Doctoral Dissertation Research: Rapid Urbanization and New Town Development

博士论文研究：快速城镇化与新城发展

• 批准号: 1333647
• 负责人: Max Woodworth
• 金额: $ 1.57万
• 依托单位: Ohio State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-08-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1333647&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Rapid; Urbanization

This project investigates one of the most profound changes in human history - the world-wide surge of urbanization. According to a 2007 UN report, the world became more urban than rural in 2006, with more people living in cities than in the countryside. A more recent UN report estimates that the world urban population will increase by 72 percent by 2050, from 3.6 billion in 2011to 6.3 billion in 2050. This unprecedented global urbanization is profound in three ways. First, such an urban revolution signifies the deep reorganization of local and national politics and economy. It entails massive displacement of people and production, the shattering of existing social and economic networks, and the gradual formation of new governance schemes. Second, the rapid growth of cities relies on vociferous consumption of resources and produces increasing pollution. It, as a result, poses serious threats to the sustainability of human society. Third, such rapid urbanization would not have happened without equally fast globalization of the market. Cities now are much more inter-connected. Yet urbanization is highly uneven across the globe. China, with its spectacular economic rise, is now the fastest urbanizing region and the world's largest construction site. How do Chinese cities contribute to global urbanization and in so doing shape the global movements of capital, resources and ideas? Moreover, most of China's urbanization occurs in the newly created towns. In the process, millions of farmers are displaced and an immense amount of resources is invested. However, many of the new towns remain 'ghost towns' or 'sleeping towns', where few people live and work during the day. How do these new (ghost) towns come into being? How should we understand China's rapid urban growth? Using the Hexi New Town in Nanjing in eastern China as a case study site, the research examines how different forces (domestic and foreign, social and material) collaborate or come into conflict with each other and collectively shape these new towns. It employs extensive archival research, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation. Theoretically, the research will integrate three strands of critical urban theory - urban political economy, urban political ecology, and ordinary urbanism. This project will not only provide a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of China's urbanization but also will create a dialogue between Western urban theory and the Chinese experience. The results of the research will be distributed in both academic and media venues in the West as well as in China. It will help local residents better understand the forces affecting their lives, especially civil groups whose interests are impacted by development. Moreover, the research will help ordinary observers outside of China, including those in the US, better assess the dramatic urban changes in China that influence their own lives from afar. Last, as a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this project will provide the necessary support for a promising student to enrich her dissertation, complete her PhD Degree, and provide a solid foundation for her future research career.

该项目探讨了人类历史上最深刻的变化之一-全球范围内的城市化浪潮。根据联合国2007年的一份报告，2006年世界变得更加城市化，生活在城市的人比生活在农村的人多。最近的一份联合国报告估计，到2050年，世界城市人口将增加72%，从2011年的36亿增加到2050年的63亿。这一前所未有的全球城市化在三个方面意义深远。首先，这样的城市革命意味着地方和国家政治经济的深刻重组。这意味着人民和生产大规模流离失所，现有的社会和经济网络遭到破坏，新的治理计划逐步形成。第二，城市的快速增长依赖于对资源的大量消耗，并产生越来越多的污染。因此，它对人类社会的可持续性构成严重威胁。第三，如果没有同样快速的市场全球化，就不会有如此快速的城市化。现在城市之间的联系更加紧密。然而，城市化在地球仪各地极不均衡。随着中国经济的迅速崛起，中国现在是城市化速度最快的地区，也是世界上最大的建筑工地。中国城市如何为全球城市化做出贡献，并在此过程中塑造全球资本、资源和思想的流动？此外，中国的大部分城市化都发生在新建的城镇。在此过程中，数百万农民流离失所，大量资源被投入。然而，许多新市镇仍然是“鬼城”或“睡城”，白天很少有人居住和工作。这些新的（幽灵）城镇是如何形成的？如何看待中国城市化的快速发展？本文以南京河西新城为例，考察了不同力量（国内和国外、社会和物质）如何相互合作或冲突，共同塑造这些新城。它采用了广泛的档案研究，半结构化访谈，和参与者观察。在理论上，本研究将整合批判城市理论的三个分支：城市政治经济学、城市政治生态学和普通城市主义。该项目不仅将提供对中国城市化的更细致和全面的理解，还将在西方城市理论和中国经验之间建立对话。研究结果将在西方和中国的学术和媒体场所发布。它将帮助当地居民更好地了解影响他们生活的力量，特别是其利益受到发展影响的民间团体。此外，这项研究将帮助中国以外的普通观察者，包括美国的观察者，更好地评估中国巨大的城市变化，这些变化从远处影响着他们自己的生活。最后，作为博士论文研究改进奖，本项目将为有前途的学生提供必要的支持，以丰富她的论文，完成她的博士学位，并为她未来的研究生涯奠定坚实的基础。