societies diverge from the assumptions of functioning liberal democratic states and capitalist economies often assumed in theories of schooling. Instead, these contexts are characterised by poverty and inequality, cultural diversity, and ongoing projects of state and nation-building. Through case studies of two rural communities in India and South Africa, this paper analyses the role of postcolonial contexts in shaping well-being opportunities through schooling in these contexts. It highlights the contested nature of this relationship in cultural, economic, and political spheres.

In a fourth- or fifth-century narrative known as the Acts of Thomas and his Wonderworking Skin , Jesus sells the apostle Thomas as a slave to the governor of India. When the governor's wife converts to Christianity, dumps all her earthly riches outside her front door, and turns celibate, the governor has the apostle tortured and his skin flayed off, but Thomas survives, and uses his peeled-off skin to raise the dead. This paper uses Kathryn Tanner's concept of culture to compare the ideals advocated by this story – servitude to Christ, voluntary poverty, sexual abstinence, readiness to suffer, and zeal for evangelization – to ideals expressed in first-century Christian literature. The subculture expressed by the narrative is found to consist entirely of ideals also expressed in the New Testament, which are updated, recontextualized, and radicalized in order to reach an audience of fourth- or fifth-century Christians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigated the correlation between substance use and non-communicable diseases according to socioeconomic status in India. Methodology: We analyzed nationally representative data from the fourth round of National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-4), which was conducted in 2015–16, and estimated the prevalence of tobacco and alcohol consumption among 112,122 men aged 15–54 years. A logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the effect of substance use on non-communicable diseases. Results: It was found that 45% of men in the sample used tobacco in any form and 30% consumed alcohol. Men aged 50–54 years, divorced, separated or deserted, uneducated, belonging to the scheduled tribes and in the poorest wealth quintile consumed significantly higher quantities of substances. The results show that men who consume tobacco and alcohol significantly more likely to have diabetes or heart disease. Correlation of substance use and non-communicable diseases shows that men in the age group of 50 to 54 years, who are married, with higher educational attainments and belonging to the Christian religion are significantly more likely to have diabetes or heart disease. Conclusion: This study concludes that men of low socioeconomic status, who are substance users are at higher risk of developing non-communicable diseases. The study also highlights that men who consume tobacco and alcohol are significantly more likely to develop non-communicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]