Spatial denial and displacement: exploring the literary lineage of protest sites (public spaces)

Abstract

The growing interest in protest research has explored various aspects of collective action–social, cultural, political–yet the physical “space” where these manifestations occur has received little attention. In recent times, the growing hostility and colonial attitude towards protests, coupled with the rhetoric of disruption, have affected the evolvability of the protest phenomenon. Therefore, this paper shows instances of denial, designation, and displacement from the central space of India. Accompanying a multidisciplinary approach, the research efforts in this paper have involved discussion on protest, public space, people, literature, and architecture. Thus, with the exploration of the spatial intricacies of protest, this research analyses the spatial denial, the designation, and the creation of space for protest in the city of Delhi over a historical timeline. Above all, this work focuses on securing the availability, accessibility, and reachability of public spaces for the inclusion of all members of society. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.