Book Details

• Author: Sumit Saurabh Srivastava

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2022

• ISBN: 9788131611890

• Pages: 532

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 4.3 x 3.3 x 0.8 inches

About the Book

This interdisciplinary volume presents a comprehensive exploration of sanitation in India, delving into its intricate connections with caste, class, gender, and public policy. By narrowing its focus specifically to safe excreta disposal, the book intentionally separates sanitation from broader concerns like water supply or waste management, allowing for a focused and critical analysis.

India, despite being one of the fastest-growing economies, faces persistent challenges in ensuring basic sanitation for all. With open defecation still prevalent and millions lacking access to hygienic toilet facilities, this book highlights how these issues intersect deeply with social hierarchies and systemic exclusion. It critically engages with the roles played by the State and by organizations like Sulabh International in addressing these sanitation issues—particularly emphasizing Sulabh’s innovative two-pit toilet technology.

The book pays special attention to the dehumanizing practice of manual scavenging, rooted in India's caste system, and examines both policy measures and on-ground initiatives aimed at its eradication. It also discusses the Swachh Bharat Mission and the unique ideological and practical contributions of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak to sanitation reform.

Rich with academic insight, this volume is an essential contribution to the emerging field of Sociology of Sanitation. It is equally relevant for scholars and students of Development Studies, Policy Studies, Social Work, and those involved in grassroots reform.

About the Author

Sumit Saurabh Srivastava teaches at the Centre for Development Studies, Institute of Inter Disciplinary Studies (IIDS), University of Allahabad. Trained in Sociology and Planning & Development Studies, he was honored with the M.N. Srinivas Memorial Award in 2015 by the Indian Sociological Society. His research focuses on development, gender issues, social exclusion, and violence. He has authored several chapters and research articles in prestigious journals and edited volumes.