Doctoral Dissertation Research: Civic Engagement and Differentiated Citizenship

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SES- 1103116Patrick HellerShruti MajumdarBrown UniversityCitizens' daily interactions with their government to seek access to basic public goods are at the heart of the exercise of citizenship. Particularly for the marginalized and poor, these interactions are necessary not only for the enjoyment of full citizenship, but they also have serious implications for survival. Preliminary ethnographic work in four slums in Calcutta, one of India's most populous cities, suggests that these interactions between the state and the poor can vary in important ways. Interactions not only vary in terms of how the poor engage the state; some make claims by knocking directly on the doors of public bureaucracies while others' engagement is indirect or brokered. Interactions also differ in of self-organization; some make claims more autonomously, while others are more dependent on the state for articulation of their demands. This research studies this variation first, and then examines possible explanations of these varying modes of civic engagement or degrees of citizenship among the poor. The research questions the basic assumption of most theories on citizenship that the urban poor are an undifferentiated mass that engage with the state in one particular way, which is different from the engagement of elites. The study integrates state and society centered explanations for citizenship practices and contributes to a better understanding of political processes, social movements and development. Broader ImpactsThe research has the potential to contribute to a better understanding of citizenship and patterns of civil participation among the urban poor. The comparative data and lessons learnt from the interviews will be made available to community-based organizations. Research findings will be shared with a multi-disciplinary audience in Calcutta, through the academic contacts established at the institute of affiliation -- Centre for the Study of Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSC).