A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Présentation
The aim of this short text is to introduce this special issue on Indian cities and provide critical background for situating the five papers. Before turning to the current period, a brief review of urban policies in the decades following independence underscores the ambiguous role of the city in India’s national development model as well as the relative neglect of urban issues until the 1980s. In the 1990s, India adopted two major reform programmes, both of which had a large-scale impact on cities: economic liberalization and political decentralisation via a constitutional amendment designed to empower local governments. Liberalization in particular catalysed a major restructuring process in India’s metropolitan cities, suddenly perceived as valuable assets for India’s engagement with the global economy. This evolution has raised challenging governance issues, not least because current social and spatial dynamics have thrown into sharp relief conflicting visions of urban life; India’s rapid economic growth has benefited most directly the urban middle classes fuelling consumerism and urban property development. As for political decentralisation, it has not produced the expected outcomes in part because regional governments have been unwilling to enhance the financial capabilities of municipalities. A critical analysis of the high profile national urban renewal mission (JNNURM) indicated that although it has undeniably contributed to funding urban infrastructure it has been a great deal less effective at improving urban governance, one of its explicit goals. Lastly, the five articles making up this special issue are presented; it is noted that three of them are the work of students (Imbach, de Bercegol and Desfeux, Ozel), carried out in the framework of research programmes coordinated by the editors of this special issue.
Présentation
The aim of this short text is to introduce this special issue on Indian cities and provide critical background for situating the five papers. Before turning to the current period, a brief review of urban policies in the decades following independence underscores the ambiguous role of the city in India’s national development model as well as the relative neglect of urban issues until the 1980s. In the 1990s, India adopted two major reform programmes, both of which had a large-scale impact on cities: economic liberalization and political decentralisation via a constitutional amendment designed to empower local governments. Liberalization in particular catalysed a major restructuring process in India’s metropolitan cities, suddenly perceived as valuable assets for India’s engagement with the global economy. This evolution has raised challenging governance issues, not least because current social and spatial dynamics have thrown into sharp relief conflicting visions of urban life; India’s rapid economic growth has benefited most directly the urban middle classes fuelling consumerism and urban property development. As for political decentralisation, it has not produced the expected outcomes in part because regional governments have been unwilling to enhance the financial capabilities of municipalities. A critical analysis of the high profile national urban renewal mission (JNNURM) indicated that although it has undeniably contributed to funding urban infrastructure it has been a great deal less effective at improving urban governance, one of its explicit goals. Lastly, the five articles making up this special issue are presented; it is noted that three of them are the work of students (Imbach, de Bercegol and Desfeux, Ozel), carried out in the framework of research programmes coordinated by the editors of this special issue.
Présentation
Loraine Kennedy (author) / Marie-Hélène Zérah (author)
2011
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
Unknown
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