Reflections on 21st Century Human Habitats in India (eBook)

This book highlights various dimensions of human habitats in 21st Century India. The human habitats in the country are marked by perceptible inequality in social and economic spheres. This is occurring in tandem with rapid socio-economic transformation across both rural and urban landscapes. There is a plurality of transformative characteristics in terms of social and economic classes, gender and space. Inequality in access to natural resources such as land and water is still a big factor in socio-economic differentiation in rural habitats. This constructs a pedestal of unequal opportunities and access to basic human necessities such as healthcare, education, potable water and sanitation. Human habitats experiencing socio-spatial segregation and exclusion based on caste, community and gender are detrimental in formation of a civil society and its sustainability in long terms. The ideal situation for this would be formation of an inclusive society that celebrates age old socio-cultural diversities, reduces inequalities and reveres composite culture.

Mahabir S Jaglan is a Professor at Department of Geography, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (Haryana). He has been a faculty member in this university for last 28 years and has also served the institution in the capacity of Chairperson of the Department, Coordinator Corporate Resource Centre, Librarian, and Coordinator Distance Education PG Courses in Geography. Having obtained the degrees of MA Geography, MPhil and PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, he also carried out postdoctoral research as a fellow of University Grants Commission at Centre for the Study of Regional development, JNU for two years before joining Kurukshetra University. His primary research interest is in the field of Agricultural and Environmental Geographies and has published over 50 research papers and chapters in international and national journals and books. He is also a co-author of Class XII textbook of National Council of Education Research and Training, New Delhi. He has presented over 80 research papers in national and international conferences in India and abroad. Currently he is working and guiding research on the themes of groundwater accessibility and markets, irrigation and agricultural development, horticultural development, agricultural marketing and organic farming. He has supervised 12 PhD theses and 28 MPhil dissertations.

Rajeshwari is currently Professor at Department of Geography, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana. She holds doctoral and MPhil degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Before joining her current post, she also worked as Research Associate at CSRD, School of Social Sciences, JNU, New Delhi, Junior Economist at National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi and at Higher Education Department, Government of Haryana. Her research interest is in the field of health, disease, nutrition, women violence,and gender issues.She has undertaken two projects on Epidemiology, Health and Nutrition Transition in Haryana. She has contributed several research papers in edited books and in reputed national and international journals, like, Economic and Political Weekly, Malaysian Journal of Tropical Geography, Population Geography, Transactions of Indian Institute of Geographers and Annals of National Association of Geographers, India. She has also presented over thirty research papers at national and international conferences, including IGU, Beijing, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, and University of Manchester, UK. She has been the Chairperson of Department of Geography, Kurukshetra University. Recently she conducted a Department of Science and Technology, Government of India sponsored summer training program on Capacity Building in Geospatial Technology.

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This book highlights various dimensions of human habitats in 21st Century India. The human habitats in the country are marked by perceptible inequality in social and economic spheres. This is occurring in tandem with rapid socio-economic transformation across both rural and urban landscapes. There is a plurality of transformative characteristics in terms of social and economic classes, gender and space. Inequality in access to natural resources such as land and water is still a big factor in socio-economic differentiation in rural habitats. This constructs a pedestal of unequal opportunities and access to basic human necessities such as healthcare, education, potable water and sanitation. Human habitats experiencing socio-spatial segregation and exclusion based on caste, community and gender are detrimental in formation of a civil society and its sustainability in long terms. The ideal situation for this would be formation of an inclusive society that celebrates age old socio-culturaldiversities, reduces inequalities and reveres composite culture.