Author: Sandhu Ranvinder Singh
Place: New Delhi
Publisher: Sage Publications
Year: 2003
Pages: 258
ISBN: 9780761998006
Subject: Urbanisation
Sub-Subject: Urban Development
Keyword: Urbanisation, Urban Development, Urban Crisis, Sociological Contributions, Social Change
Classification: 307.760954
Shelf: C1R3
Accession No: B957
Contents: List of Tables, List of Figures and Maps, Series Note, Foreword by Victor S. D’Souza, Acknowledgements, Introduction, Section I: Urbanisation: Some Perspectives, Section II: Social Stratification: Caste and Class, Section III: Neighborhood and Family, Section VI: Slum Dwellers/ Migrants in Urban Setting, About the Editor, About the Contributors, Index
Abstract: The volume *Urbanization in India: Sociological Contributions*, edited by Professor R.S. Sandhu, is part of a series celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Indian Sociological Society. It compiles selected articles on urbanization from the *Sociological Bulletin*, a journal known for its scholarly authority. The articles reflect the evolution of urban sociology in India, with an emphasis on the complex interplay of ancient, medieval, and modern influences in Indian urbanization. While the volume highlights significant urban issues over the last 50 years, it acknowledges the challenges in capturing the full scope of the urban experience due to space constraints and competing academic interests. The rapid urbanization in India, driven by political, economic, and technological changes, has led to deteriorating living conditions in many cities, despite planned development efforts. The volume critiques the limited success of urban planning initiatives, emphasizing that social, cultural, and political factors are as critical as economic and physical variables. Urban sociologists, while not responsible for changing society alone, are encouraged to contribute to planning by focusing on interdisciplinary, explanatory studies of urban social change. This compilation serves as both an introduction for students and a resource for researchers on urban sociology in India.