Nature and urban citizenship redefined: The case of the National Park in Mumbai

摘要

This paper is a case study of the contemporary changes that affect the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and its surroundings in the city of Mumbai. It cross-examines the relationships between urban nature and urban space in the case of a city of the South. We argue that the issue of equitable access to urban nature is embedded in the larger question of the Right to the City. We show how processes of urban growth that lead to a shrinking of the forested area are associated with a differentiation of the Right to the City, rather than a general consolidation of claims on space. Defence of the park is mobilised to redefine urban citizenship and leads to a form of graduated citizenship. This differentiates those who see their claims on urban space consolidated; those whose urban citizenship is degraded, and those for whom urban citizenship is denied.