Neoliberalization and the Changing Roles of Stakeholders in State-Led Shantytown Redevelopment in Shenyang City, China

21 Pages Posted: 22 Aug 2016

See all articles by Xin Li

Xin Li

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) - Academy of Mathematics and Systems Sciences

Reinout Kleinhans

Delft University of Technology

Maarten van Ham

Delft University of Technology - OTB Research Institute for Housing, Urban and Mobility Studies; University of St. Andrews; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Abstract

Neoliberal politics in China have changed the roles of, and the interrelationships between, the state, the market and society in urban restructuring. Since 2008, the central state has initiated the Shantytown Redevelopment Projects (SRPs) to improve the living conditions of low-income residents. Between 2008 and 2012, about 12.6 million households were involved in these national SRPs, and forced to move as their dwellings were demolished. This paper investigates how different stakeholders perceive and interact with each other in the state-led SRPs in Shenyang City in Northeast China. Through in-depth interviews with a range of stakeholders and analysis of policy documentation on SRPs, we find that there is a complex interplay between centralization, decentralization, marginalization of market forces, and the empowerment of residents in SRPs. The central government has replaced local governments in the initiation of redevelopment projects in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. District-level governments have replaced developers and municipal governments in land expropriation. Developers have become marginalized in SRPs and residents have become more empowered in the land expropriation taking place in urban redevelopment.

Keywords: Shantytown redevelopment, neoliberalization, governance, demolition, China

JEL Classification: O18, R23

Suggested Citation

Li, Xin and Kleinhans, Reinout and van Ham, Maarten and van Ham, Maarten, Neoliberalization and the Changing Roles of Stakeholders in State-Led Shantytown Redevelopment in Shenyang City, China. IZA Discussion Paper No. 10141, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2826975 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2826975

Xin Li (Contact Author)

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) - Academy of Mathematics and Systems Sciences ( email )

Zhong-Guan-Cun-Dong-Lu 55, Haidian District
Beijing, 100080, P.R., Beijing 100080
China

Reinout Kleinhans

Delft University of Technology ( email )

Maarten Van Ham

Delft University of Technology - OTB Research Institute for Housing, Urban and Mobility Studies ( email )

P.O. Box 5043
2600 GA Delft
Netherlands
+31 15 278 2782 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.maartenvanham.nl

University of St. Andrews ( email )

North St
Saint Andrews, Fife KY16 9AJ
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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