Speaker
Description
Scene theory, rooted in a consumption-oriented perspective, conceptualizes space as an arena where diverse consumption symbols and cultural values converge. The theory’s primary contribution lies in its innovative shift from an economy-driven to a culture-driven urban development paradigm and its introduction of quantitative scene analysis methods. Since the establishment of the historic city protection system in 1982, China’s cultural heritage preservation practices have evolved from a focus on "construction control" to a "three-tiered protection system" and, more recently, to an emphasis on "value transmission." However, as an integral component of this system, the question of how historic towns can achieve value transmission as living heritage has become central to cultural heritage preservation efforts.
This study explores the localization and reconstruction of scene theory to address the challenges of identifying and evaluating value transmission in the context of China's current cultural heritage preservation practices. It addresses three key conflicts: the divergence between the cultural consumption orientation of post-industrial urban economies and the cultural transmission orientation of contemporary China's cultural renaissance; the discrepancies between the meanings of scene elements in migratory and localized contexts; and the differences in scene value dimensions between Western and Chinese cultural frameworks. Using Mizhi Ancient Town as a case study, this research collects initial data through field surveys and web data scraping, and employs grounded theory to reconstruct scene value dimensions guided by a cultural transmission framework. Context-specific scene elements are defined based on the socio-ecological characteristics of Mizhi, leading to the development of a localized scene analysis framework.
The findings demonstrate that the localized scene analysis framework effectively evaluates the cultural transmission outcomes attributed to different actors in the production of space within living heritage contexts. It identifies weaknesses in value transmission and proposes targeted strategies and measures for improvement. This framework not only provides a practical tool for assessing value transmission in the preservation of historic towns in China but also contributes to theoretical innovation and practical advancement in the field of cultural heritage preservation in the contemporary era.
References
a. Clark, T. N. (2004). The City as an Entertainment Machine. Emerald Group Publishing.
b. Clark, T. N., Lloyd, R., Wong, K. K., & Jain, P. (2002). "Amenities Drive Urban Growth." Journal of Urban Affairs, 24(5), 493–515.
c. Silver, D., Clark, T. N., & Yanez, C. (2010). "Scenes: Social Context in an Age of Contingency." Social Forces, 88(5), 2293–2324.
d. Silver, D., Clark, T. N., Rothfield, L., & Yanez, C. (2008). "A Theory of Scenes." Poetics, 36(1), 83–109.
| Keywords | scene theory； localizationhistoric city; historic town preservation; value transmission |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
