Research project
The Utopian City: India’s urban futures and alternative histories
- Start date: -
- End date: -
- Funder: Arts and Humanities Research Council and Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR)
- Primary investigator: Professor WiIliam Gould
- External co-investigators: Dr Rebecca Madgin, Dr Ayona Datta, Dr Anu Sabhlok
Partners and collaborators
University of Leeds, University of Glasgow, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali
Postgraduate students
Sarah Gandee
Description
This project interweaves postcolonial and urban studies and social history to investigate the histories of the utopian Indian city in order to rethink alternative urban futures for its marginalised citizens. It does this by taking the view that utopias are as much of grassroots articulations of socially inclusive cities and citizenship as they are top-down visions of urban planning . Building upon the strong foundations established through existing partnerships between UK and Indian researchers this project aims to explore how an alternate history of utopian urban planning can inform the future of urbanization and urban citizenship in India. It is led by Indian historian (Gould) urban and feminist geographer (A. Datta) and Urban History and development scholars (Madgin and Sabhkok) from the UK and India. The network aims to analyse and share knowledge of these alternate histories through a series of inter-connected city meetings between academics, urban planners and grassroots organisations in India and an end of project workshop in the UK.