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ABSTRACT
This article uses an urban case from West Bengal, India, to reveal that people lacking socio-economic and cultural capital have marginal access to civic services provided by the municipality. This marginalisation is a product of the municipality’s highly inequitable approach to governance practices, where there is a deliberate aversion to government schemes, infrastructure, and developmental projects aimed at marginal groups. Almost three decades after decentralisation, the town provides no platforms for citizens to participate in local governance mechanisms, and there are no NGOs and community-based organisations present in local governance. As there is no one to voice the concerns of marginalised groups, a gradual trend of marginalisation continues to occur.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the anonymous reviewers and Debarshi Guin for their insightful comments and suggestions which were invaluable in shaping this paper. They are grateful to the respondents of this study. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Third Annual Research on Cities Summit of Xavier Centre for Urban Management and Governance held on 25 January 2019. Feedback received from the participants was appreciated.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 In this study, ‘social capital’ has been conceptualised by studying the social position, bonding and bridging of people across castes and communities.
2 The study defines ‘cultural capital’ on the basis of one’s level of education, intellect and style of speech. Cultural capital is an attribute of making power at individual level. In a stratified society, someone with adequate education, speaking ability, and good manners can easily hold a better position in the society and also has the capability to attract the governing authority.
3 Bagdi indicates the lower caste people in West Bengal, and Para is a Bengali word meaning locality.
4 Councillors are the elected ward representatives of a municipality. One person from each ward is elected to the post of councillor. Among the councillors, one is elected by the other councillors to the post of Chair of the municipality.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Subhamay Ghosh
Subhamay Ghosh is a PhD student in the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Dipendra Nath Das
Dipendra Nath Das is a Professor in the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, School of Social Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.