Negotiation and authority: The dynamics of spatial and value transformation in Chinese arts districts

Chen, Linhao 2024. Negotiation and authority: The dynamics of spatial and value transformation in Chinese arts districts. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This thesis investigates how cultural value, spatial legitimacy, and governance interact in the transformation of urban arts districts in China. Focusing on Songzhuang (Beijing), Xiaozhou (Guangzhou), and Blue Roof (Chengdu), the study explores how artist communities, local actors, and government bodies negotiate cultural space within rapidly urbanising peripheries. Challenging the notion that Chinese cultural districts are simply state-driven projects, the research demonstrates how these spaces evolve through contested and conjunctural interactions among diverse stakeholders. To analyse these dynamics, the study develops an Economic–Political–Spatial (EPS) framework that combines Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital, Foucault’s concept of governmentality, and Boltanski and Thévenot’s theory of justification. Drawing on qualitative case studies, field observations, interviews, and policy analysis, the thesis shows that while all three districts share similar origins, their trajectories diverge due to shifting political priorities, symbolic power asymmetries, and evolving stakeholder alliances. The findings reveal that culture can function either as a long-term place-making force or a transient tool in urban redevelopment—depending on the local negotiation of worth and legitimacy. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of cultural governance in hybrid political systems and offers new insights into the moral and institutional dimensions of urban space-making in China.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	urban cultural governance; art districts; justification theory; spatial transformation; cultural policy in China; Bourdieu; Foucault; creative clusters; authoritarian urbanism; cultural value negotiation
Last Modified:	22 May 2025 15:05
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/178406

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