Gendered Social Environment And Urban Development: A Study On The North Campus Of The University Of Delhi

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the implications of finding safe accommodation for female students from different parts of the country through a field study conducted from August to October 2022 in the neighbourhood areas of North Campus, University of Delhi, particularly in the context of the University resuming offline classes in the post-COVID-19 world.  On the one hand, this paper highlights how young girls explore the city by utilising paid guest facilities (PGs) in the area and empowering themselves to stay alone in the city. On the other hand, this transition to urban areas exposes the faultlines of the social environment in terms of gender, class, caste, region and religion.

This research takes a sample of twenty PGs with 40 participants. These PGs are chosen based on their location, that is, in the neighbourhood of North Campus, University of Delhi, namely, Roop Nagar, Kamala Nagar, Vijay Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Hudson Lane and Shakti Nagar. The study's major highlight is to understand the gendered social environment in the university space and how it is linked with urban development.

This work is a combination of qualitative and quantitative research. A feminist standpoint methodology is adopted to understand the universal and yet particular experiences of female students coming to the University of Delhi to pursue their higher education. It reflects power dynamics between different types of girls (meaning girls coming from diverse social and economic backgrounds) sharing a space. It has taken an inductive method to understand a contextual experience in North Campus, University of Delhi, and then apply these learnings to larger urban spaces. This research navigates negotiations taking place between parents, students and PG owners. The voices are valuable as they raise questions of security and inclusivity related to urban development.