Trajectories of Urbanization in Contemporary India

Urbanization is the concentration of people, capital, and jobs in cities that become hubs of talent, wealth, and opportunities. Cities have driven the growth of industrialized countries and as developing countries in Asia and Africa transition from largely agrarian economies towards industrial, service, and knowledge economies they will become increasingly more urban. However, this process of becoming urban will differ greatly due to local geographic, cultural, social, and political specificities. The process of urbanization has concentrated some of the most challenging developmental issues in service delivery, housing, and mobility while also opening up a wider territory to face critical challenges towards social justice, the future of work, and the fight against climate change. This territorial view extends the scope of design and planning to address the social inequities and ecological imbalances not only within the space of cities but also across the transforming rural landscapes that will define the nature of migration, urbanization, and climate adaptation in countries like India.