Earlier studies on slums have mainly concentrated on the economic aspects, while ignoring the identity based exclusion by the urban populace. Slum residents have so far been understood or defined as `poor people` although why they are poor hasn’t been answered. Slum communities facing evictions are symbolic of multiple relocations of the deprived communities in the past. These relocations have brought the socio-economic and political development of an individual, the family and the collective community to a jarring halt. Moreover evictions reverse the progress made by families and communities as these communities lose their lived experience based on the place and resources.  It is in this context that the study aims to provide insight into impacts of relocation on lived knowledge, social capital and social support system  through slum dweller’s perspective. By highlighting the exclusion on the basis of caste, typecasting of slum communities, the case explains the reasons for their poverty. This case presents a perspective from the slum dwellers to ensure acknowledgement of the seemingly invisible ways of social exclusion as a way forward to reframe more inclusive practices and policies.

About the Case Author
Issac Arul Selva, is a human rights activist with focus on urban marginalised communities. He is based in Bangalore. He was editor of a Kannada Monthly Magazine – ‘Slum Jagatthu’ for and by Slum dwellers in Bangalore.  He organised many coalitions and Slum organisation in the state of Karnataka which is effective in preventing Slum eviction, getting land right to the people living Slums. As freelance journalist he writes the issue on urban marginalised communities.