Indian Voices of Walkability Book

CONCEPT

The ‘Indian Voices of Walkability’ book project presents a collective of voices from India who are natural advocates of walkable, healthy communities. The voices represent a range of disciplines, from practitioners, academics, neighborhood advocates and more, all who share diverse, expert insight on working towards reclaiming our right to move safely by foot in our community.

The book is a mix of narrative approaches, research-based case studies and awareness-building content to provide a unique and accessible way to engage on topics of walkability. All sections conclude with engagement tips crafted specifically for school groups, community groups and individuals so that the book educates and builds awareness and inspires action at the local level.

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CONTRIBUTIONS

We welcome diverse perspectives and contributions that help educate and shape awareness on walkability issues. We especially encourage narrative approaches that engage the reader(s) in an accessible way as well as through the lens of the writer’s own geography and community in India.  Please note this is not a research-based publication and while we will review research-based contributions, they should be written in a style accessible to the general public.

Submissions may relate to diverse issues of walkability including:

• The current state of walkability in your community and how it affects quality of life (and other issues)
• Issues of access to safe, quality and affordable public transportation in your community.
• How issues of walkability affect diverse generations or groups in your community
• Case study approaches from diverse Indian towns and cities
• Awareness-building content about various aspects of walkability
• How walkability affects local culture and vice versa
• How walkability has changed in your community over the last several decades

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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Submissions should be between 500 – 1000 words
• All content must be original
• Up to 6 high-quality photos relevant to the submission may be included.  Photos must be taken by the writer themselves.
• Each submission requires 2 – 4 ‘Engagement Tips’ at the end of each section. Engagement tips are crafted with school groups, individuals and community groups in mind and are intended to inspire local action and further connect readers to the community.  Writers should provide specific ways for different stakeholder groups to engage with the context they describe in their submission.
• All Submissions will be accepted via this link
• Last date for submissions is 31 March 2024

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TEAM

This book will be published by our press and edited and prefaced with an introduction by Radha RH and Annika Lundkvist. Radha RH is a writer and urbanist based in India whose most recent interest has been the phenomenon of parking, a subject she writes widely about in her annual magazine called the (our) Parking Magazine. Annika Lundkvist is the founder of pedestrianspace.org, a media advocacy platform for issues of walkability, sustainable cities and urban resilience.