Cambridge University Press Urban Spaces in Contemporary China: The Potential for Autonomy and Community in Post-Mao China (Woodrow Wilson Center Press)

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. Review "...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 Book Description Explores the impact of post-Mao reforms on the economic, social and cultural dimensions of China's cities. From the Back Cover The post-Mao urban reforms of the past decade have physically and psychologically transformed China's cities. Urban Spaces in Contemporary China explores how the character of city life changed after political and economic restructuring intensified in 1984, and how this change affected the creation of new physical, economic, and cultural spaces in urban China. The book focuses on the impact of increased commercialization and reduced state power on associations, economics, government, and creativity in urban areas. The authors draw from a wide range of backgrounds, including anthropology, economics, comparative literature, art history, law, political science, and sociology, and all have lived and worked in a Chinese city for an extended time in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Each brings personal insights to dimensions of Chinese urban life that are often misunderstood: China's large "floating populations", avant-garde art, labor movements, and leisure.