Gated Peace: Governance through Segregation in Ahmedabad's Urban Landscape
Gated Peace: Governance through Segregation in Ahmedabad's Urban Landscape
Friday, 11 July 2025: 15:00
Location: ASJE015 (Annex of the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences)
Oral Presentation
Segregation, by definition, separates groups, potentially fostering distrust and conflict. In cities, this spatial division creates distinct enclaves where communities live in isolation from one another. Ahmedabad has emerged as the most religiously segregated city in modern India, shaped by a violent historical trajectory and the complicity of the state. This study examines the paradoxical use of segregation as a governance tool, where policy frameworks under the guise of maintaining peace may inadvertently undermine inclusivity.
In Ahmedabad, "internalized segregation" manifests as a deeply ingrained social and spatial division that is both imposed externally through state policies like the Disturbed Areas Act and reinforced internally by residents' own perceptions, behaviors, and spatial practices. The state's operations align with the ideology and preferences of societally powerful religious and caste groups, enforcing and legitimizing these boundaries and entrenching segregation as the normative urban condition. This blurring of lines between internalization of segregation within the city's social fabric and externally imposed segregation by the State underscores the complex interplay between social dynamics and governance.
This work explores how urban planning, societal power structures, and covert governance strategies shape the segregated lived experiences of Ahmedabad’s residents, depending upon their social location. By analyzing these intricate dynamics, this study highlights the often-unspoken strategies that sustain spatial and social divisions, questioning the true efficacy of segregation as a tool for maintaining peace. Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to broader discussions on urban governance and the socio-spatial processes that define life in divided cities.
In Ahmedabad, "internalized segregation" manifests as a deeply ingrained social and spatial division that is both imposed externally through state policies like the Disturbed Areas Act and reinforced internally by residents' own perceptions, behaviors, and spatial practices. The state's operations align with the ideology and preferences of societally powerful religious and caste groups, enforcing and legitimizing these boundaries and entrenching segregation as the normative urban condition. This blurring of lines between internalization of segregation within the city's social fabric and externally imposed segregation by the State underscores the complex interplay between social dynamics and governance.
This work explores how urban planning, societal power structures, and covert governance strategies shape the segregated lived experiences of Ahmedabad’s residents, depending upon their social location. By analyzing these intricate dynamics, this study highlights the often-unspoken strategies that sustain spatial and social divisions, questioning the true efficacy of segregation as a tool for maintaining peace. Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to broader discussions on urban governance and the socio-spatial processes that define life in divided cities.