Abstract:
The present paper is an attempt for understanding subaltern theory of justice in the light of novel ‘Matsyagandha’ authored by Homen Borgohain one of prolific figures in modern Assamese literature. Matsyagandha is the rare depiction of prevailing cruelty of social prejudice and caste discrimination in contemporary society of Assam. The novel exposes the social stratification of Assamese society through the hypocrisy of the upper caste people and the plight of the scheduled caste people (Kaibarta Community) who are basically fishermen by profession. Being a subaltern section the kaibarta community becomes an integral part of social exclusion in the novel. It depicts on the bias socio economic and political system and evil effects of untouchebility and caste barriers. The paper is a humble endeavor to look into the indomitable passion of a few protagonists particularly Menaka who dares to stand against dominant discourse of caste hierarchy and social oppression. Moreover, the present paper looks into the prevailing issues of caste hegemony, social injustice, inequality and discourse of social exclusion in the light of subaltern perspective depicted in the novel. It is a historical and analytical study and logic used here is deductive and inductive –general to particular and particular to general.
Key Words: Subaltern, Exclusion, Prejudice, Untouchability, hypocrisy, stratification
Introduction:
Justice is a cardinal condition and basic necessity of society. It ensures harmonious relationship among the people of civilized society. As a primary value justice is the synthesis of several norms- liberty, equality, fraternity and social interdependence. As a human being irrespective of caste, creed, gender etc. everyone has natural right to have justice. Social justice is taken to mean that all people in a society are to be equal and there is no discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, creed, colour, sex or status (Ghai117). The term ‘justice’ refers to the quality of being right or reasonable. It is opposed to what unjust or wrong. Political sociologists since the earliest inception have been trying to conceptualize the term justice. And it has been conceptualized in the changing time and social context. Especially, under the influence of modern democracy and socialism the concept of justice has been transformed in the context of liberty, equality and social distribution. ‘In a nutshell, the problem of justice in the contemporary world is concerned with determining logical criteria for the allocation of goods, service, opportunities, benefits, power and honors as well as obligations in society particularly in a scarcity situation. In other words, justice is concerned with the allocation of benefits as well as burdens (Gauba175). Subaltern theory or perspective of social justice is highly concerned with cause and plight of those sections of people who are marginalized and excluded from main stream or greater social domain. They are more or less permanently placed in a subordinate position on account of certain inherent conditions and constraints in social hierarchy. Such marginalized and oppressed sections are deprived from due shares in socio economic and political structure of society. ‘Because of an inherent division of society into the ruling and subaltern groups, a lion’s share of all benefits accruing from the total assets and efforts of society is concerned by a tiny class variously described as ruling class, dominant class or the elites. So, the subaltern critique of subaltern justice raises the question of social justice in most eloquent manner (Gauba 201).’ The issue social injustice is a burning phenomenon of Indian society organized in caste hierarchy and Dalits or lower caste are subaltern section deprives not only from due shares but even from human dignity at minimum level. Unlike other parts of India caste discrimination and oppression in Assam is not also rare and unfamiliar scenarios. Homen Borgohain’s ‘Matsyagandha’ is one of such representational voice of subaltern people of Assam who have been excluded from the greater social domain. The aforesaid novel exposes not only the intra-caste conflict but also projects the relentless struggle of Kaibarta community for social justice and equality. It is a rare depiction of social psychology and destiny of a downtrodden people of Assam.
Theoretical Understanding of Subaltern
‘Subaltern’ is one of the most popular concepts of modern socio –political discourses. It was introduced in social theory by Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) an Italian Marxist. As an uncompromising critic of fascism Gramsci made an endeavor for analyzing emerging trends of brutality of fascism and capitalism in contemporary Italy as well as in Europe. He was disillusioned with prophecy and social stratification made by the classical Marxism. In such a context he revealed certain new dimensions of Marxism in his book ‘ Prison Notebooks’ and he included the concept of subaltern which refers to those section of people in society who are subject to the hegemony of the ruling classes (Ashcroft, Griffiths and Tiffin 215).Gramsci coined the word subaltern in order to describe those who are excluded and displaced and alienated from the socioeconomic establishments of society, so as to deny their agency and voices in greater social domain . He challenged classical Marxism by dismantling the social structure consisting of only two classes on the basis of ownership and non-ownership of means of production. He was disagreeing with classical Marxism by saying that the middle class or intellectual class is the integral structure of every society. So to him subaltern is anybody with a low rating in a social, political, or different hierarchy. It can additionally suggest any person or community who has been marginalized or oppressed. In describing cultural hegemony as famous history, Antonio Gramsci coined the term ‘subaltern’ to perceive the social group excluded and displaced from the socio-economic establishments of society in order to deny their political voices.
