ON URBAN SPATIAL STRUCTURE IN CHINA: AN INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION PERSPECTIVE
YIN Jie1, ZHANG Jing-xiang1, LUO Xiao-long2
1. Department of Urban and Resources Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China;
2. Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Abstract：Urban spatial structure is a major issue in the studies of Urban Geography and Urban Planning. The aim of this research is to review the literature on urban spatial structure in western societies, in order to provide insights for cities in China. Undoubtedly, the west experiences and theory will shed light on studies of Chinese urban spatial structure. After reviewing the existing literature in west societies, it is clear that research on urban spatial has experienced different paradigms over the past one hundred years, shifting from urban morphogenesis, positivism, to humanism, Marxism, structuralism, etc. Along with this shifting, institutional perspective has been attracting more and more scholarly attention in urban spatial studies in industrialized countries. Apart from capitalism transition, socialist China has also undergone dramatic and similar transitions since the late 1970s. Because of similarities existing in Chinese transition and its western counterparts, we can borrow and apply western theories to Chinese contexts. This study investigates the context of Chinese transition, namely, decentralization, marketization, and globalization, which are important for our understanding of urban restructuring in China. The impacts of these triple processes on urban restructuring are also explored. Finally, institutionally speaking, we put forward three important research areas that need further investigation. First, the changing role of local state is considerably impacting on urban spatial restructuring. Second, the relationship between social restructuring and urban spatial restructuring is becoming a hot debate in China. Due to the rising of market force and civil society, the role of local state in urban development is shifting from government of governance and the actors in building environment is diversified. Some new problems, such as urban poverty, residential polarization, are emerging. Therefore, theories developed in industrialized countries, such as urban regime theory, should been applied in Chinese cities in order to enhance our understanding of Chinese cities. Finally, economic restructuring is one of the most important factors underlying urban transition in China. These new changes of course will bring about challenges for our future inquires. Therefore, the impact of economic restructuring on urban structure is an important aspect of Chinese urban spatial studies.
