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Water-caste-gender-tourism nexus in Bodh Gaya, India: assessing water inequalities using urban political ecology framework

Author

Listed:
  • Ritika Rajput

    (United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS))

  • Jian Pu

    (United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
    Toyo University)

Abstract

Framed within urban political ecology, this study presents an analysis of the water–caste–gender–tourism nexus in Bodh Gaya, a small touristic town in India. It examines the interlinked dynamics of the nexus through a mixed-method approach including household surveys (n = 107) and semi-structured interviews (n = 25). By analyzing the synergies and trade-offs, we find that structural inequalities, particularly those based on caste and gender, significantly influence access to water and sanitation as well as a household’s ability to benefit from tourism. Rather than promoting inclusive development, tourism has reproduced and further aggravated pre-existing inequalities in water access for marginalized castes. The lack of an operational wastewater management system poses significant public health risks for residents. This study offers a critical contribution to the growing body of literature on the political ecology of caste, gender, and tourism, emphasizing their intersectional dimensions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ritika Rajput & Jian Pu, 2025. "Water-caste-gender-tourism nexus in Bodh Gaya, India: assessing water inequalities using urban political ecology framework," Sustainability Nexus Forum, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sumafo:v:33:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s00550-025-00567-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s00550-025-00567-z
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