The subaltern perspective represents the understanding of society through the subordination of people belonging to different castes, classes, ages, genders, races, etc. It tries to present another image of society through the views of the masses that are usually not represented. It attempts to restore balance by emphasizing the role of the masses against the elite in political and social movements. It sees farmers, tribes and other marginalized parts of society as the creators of its own history.It emphasizes the central position of domination and subordination in a society where class divisions have not developed like the industrialized world. The main supporters of the bottom perspective in India are B.R. Ambedkar, David Hardiman, Ranjit Guha, etc. They tried to incorporate the views of disadvantaged groups into their writings on Indian society. In strictly political phrases, the Gramscian idea of subalternity applies to the ones corporations in society who are lacking self sustaining political electricity. In Gramsci’s time those agencies had been effortlessly recognized, and lots of the work across the idea of subalternity has centered on businesses like peasants and the proletariat. However Gramsci additionally argued that subalternity existed on a broader scale than this, together with humans from distinctive religions or cultures, or the ones current at the margins of society. This element of Gramsci’s paintings is often overlooked, because many writers are interested in Gramsci’s political theory, which they use to analyze the way wherein capitalism, as a structural gadget, has become hegemonic over the years. The cognizance right here is on the history of organized corporations and their organized struggle. Consequently, the emphasis is essentially on white, male-oriented institutions of electricity. But Gramsci argued that hegemony did no longer exist simply at this degree. Instead, he said that hegemony comes from underneath, originating inside the thoughts, ideals and movements of ordinary folks that can also or may additionally no longer see themselves as a part of organized corporations. Therefore, Gramsci was intensely aware of the manner hegemony operated at a non-public stage. Marginalization of subaltern section takes place in the society for various motives like caste, gender, color, cash, and complexion. Human beings have been marginalized based on their magnificence and taken into consideration as ‘Untouchables’. They are marginalized by means of the top class people. In our society particularly the dalits are marginalized, suppressed and ruled for several years. After tolerating all these oppression they have been raising their voice for their rights.
In contemporary social context, the relevance and scope of ‘subaltern theory’ has been considerably expanded. It is now strongly conceded that any social group or section of people who has been relegated to subordinate status on account of undeserved oppression, exploitation and discrimination on grounds of caste, gender, class, religion, race etc. can be included into subaltern groups(Gauba110). Such marginalized sections are out of main stream or structure of society. They are systematically exploited and deprived from due shares and justice even after they pay a significant contribution to the society. Their skills, talents and energies are utilized but not rewarded for it. ‘Justice can only be restored if their rights are protected, their contribution to society is duly recognized and adequately rewarded, and their dignity is restored. It also demands restoration of equitable shares and social justice for the subaltern group (Gauba202).’ Subaltern perspective of social justice in real sense is very relevant to the study of Indian society suffered from caste discrimination, oppression and other inhuman social maladies and evil practices deeply rooted in Indian society. Dalits as the subaltern identity is one of the most oppressed and discriminated sections in Indian society. To B R Ambedkar, dalits as the subaltern groups are those which are discriminated with the aid of the dominant castes. In popular, the lower caste people are called dalits as in keeping with the Varna system of Hindu society but within the common political information and discourse, the Scheduled Caste people are designated as the Dalits. Ambedkar defines dalithood as “a kind of existence condition that characterizes the exploitation, suppression and marginalization of dalit human beings via the social, financial, cultural and political domination of the top castes’ brahiminical