Changing Paradigms of Urbanisation: India and Beyond

About the book

Authored by Om Prakash Mathur, Visiting Senior Fellow at CSEP, the book – a collection of papers written by him over several decades, is a repository of insights into how urbanisation has unfolded itself and how perceptions about urbanisation have changed over time from being indifferent, often even negative, to it becoming an integral feature of growth and economic transformation. Using formal datasets comparable over time, the papers in the book look at the impact of globalisation on India’s urban system and explore the linkages between urbanisation and economic growth.

Efficacy of Asian governments’ approaches to countering spatial inequalities that included the establishment of counter-magnets, growth poles and growth centres, and the development of small towns is the theme of one of the papers prepared for the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-HABITAT). Decentralisation as encapsulated in the 74th Constitutional Amendment and the finances of India’s municipalities are examined in a paper commissioned by the World Bank. The papers also dig into issues of the urban informal sector and rising urban poverty in world’s mega-cities.

The book will be especially useful for those who are engaged in urban research and urban policy making.

The book is published by Academic Foundation.

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Praises for the book

Om Prakash Mathur is one of India’s leading urban scholars whose policy perspective on urban reforms has influenced policy makers globally. No-where is this more evident than in his urban treatise Changing Paradigms of Urbanisation: India and Beyond. The book offers a historical, analytical, and empirical understanding of the changing paradigms of urbanization globally and in India. At one level, the book reflects Professor Mathur’s scholarly journey of his research and analysis of the complex process of urbanization and economic development. At another level, it is a clarion call to India’s policy makers to rethink the country’s urban paradigm. At stake, Professor Mathur suggests, is federal India’s incredible economic transformation. Om’s book is a must read for scholars, policy makers, and students who recognize that urban India will determine India’s future.

— Junaid K. Ahmad
Vice President, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and former India Country Director of the World Bank.

This legacy collection from the pre-eminent urban economist, Om Prakash Mathur, is a must read for anyone interested in international economic development. His ideas on public policy shifts needed to match India’s urbanization with productive economic growth are based on a lifetime of direct involvement with the major issues and institutions of our time.

— Janice Perlman
Founder and President, The Mega-Cities Project, Inc.

Few countries in the world display more dynamic urbanisation than India. In this book, Prof Om Prakash Mathur presents a selection of papers written over the last five decades, capturing a period of unprecedented global urbanisation. The breadth of subjects covered in this unique compilation is a testament to Prof Mathur’s diverse roles as academic, policy advisor and thought leader in India and beyond. This book is an extraordinary resource for scholars, practitioners and decision makers wanting to understand how the case for cities has been argued over time and how, today, it seems to have won.

— Philipp Rode
Executive Director, LSE Cities, London School of Economics and Political Science

This collection of 20 essays by one of India’s leading urban scholars examines the multi faceted and complex phenomenon of urbanisation in India. Combining economics, political science and public policy, these essays provide a rich set of insights on the challenges of economic development in India in a rapidly urbanising world. The essays also draw from the author’s extensive experience working for the leading development agencies as well as for the Indian government. The book is a must-read for scholars and practitioners alike.

— Kunal Sen
Director, United Nations University
World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)

Media

A perspective on Urbanisation in India- Economic and Political Weekly

India’s Urban Imperatives – Business Standard

A New Book Explores Urbanisation in India and Its Different Facets – The Quint

Interview | Navigating India’s Urban Challenges – NDTV

‘Developing just a small part of city as smart doesn’t take us very far’ – The Print

Contrary to Popular Narrative, India not Urbanising Rapidly – Hindustan Times