giant leap

Despite the fact that many of us live in cities, and even if we do not their growth, structures and changes impact us, many of us remain utterly unaware of how complex these spaces are. Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) professor Nida Kirmani’s edited collection of essays on sociology and urban studies changes that. Although she modestly claims that this is a ‘small step’ towards such awareness, in point of fact I consider it as much a giant leap for academia as Neil Armstrong’s baby steps on the moon. Framed between a detailed introduction by Kirmani herself, and a vital afterword by notable urban studies IBA professor, Nausheen Anwar, the nine essays cover diverse aspects of urban studies, ranging from encroachment by large urbanization projects on precious ancient, historical agrarian spaces, garbage collection, public transport in Karachi and what role the so-called transport mafia has played regarding this, air quality in Delhi, male hostel spaces in Lahore, neoliberalism, security issues, and even a fascinating incorporation of cognitive urban maps.

This academic laundry list appears daunting and overwhelming but not all the essays are of the same level of density or erudition, even though each is spectrally important when it comes to refractions of a field that is both globally relevant and phenomenally complex. The natural thing about examining urban studies is that those writings that pertain to one’s own city resonate the most with a reader. Therefore, being a Pakistani and Karachiite, I was especially intrigued by Noman Ahmed’s brisk assessment of how many barriers have been constructed across Karachi due to the security issues that have become increasingly prevalent in this city. Asad Sayeed and Kabeer Dawani comment on the operation of a transport Pathan mafia’s machinations in the 1980s. However, the authors conclude that factors such as the comparative ease of movement provided by motorcycles gradually lessened the hold of this mafia on Karachi’s transportation. Muntasir Sattar sensitively yet incisively examines the role played by male hostel spaces in Lahore, such as the Ayub Hostel, when it comes to providing a tension-free intellectual space where promising young men from all over the country can focus on their studies. Hashim bin Rashid and Zainab Moulvi give voice to struggling farmers who contest with issues ranging from encroachment to failed governmental promises. Sattar includes a touching picture of a young man using his laptop during a power failure. In his essay, Sattar is admirably in touch with the reality of matters, having spent time interviewing boys from diverse socio-economic backgrounds himself as part of his detailed fieldwork.

Pinky Chandran and Kabir Arora comment extensively on waste being transformed into resource in parts of Bangalore. Speaking of resources, Rohit Negi and Prerna Srigyan do an erudite job of writing about the air quality in Delhi and the academic awareness about it that vital conferences have brought to light. Virtually all the writers in this volume demonstrate a natural ability to perceive macro and micro power-structures at work. Helena Cermeno’s equally erudite and fascinating essay on Jhuggi Mokampura demonstrates the manner in which urbanization and development forces the have-nots into greater oppression.

I’m breathless at this juncture from the sheer exertion of recounting thumbnail glimpses of the remarkable array of works presented above. But not speechless enough to observe that such painstaking efforts are worthy of great perusal and greater praise. I will end on an odd note as I recount how the fine singer Alamgir’s song ‘Dekh tera kiya rang kardiya hai/Khusboo ka jhonka teray sang kardiya hai’ was parodied by the inimitable TV show ‘Fifty Fifty’ where the lyrics went ‘Dekh tera kiya rang kardiya hai/Badbu ka jhonka teray sang kardiya hai’ (Look how I make you blush/By sending you fragrance; parody: ‘Look how I make you blush/By sending you stinky smell’)! Be that as it may, fragrant roses and garbage disposals exist side by side in this world. So do the haves and have-nots. The Kirmani collection sophisticatedly and fair-mindedly reminds us of that.