Conceptualising gentrification: relevance of gentrification research in the Indian context

Abstract

The concept of gentrification, originally proposed by Ruth Glass on the basis of her observations of neighbourhood change in London, has been reconceptualised as well as criticised by scholars over the years. Though the concept has travelled over time and space, it still remains a very anglophone concept, and the extent of its applicability in the global South has been questioned. Especially in a country like India, where urban development takes place in an uneven way, it may not always be sufficient in itself to understand these urban changes and the dispossessions they lead to. This article aims to throw light on the main gentrification theories and debates and engage with the issue of differences over conceptualisation of the term itself. It then evaluates the relevance of the concept of gentrification in India by examining the restricted use of the term by Indian academics and Indian print media, and explores alternate/complementary frameworks to capture diverse instances of urban dispossession.