Dislocating Urban Theory: Learning with Food?Vending Practices in Colombo and Delhi

Urban theory, produced in North Atlantic centres, has been perpetrated as universal and recent urban studies have pointed to the limits of this calling for a Southern turn. The call is dislocate concentration power knowledge metropolis. Owing concentration, concerns metropolis often become (or are made become) periphery. Taking informality practice, not embedded people (marginalised) or places (settlements), I will outline how study assured lineage metropolitan concerns. Moving away from informal-formal dichotomy, paper mobilises informal-urban dialectic identify theory. Discussing empirical cases Delhi Colombo, build narrative academic theorisation juxtapose it with everyday its practitioners (food vendors), arguing towards need plural radically non-global production politics. La théorie urbaine, produite dans les «centres» du «Nord», été imposée comme universelle; des études urbaines récentes ont montré limites de cette théorie, appelant à un «tournant vers le Sud» (Southern turn) afin déconstruire la pouvoir et savoir métropole. En effet, fait préoccupations métropole deviennent souvent périphérie. prenant l’informalité une pratique (donc non liée personnes ou lieux), je montrerai comment l’étude donné primauté métropolitaines. S’éloignant dichotomie informel/formel, l’article mobilise dialectique informel/urbain pour identifier métropolitaines urbaine. discutant cas empiriques, provenant construis récit théorisation académique l’informalité, que au quotidien ses praticiens (vendeurs nourriture). Je souligne ainsi nécessité développer connaissances plurielle radicalement non-universelle. During one my fieldworks early 2020, was interacting almost on daily basis Mishra. Mishra part-time vegetable vendor caterer an upscale neighbourhood. As we got acquainted, he became interested work. told him research topic informality, while struggling find equivalent Hindi word/phrase (Hindi being language our conversations). After multiple failed attempts side, finally able capture crux work: “I activities that do take state authorisation, like your stall without permission, opposed say cigarette shop, which authorised by municipality”. To this, immediately replied: authorisation because operate only morning, wrapped up 9:00 AM, before anything else opens area”. We had longer conversation day where explained, am in, rather understand city works controls. nodded agreement condescending expression, ontologically proclaimed: “What there know?” (Isme kya rakha hai?) Next took different approach Mishra: “Planners [referring planning authority] plan regularise everything. However, many things planners neither account for, nor understand. Most those authorisation/official-permission, want work”. snapped back: “See, starts after AM here, no cars, shops, everything closed that. There just who morning walk buy vegetables me their way back. complexity be managed planner [jab sab band pada hai manage karne ke liya hai]”. This continued days sometime between said something remained me: “Aah! So you doing write about [as purely exercise, compared writing essays school]”. start snippet point realms knowledge, interests, needs. When academics appreciate value. Contrarily, Mishra, although understanding what doing, why would (apart merely exercise writing). binary makes sense his episteme, spent years articulating means, investigating It split valuation use base article, explore experiment process dislocating juxtaposing concept “informality” important but processes make so, theory’s crucial role this. calls diversify theory give space South (Robinson 2006; Roy 2016; Schwarz Streule 2016). when faces conundrum, primarily subject enquiry in/from South, so much critical actively drawing attention existence erasures (Jaffe Koster 2019; Sheppard al. 2020). Using conundrum (i) informality’s major sites global (ii) more investigation (both theoretical empirical), means whom, thought through informality. Instead Eurocentric Atlantic, term denote power. metropolis-periphery terminology (instead North-South) used here highlight political nature specific geographical location(s). Usage theoretically allows possibility see metropolises within (domination certain “Southern” cities) (cf. Mukhopadhyay 2020; Palat Narayanan 2020a; Sircar 2017) well hegemonic formation cities (beyond metropolises) Gibert 2018; 2021). Furthermore, articulate phenomenon construct reality (in constricted sense), e.g. feminist provides tools gender violence (among other aspects) hitherto could experienced hard express thus fight against. generally true theories built along phenomena colonialism race, presenting world act/understand, Mbembe (2021:16) powerfully articulated, “Theory always particular world”. In line thinking, urban; however, question is, whom? Thus, rearticulating light: whom dislocation for? backdrop article. arises two-pronged