Speaker
Description
Gentrification, a term first introduced in 1964, initially referred to the process of middle-class re-entry and transformation of working-class communities in central London (Glass, 1964). Over time, the concept has expanded beyond the return of capital to cities or the pursuit of specific lifestyle by the middle class (Zhang et al., 2014). Today, gentrification is increasingly linked to urban renewal policies and, driven by government initiatives, has become a global urban strategy to attract capital investment (Lees, 2000; Smith, 2002). Its manifestations vary significantly across countries and economic systems (He, 2019). In China, as the world's largest developing country, gentrification is frequently employed as an urban renewal strategy, leveraging land reuse to generate capital accumulation (Li et al., 2018). However, existing research offers limited comparative analyses of urban renewal models across different contexts, particularly regarding the interplay between gentrification and renewal strategies.
This study focuses on government-led residential renewal projects in China's authoritarian context, exploring the roles and strategies of various stakeholders in the gentrification process. It aims to contribute new perspectives for both the theoretical understanding of gentrification and the practical application of urban renewal initiatives. Two representative cases in Beijing are analyzed: Yuer Hutong in Nanluoguxiang and Courtyard No. 58 on Jiaoda East Road. The former represents a top-down policy-driven renewal model, while the latter reflects a bottom-up development approach. By investigating the interaction among state, market, and society, and how these interactions influence the gentrification process, this research provides empirical evidence for understanding the diverse pathways of urban renewal in China.
This study employs qualitative research methods, including random and snowball sampling, to conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, such as residents, shop owners, street committee staff, and planning and design professionals. Data analysis is conducted using triangulation to ensure robustness. The findings reveal that while the government plays a dominant role in urban renewal strategies involving gentrification, the opinions and actions of developers and residents significantly influence renewal model within the policy framework. Furthermore, while gentrification can drive economic growth, it also bring certain negative social impacts.
By analyzing government-led urban renewal models that incorporate gentrification as a core strategy, this study reveals the complex relationships among stakeholders and their impact on renewal approaches. It offers practical recommendations for future residential urban renewal planning, emphasizes the adoption "mild gentrification" as a policy strategy to achieve sustainable and efficient urban renewal.
References
Glass, R. (1964) London: aspects of change. London: MacGibbon & Kee.
He, S. (2019) Three Waves of State‐led Gentrification in China, Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie, 110(1), pp. 26–34. doi: 10.1111/tesg.12334.
Lees, L. (2000) A reappraisal of gentrification: towards a “geography of gentrification”, Progress in human geography, 24(3), pp. 389–408. doi: 10.1191/030913200701540483.
Li, X., Kleinhans, R. and van Ham, M. (2018) Shantytown redevelopment projects: State-led redevelopment of declining neighbourhoods under market transition in Shenyang, China, Cities, 73, pp. 106–116. doi: 10.1016/j.cities.2017.10.016.
Smith, N. (2002) New Globalism, New Urbanism: Gentrification as Global Urban Strategy, Antipode, 34(3), pp. 427–450. doi: 10.1111/1467-8330.00249.
Zhang, X. et al. (2014) Inner-City Urban Redevelopment in China Metropolises and the Emergence of Gentrification: Case of Yuexiu, Guangzhou, Journal of urban planning and development, 140(4). doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000169.
| Keywords | China; Governance; Gentrification; Urban renewal |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
