Contents
Abstract 9
Acknowledgements 11
1 Introduction 21
1.1 Premise 21
1.2 Problem Identification 21
1.3 Conceptual framework 22
1.4 Hypothesis 23
1.5 Aim of the study 23
1.6 Research objectives 23
1.7 Scope and limitations 24
1.8 Research design and methodology 25
1.9 Thesis Structure 28
2 Public space as Urban Commons 29
2.1 Urban commons in the process of urbanization 29
2.2 Chronological conceptualization of the concept 29
2.3 Urban commons as an “Essentially contested concept” 30
2.4 Idea of Public space and Urban Commons 31
2.5 Discourses on the ‘Acts of Commoning’ 33
2.6 Definition of Commoners and their goals 34
3 Democratic rights and Privatization 35
3.1 Utopia of Privatization 35
3.1.1 Power analysis: Perspectives of Politics and Governance 35
3.1.2 Neoliberal / Capital-driven Ideology of the State 36
3.1.3 Enclosure as a byproduct of Neoliberal ideology 38
3.2 Democratic rights vis-à-vis Public space 39
3.2.1 Definitions and basic concepts of democratic rights 39
3.2.2 Context… Constitution of India (Fundamental rights, duties and Directive Principles of State Policy) 40
4 Public spaces in the City of Ahmedabad 42
4.1 Framework of Analysis 42
4.2 Site justification 42
4.3 Case- samples selection 43
5 Case-samples: Observations and Analysis 49
5.1 Case sample- 1 49
Lok Manya Tilak garden (Victoria Garden) 49
5.2 Case sample- 2 56
Usmanpura Municipal garden 56
5.3 Case sample- 3 64
Law garden 64
5.4 Findings 68
6 Conclusion 69
6.1 Inferences 69
6.2 Way forward 70
References 71
Annexure 72