Doctoral Dissertation Research: Rapid Urbanization and New Town Development

这个项目调查了人类历史上最深刻的变化之一--世界范围内的城市化浪潮。根据2007年联合国的一份报告，2006年，世界变得更多的是城市而不是农村，居住在城市的人口比居住在农村的人口更多。联合国最近的一份报告估计，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。这种史无前例的全球城市化在三个方面都是深远的。首先，这样一场城市革命标志着地方和国家政治经济的深度重组。它要求人们和生产大量流离失所，现有的社会和经济网络遭到破坏，并逐步形成新的治理方案。其次，城市的快速发展依赖于对资源的喧嚣消耗，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，就不会出现如此快速的城市化。如今，城市之间的联系更加紧密。然而，全球各地的城市化水平极不平衡。中国凭借其惊人的经济崛起，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，并由此塑造资本、资源和思想的全球流动？此外，中国的城市化大部分发生在新创建的城镇。在这个过程中，数百万农民流离失所，投入了大量资源。然而，很多新市镇仍然是“鬼城”或“沉睡城”，白天生活和工作的人很少。这些新的(鬼城)是如何形成的？我们应该如何理解中国的城市快速增长？本研究以位于中国东部的南京河西新城为个案，考察不同的力量(国内外、社会和物质)如何合作或相互冲突，从而共同塑造这些新城。它采用了广泛的档案研究、半结构化访谈和参与者观察。理论上，这项研究将整合城市政治经济学、城市政治生态学和普通城市主义这三个批判的城市理论。这一项目不仅将提供对中国城市化的更细微和更全面的理解，还将在西方城市理论和中国经验之间创造对话。研究结果将在西方的学术和媒体场所以及中国上发布。它将帮助当地居民更好地了解影响他们生活的力量，特别是那些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，更好地评估中国戏剧性的城市变化，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，该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。

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.