Doctoral Dissertation Research: Producing Urban Space and the Transformation of Informal Retailing in Delhi, India

博士论文研究：印度德里的城市空间生产与非正式零售转型

• 批准号: 1103207
• 负责人: Yuko Aoyama
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: Clark University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-05-15 至 2012-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1103207&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Producing; Urban

Megacities in developing nations are undergoing rapid transformation, but extant scholarship tends to focus on the manifestation of urban transformation rather than the preceding interactions among multiple stakeholders that determine precisely how and by whom urban space is used. This doctoral dissertation research project will explore how negotiations and struggles among multiple stakeholders produce urban space through an examination of the informal retail sector in Delhi, India. The informal retail sector is an important source of livelihood for Delhi's urban poor, but it is under threat from the expansion of large retail firms as well as zoning policies that criminalize informal economic activity. Informal retailers develop adaptation and resistance strategies in response to these threats, engaging in complex negotiations and struggles with multiple stakeholders, such as municipal authorities, neighborhood associations, property development firms, and nongovernmental organizations. Through in-depth interviews with informal retailers and key informants, the doctoral student will compare how the struggles and negotiations among multiple stakeholders in contemporary urban India produce diverse urban space in three unique locations in Delhi. The three research sites represent a range of stages of formal retail expansion, with varying power dynamics between informal retailers and other stakeholders. By comparing three unique research sites, this project will demonstrate how urban space is produced beyond the analysis of outcomes and manifestations. It also will show how the urban poor create locally based livelihood strategies in spite of globally induced pressure for urban transformation, and it will show these strategies influence the production of unique space in developing nations.This project will analyze how negotiations and struggles among multiple stakeholders influence the transformation of the urban environment. It will show how urban development projects and zoning policies come to fruition in the context of Delhi's informal retail sector. While urban planners, the growing middle class, and private sector firms are seeking to create a "world-class" city, their vision of urban development threatens the livelihoods of informal retailers. This project will demonstrate how the adaptation and resistance strategies employed by informal retailers to maintain their livelihoods influence the production of urban space. It will contribute new insights regarding the dynamics of urbanization in developing nations by analyzing the ability of those who are seemingly disempowered to cope with threats to their livelihoods and to exert influence on their environment. The results of this research will contribute to policy debates on how to balance two objectives, one to reduce the vulnerability of a large and marginalized population and another to foster equitable economic growth and stability. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.

发展中国家中的大会正在进行快速转型，但现有的学术倾向于集中于城市转型的表现，而不是确定使用如何以及通过谁使用城市空间的多个利益相关者之间的先前相互作用。 该博士学位论文研究项目将探讨多个利益相关者之间的谈判和斗争如何通过检查印度德里的非正式零售业来产生城市空间。 非正式零售业是德里城市贫困人口的重要来源，但由于扩大大型零售公司以及将非正式经济活动定为犯罪的分区政策，它受到威胁。 非正式零售商针对这些威胁制定了适应和抵抗策略，与多个利益相关者（例如市政当局，邻里协会，房地产发展公司和非政府组织）进行复杂的谈判以及与多个利益相关者进行斗争。 通过与非正式零售商和主要线人的深入访谈，博士生将比较当代印度城市的多个利益相关者之间的斗争和谈判如何在德里的三个独特地点产生不同的城市空间。 这三个研究站点代表了正式零售扩张的一系列阶段，非正式零售商和其他利益相关者之间的动力动态各不相同。 通过比较三个独特的研究站点，该项目将展示如何在结果和表现形式的分析之外产生城市空间。 它还将展示城市贫困人口如何创建基于本地的生计策略，尽管全球造成城市转型的压力，它将显示这些策略会影响发展中国家独特空间的生产。该项目将分析多个利益相关者的谈判和挣扎影响城市环境的转变。 它将显示在德里非正式零售业的背景下，城市发展项目和分区政策如何实现。 尽管城市规划师，成长中的中产阶级和私营部门公司正在寻求创建一个“世界一流”的城市，但他们对城市发展的愿景威胁着非正式零售商的生计。 该项目将展示非正式零售商对维持生计的适应和抵抗策略如何影响城市空间的生产。 它将通过分析那些似乎无权应对对自己的生计威胁并对环境施加影响的人的能力来贡献有关城市化动态的新见解。 这项研究的结果将有助于有关如何平衡两个目标的政策辩论，一个目标是减少大型和边缘人群的脆弱性，另一个是促进公平的经济增长和稳定。 作为博士学位论文研究改进奖，该奖项还将提供支持，使有前途的学生能够建立强大的独立研究职业。