Edward Elgar Publishing China’s Urban Century: Governance, Environment and Socio-Economic Imperatives

The achievements of China's urbanization should not be evaluated solely in terms of adequate infrastructures, but also in their ability to implement sound governance practices to ensure social, environmental and economic development. This book addresses several key challenges faced by Chinese cities, based on the most recent policies and experiments adopted by central and local governments. The contributors offer an interdisciplinary analysis of the urbanization process in China, and examine the following key topics: the institutional foundations of Chinese cities, the legal status of the land, the rural to urban migration, the preservation of the urban heritage and the creation of urban community, and the competitiveness of Chinese cities. They define the current issues and challenges emerging from China's urbanization. Students and academics of urban studies and related subjects will find the strong theoretical backgrounds to be of use to their research. Policy-makers and other practitioners will benefit from the practical advice and recommendations. Review 'This is an exciting, informative, and insightful volume produced out of truly multi-disciplinary and international collaborations. It makes a timely and landmark contribution to the understanding of China's phenomenal urban transformation and its social, political, and environmental implications. With its unparalleled breadth and depth, this book provides illuminative accounts of the many facets of China's urbanization past, present, and in the years to come. A must read for any scholars and practitioners interested in the dawn of China's urban century and the new age of global urbanism.' --- George C.S. Lin, Hong Kong University'China's Urban Century is the impressive outcome of a European and Chinese collaborative project. The book extensively covers Chinese urban governance, environment, heritage, lifestyle and megacities. Ambitious and timely, Francois Gipouloux edits the book, not only to address topical issues such as migrant housing, social security and low-carbon development, but also to probe into the fundamental process of city creation, fiscal relations, and community configuration.' --- Fulong Wu, Bartlett, University College London, UK About the Author Edited by François Gipouloux, Emeritus Research Director, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris, France