Restless in the City

Conversations with Young People in Resettlement Colonies

Restless in the City gives us access to the unfiltered voices of young people from urban poor communities speaking about their expectations from the state, their engagement with the city and neighbourhood, and their personal and familial relationships. The book uncovers deep-rooted injustices within the current workforce, examining cases where young men aspire to work in the public sector even as they hold low-paying jobs in private firms which reinforces their sense of marginalization. The stark difference between rural and urban youth’s relationship with technology, and how it affects their feelings towards love and friendship, is another focus of the conversations we encounter in the book, a focus which also highlights the limits of agency accorded to young women on the margins. Restless in the City is a rare study that delves deep into overlooked issues faced by young people from less privileged localities of Delhi who are constantly navigating the politics of their changing urban milieu.