Application of an interdisciplinary research framework for discerning land use transitions in the peri-urban areas of India

This paper proposes and applies a novel interdisciplinary framework to study peri-urban land use dynamics in India, which is theoretically embedded in the concepts of land use transition, land change science and neoliberlisation of nature. The framework is operationalised by a mixed methods approach cutting across scale and time to provide a comprehensive understanding of land use transitions. The paper proves the applicability of land use transition theory in India by establishing that the core state Delhi is in the urbanised/industrialised stage of land use transition, whereas the peripheral states are in a transition from frontier to agricultural stage of land use transition. The paper also provides evidence for different political economy-derived logics of nature's neoliberalisation. Field visits as well as expert and household interviews uncover a nexus between the state, civil society and economy in exploitation and degradation of natural resources for their vested interests. The use of local and global open access data in the framework makes it transferable to similar regions of the Global South facing data constrains.

Automated summary

This paper introduces and applies an innovative interdisciplinary framework to study the dynamics of peri-urban land use in India, incorporating concepts of land use transition, land change science, and the neoliberalization of nature. Using a mixed methods approach, the framework offers a comprehensive understanding of land use transitions across different scales and time periods. The study confirms the applicability of land use transition theory in India, revealing that the core state Delhi has reached the urbanized/industrialized stage, while peripheral states are transitioning from frontier to agricultural land use. Furthermore, the paper uncovers various logics of nature's neoliberalization derived from political economy, highlighting the exploitation and degradation of natural resources by the state, civil society, and economy for their own interests. The framework's use of local and global open access data makes it transferable to similar regions in the Global South facing data constraints.