ideology(Nath 2).” They belong to the bottom strata organization in the caste ladder of the Varna system of Hindu society. According to Ambedkar, ‘the caste system in India is a completely unique form of graded inequality in which except Shudras and Untouchables, the rest revel in privileges in step with their hierarchical social status inside the conventional social structure (Nath 2). The Brahmins on the pinnacle of the ascribed caste hierarchy enjoys the absolute benefits of the caste ideology. Their social and ritual status is the very best but the Shudras and Untouchables are absolutely the sufferers within the caste hierarchy. The pathetic condition of dalits or lower caste is equally prevalent in Assam, one of diverse provinces of Northeast India. Especially ‘Kaibarta’ the largest dalit community in Assam has been suffering from caste oppression and discrimination since time innumerable. The Kaibartas are one of the very early inhabitation in the country. In keeping with historical files, they may have immigrated to the country from neighboring states Bengal and Bihar. They are reported to be living in Kamrup even before the 9th and 10th century. But they are highly exploited communities in Assam. Kaibartas who are by profession fishermen are untouchables in Assam. Subaltern realism and the cruelty of social exclusion of Kaibartas are eloquently depicted in ‘Matsyagandha’ authored by prominent novelist Homen Borgohain(1932—2021).
Plot of ‘Matsyagandha’
Homen Borgohain is committed to expose social injustice, economic exploitation and the plight of Kaibartas in ‘Matsyagandha.’ His ultimate purpose of exposing social evils and his humanistic stance, acquires greater impetus and strongest intensity in ‘Matsyagandha.’ Borgohain presents a panoramic view of the life of the downtrodden people. Matsyagandha’is the poignant account of the tragic fate of Kaibarta people confronted with the inhuman forces of casteism and social injustice prevailing in contemporary society of Assam. The novel revolves round the growth of a Kaibarta lady, called Menaka, to femininity in an atmosphere in which her community goes through a life filled with experiences of suppression, subjugation and also exploitation as a result of the top and reduced caste differences. Meneka is the daughter of Duryodhana that by dint of his productive and industrious nature established himself as the richest man of his village. However, in an epidemic together with the one-third of the village populace and also two kids of him Duryodhana made his irreversible journey to the supreme house leaving his wife Memeri and two children Beula and also Menaka that were by then aged six as well as four years respectively. After the demise of the single bread earner severe financial difficulty haunts Memeri as well as her two children. For some days they made it through on Duruyodhana's financial savings and selling of house items. However when all these were tired Memeri had no other choice but to work in the fields of upper caste families of a neighboring village as laborer as well as occasionally to sell fishes in exchange of paddy. Beula and Menaka got married to Joyhari and also Purna, the sons of Digambar, the richest male in their Kaibarta village. After marital relationship while Joyhari began to succeed, Purna had to totter in destitution. In one celebration, Kamala, a girl belonging to Kaibarta community approaches Menaka in a serious situation in her life. She reveals to Menaka exactly how she was made expecting by a top caste Hindu boy and also just how she was about to commit suicide. So, she demands Menaka to terminate the fetus. Menaka is understood to have the art of terminating foetus. She obtained this art from her mother. Nonetheless, on hearing that she was made pregnant by a top caste boy she chooses not to eliminate the fetus, instead she guarantees to give a proper respond to Maniram, the top caste young boy that made Kamala pregnant. Therefore, Menaka fulfills Maniram and informs him to reveal the truth to his parents so that an amicable remedy to the trouble can be reached. But Maniram shares his aversion to make any type of conversation on the ground of Kamala's low birth and also rather attempts to persuade Menaka to terminate the foetus for which he supplies cash in huge quantity. Manaka rejects his offer as well as urges him to get married to Kamala deserting his clan, race as well as family members. Not just that, she succeeds in making him a domestic son-in-law in the house of Kamala an act which is undignified in Assamese society.
