In her TEDx talk, Phadke as a sociologist carefully dissects the intertwining of gender in urban spaces. Through this, she pursues the concepts of safety and risk, particularly how these concepts have evolved to frame our disposition towards women and loitering in public spaces. Risk and safety need not be absolutely distinct; instead, they can only be assessed in accordance with the societal norms governing them. Shilpa Phadke is a researcher, writer and pedagogue. She trained as a sociologist. She is an Assistant Professor at the School of Media and Cultural Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She has been educated at St. Xavier’s College, SNDT University, TISS in Mumbai and the University of Cambridge, UK. She is co-author of Why Loiter? Women and Risk on Mumbai Streets. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedxSHOW LESS