[Sarai Newsletter] Dissent and Debate in Indian Cities

[The Sarai Programme]

The Delhi Urban Platform invites you to a panel discussion on:

Dissent and Debate at a time of Rapid Change: Experiences from Indian
Cities

Friday, October 29th, 6 pm

Centre De Sciences Humaines Lawns, 2 Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi

In this panel we ask participants to consider the issues of debate and
dissent in contemporary urban development particularly since economic
liberalisation, based on their long-standing scholarly engagement with the
rapid change that Indian cities have experienced in the last two decades.
The panel comes in light of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi – both a
process of city building and a focus for increasing censure. It will bring
together scholars from Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai to share their
perspectives.

Traditionally and analytically, it has been suggested that the since
economic liberalisation, a dichotomous urban form has emerged, usually
imagined as the eviction of poorer city residents to make way for newer
forms of globalised urban development. 

Given this, the panel seeks to ask:

 - Whether this global template for urban upgradation/urban renewal has
succeeded, and in what ways? Is the model entirely global?    

- What is the role debate and dissent have played in its success and
failure, and in the recent transformation of Indian cities?

- At what sites and spaces has any dissent and debate taken place, (for
example within and outside of government, through politics, in the media)?
To what effect?

- What are the forms and discourses that such debate and dissent are
characterized by? Is there a model beyond debate and dissent that has
emerged as an effective politics in the production of space?

- Finally and most significantly, how have governance strategies and
policies either accommodated, co-opted or resisted efforts at debate, and
in response to what kinds of urban actors?

Panel:

1. Solomon Benjamin, Associate Professor, National Institute of Advanced
Studies

2. Veronique Dupont, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Research for
Development, Paris

3. Diya Mehra, Centre de Sciences Humaines, New Delhi

4. Stephanie Tawa Lama-Rewal, Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of
India and South Asia, Paris

5. Marie-Helene Zerah, Senior Research Fellow, Centre de Sciences
Humaines, New Delhi


Hoping very much to see you all at the discussion!

Delhi Urban Platform:  http://delhiurbanplatform.org/

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