Land use change, policy dynamics and urban governance: A case study of urban village redevelopment in Shenzhen

Abstract

<abstract> <p>Urbanization in China is a complex process. The expansion of urbanization has pushed the government to tackle the long existed rural/urban divide by redeveloping urban villages. However, not many studies have focused on the relationship between urban redevelopment and urban governance in relation to specific policy elements, that is, how land use change and policy dynamics reinforce urban governance. By conducting a case study of urban redevelopment in Shenzhen, this article first evaluates the redevelopment background, theoretical perspectives on land use and the policy context of urban villages. Based on the analysis of the case, it was concluded that land use change has played a significant role in urban governance, in which the policy dynamics of urban villages in China are crucial to understanding the redevelopment process. Findings show that an integrated approach was adopted to redevelop the village, which combined both government and community forces. Furthermore, the forces of land use change and the policy dynamics manifested in a co-management process engaged by stakeholders, and eventually reinforced urban governance.</p> </abstract>