critique theory). First, based few universal, reality, applicable useful vast part (Connell 2011; Lemanski 2014; Parnell Oldfield Sanders 1992). Second, derives authority colonial/Eurocentric rooted deeply politics production, disenfranchises forms elsewhere (Choplin 2012; Sousa Santos 2009; Robinson disenfranchisement led trivialisation elsewhere, both beyond boundaries North/West (Banerjee 2015; Sanchez Myat Therefore, countering theory) also argued two-pronged. provincialisation Eurocentrism, revisits key concepts enunciates locatedness (Houssay-Holzschuch Lawhon learning outside metropolises, i.e. locations off map (Comaroff Comaroff Connell 2011). interventions, adjusting periphery Thébault 2017; 2014), reading comparison each metropolis) developing newer understandings (Palat 2020b; Söderström 2014); (Brenner Schmid Negi 2016), disciplines (Jazeel Patel 2006). two strategies interrelated. What (thus provincialise Atlantic); consequently alternate ways (as now reduced theory), obviously comes lesser studied/theorised locations, displacement). terms mobilised literature, positions, mutually exclusive. location (at various scales) fruitful framings exceptionalism (Parnell Pieterse Ren position usefully counter hegemonies across Although project preliminary stages (Gulbenkian Commission 1996; Truelove frequently discussed under banner Theory studies, aims balance network production. emphasised discuss below, Jazeel’s (2019:7) problematisation “the very notion ‘global studies’ unwittingly leaves untended conceptualisation ‘global’”. Metropolitan claims arise colonial episteme Western supremacy, Western/white man having objective every knowing becomes subjective) (Neilson 2020), closely related construction modern-primitive 2006), traits can found contemporary North-South distinctions Banerjee [2015] (2011), Nigam (2020), (2014), among others, already sole product Europe location) proven influxes influences intellectual traditions parts world. Nonetheless, assimilated external own1 1 Assimilation appropriations European trait; cultures that, chai British (colonial) insert. appropriated, perceived Indian, India (even though exists Asia). cultural economic (North network) commands assimilations problem. solely itself), domination “universal/global” referred Eurocentrism (Amin Frank 2008; Kanth 2005). intend get into mean traits: claims, human values—the global. aim mending flaws (adding theories, were absent) against aspiration global—of understandings. globally represents globe, therefore, learns, adapts, appropriates experiences knowledges elsewhere. constant factor approaches global: out wider epistemes. questions framework raises, first, (dislocated) all nuances acceptance elsewhere) needed, second, this) possible project. concentrate former, rejecting later irrelevant. quest bases itself similar know totality. My aspiration, at least locationality aspiration. If then, dislocated (with diverse epistemes) centred? Metaphorically same demand benevolent king than putting crown draws totalitarian museum? Let us look example clearer. Knowledge pertinent sought. good personal history, others understanding, denying pedestal knowledge. life Karl Marx sought therefore (2020:19) put it, “Who determines agenda be?”. determining “agenda” harmful, 1997) (Hennayake (I publish journals livelihood knowledge), interest operates informally categorise informality). popular. conceptualises manner finds useful. virtue privileged/metropolitan manifestation (Winkler 2018) Southern/periphery empirics. applicability problematic past too. exploring drew upper caste (dominant) Brahmin intellectuals India, cryptically reminding B. R. Ambedkar (2014a:240) wrote 1948, “all scholarship [just] confined Brahmins”. Similarly, Ramanujan (1989) Manu’s differential laws2 2 Laws distinguish castes rules following these categories, restricting social mobility flow categories). Kant’s universalism. Both local centres Brahmins Manu even dangerous (Babu Manoharan Teltumbde 2007). At level, does shake (and writings) keep population Dalits oppressed today Sri Lanka, globe 2014b). concern universality non-existence universality) metropolis, Mignolo (2005:111) argued, “There safe place single locus enunciation uni-versal articulated forever”. light, focus clearer move below specifically should noted coherent (2020) presents positions diversity studies. work hegemony domains some time scholars may Theory. glimpse position, mind themes outlined above science technology (Nanda Nandy 1988), philosophy (Alatas 2000; 2021), literature (Ramanujan 1994), 2017), food (Ray disciplinary critiques (Scola name few. Therefore general read context origins, developments, positions. Informality (informal sector) category analysis gained prominence ILO country mission report Kenya (ILO UNDP 1972) Hart (1973). (1973) captured missing labour economy Accra, accounted earlier. methods (economics) note investigated registered visible