Claims to the City

Course Type	Course Code	No. Of Credits
Discipline Core	NA	4

Course coordinator and team: Dr. Tanya

Course Details:

a. Summary

The aim of the course is to develop a perceptive understanding of how people shape cities and in turn they are molded by them. It approaches analytically the idea that makes a distinction between cities of, by and for the people. Keeping this dynamic process in mind, the course is organized around five units. The introductory module on Urban Contestations lays out the generic claims, congruence and conflict of interests which exist in cities across the world. The next module highlights these divergent sets of issues through the attempts made to improve and aesthetically organize the city where obsession with the outward form took precedence over reflection on the functional aspects of the space. This is further explored in the next module on spatial justice where analytical framework of approaching, engaging and representation of place intersect with the experience of different set of urban dwellers. The next module on poetics of space looks at the modes of subversion through artistic expression of graffiti, wall art and street plays which are alternate ways of laying claims to a space. The final module focuses on how cities of the people (conceived and implemented through Master Plans and political decisions) should be envisaged for and by the people.

b. Objectives

To develop an understanding of cities from the viewpoint of its inhabitants who may be born there or come in as immigrants.
The idea and activism produced from ‘Right to the City’ for the survival of marginalized in urban spaces.
To discern the role of visible objects like public art, displays, graffiti and commercial billboards in expressing the sense of belonging in cities.

c. Expected Learning Outcome:

On the completion of the course, students should be able to:

Critically analyze the bureaucratic model of planning.
Document alliances/ conflicts/solidarities emerging in a space
Chalk out a plebian plan articulating concerns of their neighborhood
Present the alternative formulation at a public platform/to policy makers.

d. Overall structure:

This course is organized around five units.

	Topic / Unit	Duration
1.	Urban Contestations	3 weeks
2.	City Beautification: Visual Fantasy, Sordid Reality	2 weeks
3.	Spatial Justice	3 weeks
4.	Poetics of Space	2 weeks
5.	Cities for People	2 weeks

