Rethinking Economic Geography

If you've ever wondered why some regions flourish while others are left behind — this book offers a new way to understand the answers.

This book is about how economic processes unfold through space — and why it matters. It explores how the geography of economic activity shapes people's lives and contributes to the inequalities we see around us. From farmland to digital space, from rural–urban flows of people and resources to enclave-like spaces such as Special Economic Zones, Rethinking Economic Geography: Global Theories, Southern Pathways, and Indian Experience examines what globalisation means for the Global South, and for India in particular.

The book introduces key ideas and theories from across the world — on relative location, flows of capital and labour, and what this means for development — but views them through India's own historical and everyday realities. How is India different? How do global theories fall short in explaining Indian realities? Bringing together spatial analysis, grounded evidence, and critical perspectives, it helps readers make sense of India's complex and uneven economic landscape.

This textbook will be foundational reading for postgraduate students and an essential reference for undergraduate courses in geography, especially economic geography, development studies, economics, and Global South studies. It will also appeal to policy practitioners, planners, and engaged readers working on questions of regional inequality and development.