it. crafted did fall then existing activities. deeper engagement specifics Hart’s similarity debates Economic (Eurocentric) lived realities Hart, empirics rootedness. learning(s) aspects/stages: pointing insufficiency capturing Africa (provincialisation); mitigating diversifying incorporate informal sector productive activity (learning South). intended such forth trope (linked impoverishment), mitigate agency), any desirable conscious action (having agency) Devlin Esposito Chiodelli formulation diversified (economic) keeping relevant, intact. case displacement (to analysed retrospect. capture/understand myriad practices periphery, thus, mitigated creation analytical category, thereby prevailing end, work, relevant nonetheless, sharpened displace really relying exclusively if answer provided non-West, 80 per cent world’s living [North] America, wrong. Ask anyone trained sciences (which constituted body knowledge) fundamentally wrong “us” societies: modernity incomplete, secularism distorted, democracy immature, development arrested capitalism retarded! ought learn west, could, should, termed using gaze? eliminate concern, intent transforms (an ontological manoeuvre). working America tended reproduce stories governments tell: countries governed formal fashion—if ever prevalent mechanism governance thing past, occurs corrupt clientelist “developing countries” … informality—such personalised non-transparent transactions, together unregulated activities—is framed [in America], understood marginal presence associated pockets poverty immigrant groups. sense, enquire heuristic all-encompassing definition required Herein, practice state, coproduced, altered Véron 2018). helps delinked (e.g. poor, migrants) slums, squatters), practised places. practice-based analytically person practising practices, delineating policy perspective, incorporating norms codes 2019). relegates ethnocentric settlements, quintessential reminiscent Chicago School raking categorises bodies spaces epidemiology driven 1997; Rios 2015). Further, fixed static (Ghertner Kornberg Moatasim (that with) varied, contradictory, inconsistent. These variations, contradictions, inconsistencies ground analysing sections argue relevant. Briefly, combines aims. On hand, providing in-depth individual case, accounts contextual particularities. allowing juxtaposition insights cases, generalisations. studied vending, consumption around bath packets (packaged rice curry lunch). followed object, packet, Colombo (a object boundary). vending neighbourhood Delhi, vended practices/objects varied (from lunch stalls snacks). semi-structured interviews (20 25 Delhi) participant observation primary methods. (long-term) (routine) engage (sellers, producers, users). half interviewed vendors female, male. customers sampled maximum variation reflect male-female ratio. observations voice-recorded, written down end field notes. All names article pseudonyms. section, positions: mine researcher, practitioners, method field. follow thereafter contrast conceptions non-universal talk Sharma, (whom met), Chaturika, Colombo. Sharma sets affluent neighbourhood, (by 6:30 winter wrap-up am). His main clientele consists residents returning walks, maids going vegetables, tiffins (boxes containing rice, chapati, condiments), supplies nearby cluster offices. He manages sell 30?35 day, prepares home, help wife. Chaturika packet five condiments) her mother sister. She sells 30 footpath 11:00 until 3:00 pm. business itself, entities definition. upper-caste Hindu surname never first name. claim hygienic materially spiritually) identity, reinforced sattvic tiffin, surname, overtly frequent enunciations. register/formalise hawking, set reasons, including limited hygiene (Schindler 2014). statal standard scientific regulations, implemented formal). buyers realm, notions derived register. One Sharma’s vegetarian, body. further imposed (pure), prepared Brahmin, polluting onion garlic. caste-based purity health proxy standards. Without details orthopraxy, ascertained proxies systems hygiene) differentially perceived. lunch. kitchens they prepared, checked Public Health Inspectors. certificate, number contact stamped sold. legitimacy certificate quality fact home—“gedara khaema” (literally home Sinhala), extended version she anyway cooked family. Gedara khaema level value, ingredients taste. gedara enunciated gamae village food). item fried buriyani, tapping emotional component cuisine packets, top most sellers have. You selling Bath easy make, money, lot opportunity. [hygiene wise] packaging, person, location. Also once eat couple times, buy. Here peripheral vendors, ascertain packets. inspectors, investigate (although strict regulation pertaining packet’s packaging materials Lanka). With plurality rationalities concerns, perception Delhi. meanings ascribed questioned form formality substituted sells. (registering state) evaded staunch stand present transaction lun