Coalitions and urban transformation: contributions and limits

ABSTRACT Diana Mitlin assesses the contributions of reform coalitions for more inclusive and equitable urban outcomes. This commentary examines three aspects of Mitlin’s arguments. First, it elaborates on the nature of knowledge that coalitions catalyse, suggesting that this could contribute to building a theory of practice on coalitions and city-making. Second, it examines the nature of the transformations coalitions seek to achieve emphasizing the generation of a transformative politics that seeks to democratize governance systems rather than one focused solely on material outcomes. Third, it interrogates the structural limits of what coalitions can achieve in the contemporary moment. The commentary draws from the author’s own experience of Indian cities.