Menaka as the protagonist has brought to the light how the problem had been gnawing at the downtrodden and oppressed people of Kaibarta as they have to face inhuman treatment and hatred in the caste Hindu society They became victims of racial and caste antagonism at every walk of life and Kaibartas are insulted as Dom in a derogatory sense in greater social domain. Caste discrimination and extreme hatred towards Kaibarta people can be easily understood through an incident depicted in the novel. One day Menaka accompanied her mother to the house of a high caste family. Before her mother could warn her, child Menaka stepped forward to stand besides the landlady, who was spreading out rice grains. To her utter shock the landlady got highly furious and slapped Menaka hard for falling her shadow on rice grains. Untouchebility in that society was so prevalent that even shadow of Kaibarta people is considered as unholy and unfair incident in caste Hindu society (Phukan Borgohain123). That day, Menaka’s mother teaches her that they are low cast by birth. According to their society rules, they are bound to some rules and regulations. This incident is a lesson for little Menaka. Menaka as the representational voice of Kaibarta Subaltern dares to stand against injustice and humiliation meted out to them. As the novel unfolds, pathetic condition of poverty stricken people, their struggle in the life amidst social discrimination and illogical oppression attract the attention of readers. Apart from fishing being their main occupation, many of them work hard in the agricultural fields in the lands of upper caste people as bonded labours. The novel Matsyagandha reveals some more pathetic images of the Kaibarta community. They had to fetch unhygienic water from the river. They had to drink contaminated water since they have few choices and little knowledge of hygiene. They drank the same kind of water every day in which they bath, wash garments and bathed the cattle. Another issue of opium addiction has made their lives more vulnerable. Sense of social marginalization and alienation is supposed to be one of reasons of addiction for opium. Socially depressed people are thought to be building self confidence by using substances. They try to forget anxiety and phobia of dishonor discrimination and social exclusion by using any sort of substances. Social health and psychology are determined by environment and human relationship in contemporary society. The inequalities in wealth, power, knowledge, influence, and prestige that define social class status have powerful effects on mental health. Poverty not only involves economic deprivation, but also poor working conditions, physically dangerous environments, unstable marriages, and unhealthy lifestyles, especially related to poor mental health. Different social groups and societies also have more or less economic inequality. Generally speaking, societies with lower levels of inequality have higher levels of mental health, while societies with greater resource differences have lower overall well-being (Marmot and Wilkinson121). Generally speaking, subordinate social status and inequality are related to poor mental health, dominance is related to happiness, and equality is related to the best state of mutual happiness. According to Rubin ‘A person’s subjective social status reflects how they rank themselves relative to others in their community. Social status can be considered to be a psychological dimension of social class and socioeconomic status, and it has been shown to be positively related to mental health: The higher one’s perceived social status, the better one’s mental health (Rubin 1). Such issues of social psychology and mental health of subaltern Kaibarta are beautifully reflected in the novel Matsyagandha’. Here opium addicted Menaka always has been depicted as anger and aggressive towards higher caste people and as the subaltern voice she expresses all anger and hatred against prevailing social discrimination and oppression on behalf of downtrodden Kaibatra community. The protagonist Menaka, since her childhood, has been a witness as well as a victim of hatred and negligence by the so called upper castes. Her life is an epitome of the sufferings of poverty. From the beginning to the end of the novel, the strong voice of protest, hatred and anger of Menaka has been focused. In fact Menaka reveals in depth observation of the novelist on social realities of contemporary social domain (Phukan Borgaohin 125).The novel deals with the social norms of the caste system that lead to neglect, avoidance and exploitation of the upper classes. Unlike in many parts of the country, the issue of abstraction plays an important role in class membership and class consciousness when members of the lower classes are seen by others. Due to changing context of social stratification and emergence of liberal atmosphere a minor role in the formation of social norms determines the relationship between the upper and lower classes, as well as the traditional customs, secular classifications and classes that existed until the end of the 20th century (Bezbaruah 3).