Required Readings

J. Robinson (2006), Ordinary Cities: Between Modernity and Development, Rutledge, pp.93-115.
M. Davis (2006), Planet of Slums, Verso, pp.151-173.
Notes from Besiged Neighbourhoods, Nangla’s Delhi – Cybermohalla Practitioners https://sarai.net/sarai-reader-06-turbulence/
Thomas, Charlotte (2012), "Facing ghettoisation in ‘riot-city’. Old Ahmedabad and Juhapura between victimisation and self-help." In Muslims in Indian cities: trajectories of marginalisation, ed. Laurent Gayer and Christophe Jaffrelot, Columbia University Press, 43-79.
Nirja Jayal (2013), Citizenship and its Discontents, Harvard USA, pp.109-135.
T. Caldeira, (2000) City of Walls: Crime, Segregation, and Citizenship in São Paulo, University of California, pp.213-254
Veronique Dupont (March 2004), Socio- Spatial differentiation and residential segregation in Delhi: A question of scale? Geoforum, 35 (2): 157-175.
J Nair, ‘Past Perfect: Architecture and Public Life in Bangalore’, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 61, No. 4 (Nov., 2002), pp. 1205-1236.
Metcalf R (1986) "Architecture and Empire: Sir Herbert Baker and the Buildings of New Delhi." in ‘Delhi Through the Ages: Essays in Urban History, Culture, and Society’, edited by Robert Frykenberg, Delhi: OUP
D Asher Ghetrner, Chapter 11, ‘Rule by Aesthetics, World Class City making in Delhi’ in A. Roy and A. Ong (2011), Worlding Cities: Asian Experiments and the Art of Being Global, pp.279-306.
Emma Tarlo, Unsettling Memories: Narratives of the Emergency in Delhi, University of California Press, pp.94-120.
Freestone R (2007) ‘The Internationalization of the City Beautiful’, International Planning Studies, 12:1, 21-34
James Scott (1998), ‘Seeing Like a State’, Yale University Press, pp.103-146
Mario Gandelsonas, (Dec 1998), ‘The city as an Object of Architecture’, Assemblage, No.37 pp.128-144.
Ravi Kumar (2008) Globalization and Changing Patterns of Social Mobilization in Urban India, Social Movement Studies, Vol 7, No1, 77-96.
A look inside Delhi’s slums during Commonwealth games preparation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_wgKgRswhQ
D. Harvey (2008), The Right to the City, New Left Review, pp.23-53
David Satterthwate, ‘Editorial: A New Urban Agenda’, (2016) Environment & Urbanization International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). 3 Vol 28(1): 3–12
Peter Herle et al. (2016) Cities Alliance, Cities without Slums, The New Urban Agenda Partnerships, pp.2-30.
John Walton (2002), Urban Conflict and Social Movements in Poor Countries: Theory and Evidence of Collective Action, IJURR, pp.460-481.
Lefebvre Henri (1968) Chapter 14 ‘The Right to the City’, in ‘Writing on Cities’, Blackwell, pp.147-159.
Emily Pugh (2015), ‘Graffiti and the Critical Power of Urban Space: Gordon Matta-Clark’s Made in America and Keith Haring’s Berlin Wall Mural’ Space and Culture, Vol. 18(4) 421 –43.
Maura E. Greaney (2002) ‘The Power of the Urban Canvas: Paint, Politics, and Mural Art Policy’ New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 18: Iss. 1, Article 6, pp.7-42.
Ralf Brand (2009) ‘Urban Artifacts and Social Practices in a Contested City’ Journal of Urban Technology, 16: 2, pp.35-60.
Sudhanva Deshpande (2020), The Death and life of Safdar Hashmi, Leftword books. (Chapter1 and 2)Rashmi Sehgal (17 Feb 2020) https://www.newsclick.in/how-shaheen-bagh-galvanised-artistic-protest
Roos Gerritsen (2019) ‘Chennai beautiful Shifting urban landscapes and the politics of spectacle’ in Intimate Visualities and the Politics of Fandom in India, Amsterdam University Press pp.189-224.
Sumit Krishna Yadav (11 Feb 2020) https://thebastion.co.in/ideas/the-art-of-protest-shaheen-bagh/
Dell Upton, ‘Architecture in Everyday life, New Literary History’, Vol.33, No.4, pp.707-723.
Fainstein, S. (2009): Chapter 1 ‘Planning and the just city’ in: P. Marcus (eds.), ‘Searching for the Just City: Debates in Urban Theory and Practice’, London, Routledge, pp. 19-39.
Jan Gehl (2010), Cities for people, Island Press.
Campbell, S (1996). Green cities, growing cities, just cities?: Urban planning and the contradiction of Sustainable Development, American Planning Association. Journal of the American Planning Association, 62 (3), 296- 312.
Colin McFarlane, (2004) ‘Geographical Imaginations and Spaces of Political Engagement: Examples from the Indian Alliance’, Antipode, pp.890-916.
Marcuse, P. (2009). From Justice Planning to Commons Planning. In P. Marcuse, J. Connolly, J. Novy, I. Olivo, C. Potter, J. Steil (Eds.). Searching for the Just City.

London: Routledge.

Neil Brenner et al (ed) (2012), Cities for People, not for Profit, Critical Urban Theory and the Right to the City, Oxon: Routledge (pp.24-85)

Pedagogy:

Instructional design

The course will be a combination of lectures and tutorials.

Special needs (facilities, requirements in terms of software, studio, lab, clinic, library, classroom/others instructional space; any other – please specify) None

Expertise in AUD faculty or outside

The faculty team teaching the course has training in the field of History and Architecture.

Linkages with external agencies (e.g., with field-based organizations, hospital; any others None.

Assessment structure (modes and frequency of assessments)

The course will have three types of assessment situations.

Essay of 1500 words (30%): Students will be assessed on the basis of their engagement with the educational resources.
The second assessment will involve field-based exercises in the form of photo/voice story and/or presentations (40%).
The third assessment will consist of a final examination (30%).