URBAN ASPIRATIONS IN GLOBAL CITIES

2010-2013 Partner: Max Planck Institute of Religious and Ethnic Diversity   The three-year Urban Aspirations in Global Cities project was a collaboration between Max Planck Institute of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Gottingen (MPI), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research (PUKAR). The mandate of the project was to bring to the table innovative ways of looking at the urban city that is generated from com munities that are experiencing the rapid fall-outs of the globalization process. In the first phase of the research cycle, PUKAR's researchers undertook research studies on the following topics - ISKCON - New avataar of Krishna-Bhakti movement', Popular Muslim characters in daily TV soaps', 'Understanding the growing inclination of Mumbai's educated youth towards Modern Day Gurus', 'Does urbanization make divorce processes easier for women?' 'Documenting the lives of Mumbai's local train hawkers - Their experiences and aspirations', 'Kothis migrating to Mumbai'. In the second phase of the research cycle, three research projects were undertaken ‘The changing face of the Vaidu community in Mumbai’,  ‘Mapping illegal religious structures in Mumbai’, '’Exploring street economy through the lens of street hawkers: the case of one Chembur Street’. The project thus contributed to a deeper understanding of Mumbai as pivot of Indian urban aspiration and enhanced the understanding of global cities in general.   An online repository of all the research and information produced as part of the project can be accessed at   www.mapworship.pukar.org.in