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Dalit Desires and the City of Surat
Based on voices coming from the Mahyavanshi community of Surat, and drawing from the intersection of urban studies and recent debates on Dalit experience, the relationship between Dalits and the city is examined. These voices and their narratives of desire and aspiration do not take shape as bereft of sufferings and discriminations. Yet, in their articulation, they allow us to engage with the ignored dimensions of Dalit personhood and reveal facets of city life that are less attended to.
The fieldwork was carried out by Rishika Mukherjee for a collaborative project titled “Capital, Labour, and the City: Unorganised Sector and the Social Fabric of Surat,” which was financially supported by ICSSR. The author is thankful to both, as well as to the anonymous reviewer of EPW and the respondents who shared their narratives.
The regal realm with the sorrowless name:
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