Urban Spaces in Contemporary China: The Potential for Autonomy and Community in Post-Mao China

Description

The post-Mao urban reforms of the last decade have physically and psychologically transformed China's cities. These essays explore how the character of city life shifted after the political-economic restructuring intensified in 1984, and how this shift affected the creation of new physical, economic and cultural space in urban China. The authors draw on a wide range of backgrounds, including anthropology, comparative literature, economics, art history, law, political science and sociology, as well as their own experiences of living and working in Chinese cities to provide insight into lesser known dimensions of urban Chinese life: China's large 'floating populations', avant-garde art, labor movements, and leisure.

"...the diversity of subjects and approaches make this book an informative and interesting read...It contributes to the literature on the state-society divide in Deng Xiaoping's China by providing detailed discussions on various subjects. Readers of this volume, regardless of their interests, will not be disappointed, and, like conference attendees, will certainly find fascinating material in at least some of the offerings here. For those who are concerned with the process of China's socialist transformation, this will be a welcome addition to their libraries. I am grateful to retain my to retain my review copy." Reginald Yin-Wang Kwok, China Review International