ABSTRACT

Conceptions of 'sustainable cities' in the pluralistic and multireligious urban settlements of developing nations need to develop out of local cultural, religious and historical contexts to be inclusive and accurately respond to the needs of the poor, ethnic and religious minorities, and women.

Religion and Urbanism contributes to an expanded understanding of 'sustainable cities' in South Asia by demonstrating the multiple, and often conflicting ways in which religion enables or challenges socially equitable and ecologically sustainable urbanisation in the region. In particular, this collection focuses on two aspects that must inform the sustainable cities discourse in South Asia: the intersections of religion and urban heritage, and religion and various aspects of informality.

This book makes a much-needed contribution to the nexus between religion and urban planning for researchers, postgraduate students and policy makers in Sustainable Development, Development Studies, Urban Studies, Religious Studies, Asian Studies, Heritage Studies and Urban and Religious Geography.

part I|90 pages

Urban history, religion and heritage

chapter 2|19 pages

Origins of Buddhist nationalism in Myanmar/Burma

An urban history of religious space, social integration and marginalisation in colonial Rangoon after 1852

chapter 4|13 pages

Revisiting planning for Indian cities

The pilgrim city of Amritsar

part II|66 pages

Informality, marginalisation and violent exchange

chapter 7|26 pages

Religious structures on traffic lanes

Production of informality in New Delhi

chapter 8|19 pages

Animals and urban informality in sacred spaces

Bull-calf trafficking in Simhachalam Temple, Visakhapatnam

chapter 9|19 pages

Karachi – a case study in religious and ethnic extremism

Implications for urban sustainability

part III|30 pages

Reflections

chapter 10|18 pages

Including religion as well as gender in Indian urban planning policy

With reference to lessons from the United Kingdom

chapter 11|10 pages

Religion and urban policy for South Asia

Where next?