Caste, Class Connectivity and Subaltern Identity in ‘Matsyagandha’
A caste is a homogeneous community of family groups with a common name or lineage. The Indian caste system is peculiar and it is featured with a variety of geographic, social, political, religious, and economic considerations. On the other hand, social status plays a decisive role in determining social class. Caste is a complex and complicated social gadget that mixes a few or all factors of endogamy, hereditary transmission of career, social magnificence, social identity, hierarchy, exclusion, and electricity. Caste as a closed social stratification system in which club is decided via birth and remains constant for life; castes also are endogamous, meaning marriage is restricted out of doors one’s caste, and offspring are robotically contributors of their dad and mom’ caste. The social class designates the grouping of individuals in positions on a stratified social hierarchy. The class is an area of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, anthropologists and social historians. However, there is no agreement on the best definition of the term “class” and the term has different contextual meanings. In common language, the term “social class” is usually synonymous with socioeconomic status, that is to say the social position of a person determined by income, wealth, occupational prestige, and educational attainment. The novel focuses on creating a social framework that helps define gender power and gender relations in the context of the emergence of feminist science that explores class, class, and sexual relations, oppression of women within class and gender structures. Casteism and class consciousness are so closely intertwined in the novel that any attempt to isolate them from one another in each case with the ultimate goal of the study will not lead to any legitimate result, as this might contradict what the author contradicts what the author intended to center It conveys very well how Menaka fights due to intense hardship in life and how she and her Kaibarta group of people were exposed to restrictions, concealment, abuse and oppression due to the normal practices established by the group of people. Kaibarta's customary work is fishing and it is not considered a prestigious profession by the highest caste people so far. Kaibarta is typically mentioned as Dom by top caste people in Assam. This is often a term like that Kaibarta community is taken into account of insulting. Menaka has various stories of distress and embarrassment related with the word Dom Menaka has various stories of distress and embarrassment related with the word. She has seen numerous occurrences since her youth how Kaibartas are embarrassed and abused. She has encountered how standing differentiation has prompted class qualification. Her first experience was the point at which she was six years of age. It was at this age one day when she went with her mom, Memeri, in looking for rice in return for fish, the woman of the family gave her a slap and reproved forcefully as she contacted the rice filled compartment. Menaka has various stories of distress and embarrassment related with the word. She has seen numerous occurrences since her youth how Kaibartas are embarrassed and abused. She has encountered how standing differentiation has prompted class qualification. Her first experience was the point at which she was six years of age. It was at this age one day when she went with her mom, Memeri, in looking for rice in return for fish, the woman of the family gave her a slap and reproved forcefully as she contacted the rice filled compartment. The following statement made by upper caste lady reveals the subaltern existence of Kaibarta community.
‘You Memeri, you wretched woman! Okey, your daughter is little and doesn’t recognize what's what, however couldn’t you prevent her, you with all the grey hair in your head? Now see – I’ve to throw away an entire basketful of boiled and dried grain’. Memeri in an exceedingly feeble voice attempted to shield her tiny daughter (Bezbaoruah3). Memeri attempts to shield her little daughter via way of means of asking for landlady to forgive her daughter’s misdeed as follows:
‘Lady, so this ignorant little daughter of mine went and stood near to the grain in stupidity. But want you've got given her this type of slap for that? We will be of the decrease races; however we're nevertheless humans, now not cats or dogs.’(Bezbaruah 3).
But her phrases angers landlady to such a quantity that she attacks and insulted Memeri via way of means of claiming ‘What did you say? What did you say, Dom? How dare you? When the daughter of a Dom casts her shadow and damages the entire basket of grain, am I imagined to hold mum?(Bezbaruah 3)’ then she calls an individual named Poornaram with the remark that the daughter of a Dom has broken an entire basket of grains then the bulls which pull his cart may have a good feed. When Menaka asks the cause why the girl had to talk of discard the grain Memeri tells with inside the subsequent way as follows:
‘Know one thing – we belong to the Dom community. Due to a couple of crime that we had devoted in our preceding births, the almighty has visible it healthy to create us as low- caste Doms on this birth (Bezbaruah 3).’
