Description:

Generally, textbooks on urban geography and urban planning are based on ideas laid out in the west and are unable to explicitly connect those ideas to the way Indians experience their cities. This gap is addressed in this book by reconceptualising Indian urban studies. The reconceptualisation is done by dissecting western theories, concepts, paradigms, and principles and practices, and placing them alongside how Indians experience their urban landscapes. Such a comparative analysis allows readers to break from their past understandings of the structure and dynamics of Indian cities as well as enable researchers to make exploratory hypotheses. The book will empower students to craft and implement new approaches, unconstrained by orthodox theories and biases.

Primarily intended for the students of Geography and Urban Planning, the book covers the evolution of urban structures and dynamics of settlements in India, largely after India's Independence. There are seven chapters in the book. First three chapters describe and explain the evolution of Indian settlements up to the present. The next four chapters focus on regions, urban planning, urban governance and the social landscape of Indian cities. Each chapter ends with a set of short and long answer questions.

KEY FEATURES

Large coverage of the syllabi prescribed in Indian academic institutions

Strategically organised text of each chapter for the ease of learning

Abundant case studies in each chapter

Chapter-end short-answer, long-answer and fill-in the blank type exercise problems

Target Audience

B.Arch

BA/B.Sc (Geography)

MA/M.Sc (Geography)

A Few Words about the Book and the Author by Hon'able Vice President of India

"I would like to commend the author, Dr Sameer Sharma and the publisher for coming out with this book. I am happy to note that the author has advocated home-grown solutions for cities based on our experiences and indigenous knowledge on city planning, rather than blindly aping the West. This is a good suggestion that city planners must take note of. May this book trigger many conversations, inspire more research in this field and spark new innovations in urban planning".