Lecture:Changing Cultures and Sociospatial Restructuring in Urban China: Shanghai
Deljana Iossifova, University of Manchester
Thursday, December 5, 2013 6 pm KWZ, Room 0.602
The talk explores closely linked processes of urban restructuring in China – rural-to-urban migration, urban redevelopment (including demolition and resettlement) and the ‘worlding’ of cities – through the lens of sanitation infrastructure and practices. Sanitation is here understood as a nexus between different spatial scales, social groups and levels of governance. On the case of Shanghai, the talk traces the evolution of sanitation infrastructure over time to illustrate the varying sanitation-related experiences and practices among different social groups in the contemporary city, raising the following questions: How do sanitation practices and perceptions impact on both
everyday life and long-term life trajectories? How do dissimilar groups and individuals negotiate their differing practices? How are different inequalities produced, reproduced and, potentially, negotiated? How are policies and practices on the ground linked with global economic and ecological processes? In this way, the talk explores the
contemporary challenges faced by municipalities and urban dwellers alike and considers some likely consequences for the future of growing cities in China and beyond.