School as an Agent of Social Exclusion
Progressively Menaka discovers that the Doms reserve have no option to enter the homes of the upper rank Hindus and if some way or another somebody goes to such a family being urgently parched, and asks for some water to drink, he would need to remove a major arum leaf from the side of the road, on the grounds that the great householder would pour water just on such a container, and the Dom would need to some way or another beverage from that. Besides, if such a family utilizes a Dom kid as cowherd and the offspring of this proper family accidently ends up contacting him, those youngsters would need to immediately scrub down to purge themselves. The novel shows the cruelty of communal discrimination and social exclusion of subaltern community like Kaibatra in all spheres of social system. Their entry is not restricted only into upper caste house but also other social domains. Even education as a social resource was not accessible to Kaibarta kids because all teachers belonging to upper caste and school management looked down upon kids of downtrodden community. They were depriving from minimum space even in schools. The novelist has likewise referred to how the kids from the Kaibarta neighborhood are disadvantaged of education. The sense instructors are all vest to higher caste and they do the entirety to deter the low-born young people from getting admitted in the school. If by some ways anyone from the subtract caste is admitted in the school, such youth squatter the brunt of utter negligence and unwell cure which subsequently hogtie them go yonder sense for good. The creator attracts the image of a world in which all the word-for-word things, like education, vest to the top caste humans only. It is due to the fact of the rationalization when Bhudhar Sarma, the headmaster of Government Middle School, noticed Digambar in his office, it was once as if he had considered a ghost due to the fact he had no variegated connection with the people from the Kaibarta village without in the depend of shopping for a fish or negotiating well-nigh planting work on a contractual basis. Moreover when the Kaibartas got here squatter to squatter on the road, they stepped whispered as a mark of revere and he favored intending on their way besides bothering to spare a short-term squint at them. So, the tread of any person from the Kaibarta neighborhood in his higher workplace was once surprising and unwarranted to the headmaster, for he is a product of the society which has taught him to think well-nigh the Kaibartas as poor, illiterate and submissive. The novelist unequivocally offers his remark well-nigh the psychological loftiness between the humans like Bhudhar Sarma and the Kaibartas.
School is one of the strong agencies of nation building. It humanizes the mankind by providing knowledge of brotherhood and social cooperation. As one of reliable agencies of socialization school transmits the values of humanity through generation to generation. But unfortunately school depicted in the novel Matsyagandha’ has appeared as the agents of social discrimination and abrupt untouchebility. It is an area in which the top caste youngsters are allowed to shape a mentality to denigrate the low caste human beings and their youngsters. It is due to this mentality that the lads within side the magnificence regularly taunt Joyhari and Purna through calling them Dom and all different horrific names which in the long run pressure Purna to go away the faculty for good(Bezbaruah, 3).
Conclusion
Novel focuses the issue of subaltern justice and social inequality in the context caste and class distinction. Though Kabartas pay significant contribution to the agricultural economy of upper caste people their labor and hardship are not respected in greater social domain. Another hypocrisy of upper caste is that they touch and eat fish as delicious food but neglects them who catch and sell by profession. The novel has exposed caste hegemony in prevailing Assamese society where upper caste enjoys all sorts of privileges and advantages at the cost of distress and sacrifices of lower caste people. They are deprived from not only equality, liberty but also natural right to live a better life with social dignity. Kaibartas are economically dependent upon the upper caste and the upper caste enjoys the power to determine the existence of Kaibartas. As the privileged class upper caste people enjoys dictatorial power by setting social norms and values regarding existence of lower caste people. At present due to changing social stratification caste discrimination is decreasing to a little extent but it is still quite visible in social domain. Today lower caste people are facing another political challenge due to emergence of political movement among upper caste for demanding reservation in job, education and political accommodation. In recent times emergence of political movements for reservation among high cast community are posing threat to socio political existence of Kaibarta and other lower caste people in Assam. It is ironical to know that Indian Constitution decided to protect lower caste people from all sorts of sociopolitical discrimination and oppression of higher caste and today a good number of higher castes are demanding sociopolitical advantages through reservation. Historical caste conflict is transforming into another class conflict in today’s Assamese society. Such competitive politics among lower and upper castes reveals the historical relevance of novel like Matsyagandha. The novel justifies not only relevance of history of Assam but also it establishes the integral relationship between caste and class. It is a humanitarian touch to downtrodden community and but least not the last, the novel opens a new door for subaltern studies in the context socio political history of Assam.
References:
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