Borderland City in New India

Borderland City in New India explores contemporary urban life in two cities in India's Northeast borderland at a time of dramatic change. Social and economic transformation from India's embrace of neoliberalism and globalisation, often referred to as 'new' India, has become a popular subject for academic analysis in the last decade. This is epitomised by focus on so-called 'mega-cities', reflecting a general trend in scholarship on other parts of Asia. However, far less attention has been afforded to borderland regions and to the provincial cities of 'new' India. Using ethnographic material, this book focuses on two cities in India's Northeast borderland: Aizawl and Imphal. Both cities have been profoundly affected by armed conflict, militarism, displacement, and inter-ethnic tensions. Yet, both are also experiencing intensified flows of goods and people, rapid urban development, and expansion of Indian and foreign capital associated with the opening of the borderland west to the rest of India and east to the rest of Asia

Cover -- Table of Contents -- List of Maps and Images -- Map 1.1 Manipur and surrounding states and territories -- Image 1.1 Shanker Talkies, Lamphelpat -- Image 2.1 Central Imphal facing north -- Image 2.2 Multi-storey houses alongside partially completed houses, Uripok Khumanthem Leikai -- Image 2.3 Manhunt billboard, LIC Point -- Image 3.1 State Police at Thangal Bazaar -- Image 3.2 Bir Tikendrajit Flyover with the Ima Keithel behind -- Image 3.3 PLA Memorial at Cheiraoching -- Image 4.1 Advertisement for 23rd Century, Salam Leikai -- Image 5.1 Billboard featuring Mary Kom, Khoyathong -- Image 5.2 Local clothes shop, New Checkon -- Image 6.1 Shija Hospital, Langol -- Image 6.2 Baptist church under construction, Langol -- Image 7.1 School under construction, Sangaiprou -- Image 7.2 Advertisement for a secondary school, DM campus -- Image 8.1 Start of the rally, Haobam Marak Lourembam Leikai -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Introduction -- Disturbed City, Sensitive Space -- Frontiers to Corridors -- Approaching Imphal -- Structure of the Book -- Terminology and Place Names -- Part 1 - Disturbed City, Sensitive Space -- 2. Belonging -- Small City, Growing City -- Plurality and Polarity -- Neighbourhoods -- Alternative Places -- Conclusion -- 3. Control -- Spatial Control in Imphal -- The Armed Forces -- Civilian Government -- Non-state Actors -- Contesting and Co-opting Memory -- Resistance and Nationalism -- Insurgent Memorials -- Conclusion -- 4. Exclusion -- Ethnic Politics -- Mao Gate -- Sadar Hills -- Belonging and the Blockades -- Indigenous Politics -- Conclusion -- Part 2 - Liberalising the Frontier -- 5. Gateway City -- New India and Its Frontier -- Indigenising Indian Capital -- Gateway Livelihoods -- Closing the Gate -- Conclusion -- 6. Health City -- Building a Health City -- The Decaying Public System.

Cover; Table of Contents; List of Maps and Images; Map 1.1 Manipur and surrounding states and territories; Image 1.1 Shanker Talkies, Lamphelpat; Image 2.1 Central Imphal facing north; Image 2.2 Multi-storey houses alongside partially completed houses, Uripok Khumanthem Leikai; Image 2.3 Manhunt billboard, LIC Point; Image 3.1 State Police at Thangal Bazaar; Image 3.2 Bir Tikendrajit Flyover with the Ima Keithel behind; Image 3.3 PLA Memorial at Cheiraoching; Image 4.1 Advertisement for 23rd Century, Salam Leikai; Image 5.1 Billboard featuring Mary Kom, Khoyathong.

Cover -- Table of Contents -- List of Maps and Images -- Map 1.1 Manipur and surrounding states and territories -- Image 1.1  Shanker Talkies, Lamphelpat -- Image 2.1  Central Imphal facing north -- Image 2.2  Multi-storey houses alongside partially completed houses, Uripok Khumanthem Leikai -- Image 2.3  Manhunt billboard, LIC Point -- Image 3.1  State Police at Thangal Bazaar -- Image 3.2  Bir Tikendrajit Flyover with the Ima Keithel behind -- Image 3.3  PLA Memorial at Cheiraoching -- Image 4.1  Advertisement for 23rd Century, Salam Leikai

While India has been a popular subject of scholarly analysis in the past decade, the majority of that attention has been focused on its major cities. This volume instead explores contemporary urban life in a smaller city located in India's Northeast borderland at a time of dramatic change, showing how this city has been profoundly affected by armed conflict, militarism, displacement, interethnic tensions, and the expansion of neoliberal capitalism