[Reader-list] research proposal for suggestions : Cultural study of urban slums in Jaipur city

[rajaram bhadu]

 Dear All

Here my sarai independent research proposal for your suggestions. I look forward your views and reactions.  

Cultural study of urban slums in Jaipur city

This study will focus on cultural changingtransitions in urban slums of Jaipur city. In this study, I want to explore some cultural aspects of selected slum communities. In this context, I will try to identify the changing cultural forms of the communities residing in the slums. The cultural interactives and impressions among the different communities will be investigates. The major factors and processes of deculturization and acculturization will be covered in the study. To explore new culture forms and innovation generates through interactions within communities and among the communities will be the part of this study. To search out alternative cultural strategies and programmes for active intervention between slum communities also is the part of my assignment. 

In my consideration this type of study about slums still is not available. These families/communities are migrated and displaced. These are marginalized and disjointed groups of the people. Here any social control and value structure is not effective. In this study, I will document the struggle of recognition and identify crisis of these communities. The role of religion, rationality, language and caste-its confect and harmony-will be covered with various dimension. There are many questions which many be addressed in this reference. What sort of change takes place the sexual behavior of women after the erosion of social control and tabbu? How far this cultural vacuum is responsible for addiction to gambling and having drupes in the people? What type of power structure and gangsterings are developing in them? How far education, media and NGO's have been able to decrease their mentalities of parasite living? Are some new cultural procedures or cultural forms emerging in these slums? These and other such question necessitate to answer and to have a profound insight of this cultural phenomena. 

In reference of social quarries about Jaipur slums, there are some notable studies also. One of these Shail Mayaram, study in which she unveils the increasing tension of communal bias and ghettoization among Hindu and Muslim habitation. (communal violence in Jaipur, IDS, 1993). Recently a study done by Jean Draize covered the hardships of rural poor who are rushing toward this metropolitan city from frequently famine-ridden areas. Beyond this type of empirical studies, the increasing trend of family suicide among urban poor still awaited as burning issue to be studied. 

During past few years several studies and surreys on urban slums have been conduct in Jaipur. Most of them focused on educational requirements and to have upto date knowledge of health programme by govt. and Non Govt. agencies. But these have limited to the extent of preparing a base line.   

Department of education Rajasthan, Unicef (Rajasthan) and Bodh Shiksha Samiti conducted a baseline study of slums in Jaipur 1998 for govt. of India and United Nations, education programme. This study reveals the facts that the total population of Jaipur i.e. 22,02,645 consists of those 30% population i.e. 6,60943 who lived invariably in slums. Where the urban population growth rate is in between 4 to 6 %, the population of slums is growing at the rate of 30 percent. 

According to the study there are 279 slums at present in Jaipur city. The study indicates lack of essential civil amenities in these slums. The existence of Govt. Schools only in 74 slums out of 279 clearly shows their poor civil conditions. An over all exodus of rural population towards the city in search of livelihood seems to be the only authentic cause behind this speedily expansion of slums. Apparently they come from different socio-cultural and religious backgrounds. They have struggle hard here to work and earn livelihood. 

These slums can be seen by dividing them in four types according to the stages of development. 

1.      First type of such slums basically, consists of depressed casts such as – Harijan Bastis, marginalised from the city and other families which have also settled in them. These are comparatively older habitations. 

2.      Second type of slums have acquired stability after a specific period of time. They have got themselves regularized by forming a vote-bank and then putting a hard pressure on the government. A particular type of social order has begun to gain a ground here. 

3.      Third type of slums is those which are passing through a temporary phase and have no clear communitarian image. 

4.      This type has come into existence after the declaration of Jaipur as a"Heritage City". Some of the slums under this scheme have been displaced from their original site and established at a new place for the sake of beautifying the city. 

Later three types of slums will be taken up for study. Second type of regular slums have mainly one community in majority such as Nepalis, Muslims, Paharis or Bengalis etc. One such slum will be selected. One each from third and fourth type of slums will be taken up which have more than one community. One of the reasons of leaving aside the first type of colony is that here generally the process of saskritization taking place which is familiar. 

The nature of the study will be interdisciplinary and action reach mode. The study will be inspired by approach of sabaltern studies, gender studies and methodology of anthropogical studies as well as other knowledge bases. For framing socio-economic perspective of the three selected slums secondary date and material available already will be studies and analyzed. Interviews and focus group discussions with adult men, women and adolescents will be major device of the methodology. Some family history will be traced to know the detailed about past and present cultured practices. The content and formalistic study will be part of the research for analyze different cultural forms and narratives comparatively i.e. past and present life of concerning community. Participatory observation of cultural actions, performances and practices of slum communities will be essential for the research. 

Raja Ram Bhadu

 

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