Book Launch Celebration & Discussion

Join us for the launch of two groundbreaking books that explore the intersections of politics, economy, and social change in South Asia.

Featured Books

Neoliberalism and Hindutva in the Making of an Indian Smart City
By Dr. Rakib Akhtar | Published by Cambridge University Press
This insightful work examines the complex interplay between neoliberal economic reforms and right-wing Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) in shaping India’s smart cities. Dr. Akhtar unpacks how market-driven urban development converges with political ideology to transform urban spaces and citizenship in contemporary India.

Agrarian Change in Nepal’s Far-Eastern Tarai: Land, Labour and Capital from the 1700s to the Present
By Dr. Fraser Sugden
Dr. Sugden presents a historically grounded, multi-scalar analysis of agrarian change in Nepal’s far-eastern Tarai. From a forested frontier of autonomous Adivasi (indigenous) cultivators to a feudal landlord-tenant economy and, more recently, a rapidly expanding industrial and commercial hub, this book traces shifting land ownership, labour flows between agriculture and industry, and the region’s integration with global capitalism. It offers unique insights into the reproduction and transformation of class, ethnic, and labour relations during Nepal’s turbulent political transitions.

Host

Professor Fiona Nunan
(International Development Department; Professor of Environment and Development)
Professor Nunan’s research focuses on natural resource governance and management in developing country contexts, particularly in inland fisheries and coastal systems across East and Southern Africa. She is also deeply engaged in exploring the links between poverty, environment, and development.