About the Book
This study examines the relationship between urbanization, population and the environment in the western Himalayas in historical perspective. It challenges the assumption that urban development is solely tied to population growth, emphasizing the influence of political and economic elites.
Over two centuries, the construction of palaces by the royals and temples emerged as central to political power and wealth concentration, driving urban growth. Natural resources, like water, minerals and forests, played a crucial role in shaping habitat locations and attracting labour migration.
Empirical analysis within a historical framework reveals the development of cantonment towns, military consolidation, and legislative control over resources as foundational to urban growth. This led to population surges, economic activities, and advancements in transportation and communication.
However, the study also highlights negative consequences, such as overuse of forest resources and disruptions to the harmony between humans and nature, leading to ecological imbalance and fatalities. This volume opens new vistas of research on rivers, bio-diversity, geo-politics, socio-cultural, economic and political spheres for the national and international academia.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Socio-Historical Dynamics of Urban Development
3 Urbanization in the Mountainous Regions of India
4 Political Economic Dynamics of Rise of British Summer Capital
5 Urbanism, Emerging Identities, and Change
6 Changing Ecology and Preserving Urban Heritage
7 Urban Sprawl, Challenges and Peoples’ Response
8 Conclusions: Re-thinking Urbanization
About the Author / Editor
Satish Kumar Sharma is former Professor of Sociology and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. He has held various significant positions like Director, Population Research Centre; Director, Institute of Tribal Studies; and Director, Canadian Studies Development Programme. He has done teaching in M.S. University, Baroda and Panjab University, Chandigarh. He also served as Social Scientist with WHO Collaborating Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh. He has been a Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, and Shastri Indo-Canadian Fellow at University of Toronto (Canada), and Visiting Professor and scholar in universities in India and abroad. He has authored, edited and co-edited 12 books, contributed chapters and articles in books and journals.
Suman Lata Pathak is former Associate Professor of Sociology, Dev Samaj College for Women, Chandigarh. She worked on East Africa Diaspora, with specific reference to Returned Indian Sikh immigrants in Chandigarh, and has published papers in reputed journals and books.
