Stories of Innovation, Inclusion, Sustainability and Smartness

In recent years, new approaches to urban planning and development have generated some optimism that the failure of earlier strategies to address the overwhelming problems entailed can be overcome. The author seeks out those innovative approaches that have actually worked in various large cities in India, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia and elswhere. He identifies effective urban practices that are socially equitable, ecologically sustainable, economically viable and replicable. All of them share a commitment to the genuine participation of the poor in the urban development process, starting right from the planning and design stages. (Adapté du résumé de l'éditeur).

This volume studies the urbanisation trends of medium-sized cities of India to develop a typology of urban resilience. It looks at historic second-tier cities like Nashik, Bhopal, Kolkata and Agra, which are laboratories of smart experiments and are subject to technological ubiquity, with rampant deployment of smart technologies and dashboard governance. The book examines the traditional values and systems of these cities that have proven to be resilient and studies how they can be adapted to contemporary times. It also highlights the vulnerabilities posed by current urban development models in these cities and presents best practices that could provide leads to address impending climate risks. The book also offers a unique Resilience Index that can drive change in the way cities are imagined and administered, customised to specific needs at various scales of application. Part of the Urban Futures series, the volume is an important contribution to the growing scholarship of southern urbanism and will be of interest to researchers and students of urban studies, urban ecology, urban sociology, architecture, geography, urban design, anthropology, cultural studies, environment, sustainability, urban planning and climate change.