The idea of utopia has always been a compelling vision—both an aspiration and a critique of the present. It has crossed temporal and spatial boundaries, manifesting in cities as spaces of hope, desire, and transformation. However, with the dominance of technocratic and neoliberal agendas shaping urban futures worldwide, the deeper questions of justice, memory, and human rights often get overshadowed.

This volume, a collaborative effort between Utrecht University and Jadavpur University, brings together critical essays from scholars in the Netherlands and India. These essays explore how historical and contemporary visions of rights, memory, and justice influence speculative urban planning in South and South-East Asia and beyond. Rooted in literary and historical studies, the book engages in a lively dialogue on key questions:

• How do memory and utopia intersect in urban spaces?
• What debates and power struggles emerge in the process of framing cities as sites of hope, desire, and future-making?
• How do speculative imaginaries contrast with the capitalist-driven forces of urban development and planning?

Through an insightful comparative lens, the essays in this volume critically examine dominant narratives of urban transformation while unveiling alternative imaginations of the city. The book offers a fresh perspective on how urban spaces are shaped, contested, and envisioned in an era of rapid globalization.

A thought-provoking exploration of the politics of urban futures, blending history, memory, rights, and speculation.