An analysis of socio-economic interactions between rural and urban India

Based on the theoretical orientations and few relevant case studies by renowned scholars this article argues that the dimensions of the interaction between rural and urban are increasingly changing in India. The two basic questions addressed in this article are: Do the rural-urban nexus lead to social justice or inequality, development of the nation or deterioration, empowerment of the disempowered or further marginalization of the poor? Do caste inequalities hold its ground in the urban settings if urbanization is to transform the social attributes of rural into urban ones? This article traces the factors contributing to the rural-urban continuum in India. It also looks at the processes of the socio-economic interactions between the villages and cities in India and their impact on both villagers and city dwellers. While appreciating the significance of the increasingly solid nexus between rural and urban, it brings to light some of the issues concerning the lives of human beings.