The contemporary world is urban, with the locus of urbanisation shifting to the Global South. India, particularly, is at the cusp of a transition from a primarily agrarian society to one that is urbanising in a markedly unsustainable manner. Knowledge on the challenges of urbanisation however, is uneven, limited by disciplinary silos, and policies usually lack the perspective of marginalised actors.
It is here that the Centre seeks to make substantial contributions to theory and practice by producing situated, critical and interdisciplinary knowledge about urbanisation and the city. CUPG is committed to imagining and realising a paradigm of urban development that is just and sustainable in social, spatial and ecological terms. It aims to emerge as a centre of such knowledge in the Global South.
Established in 2008, the Centre has a multi-disciplinary faculty and research team, and undertakes collaborative partnerships with other centres in the city, country and internationally. The Centre administers a Master’s Programme in Urban Policy and Governance, and its faculty advise MPhil and PhD students. Building a core of committed academics and policymakers is central to its work.
