Throwing the urban and the rural together: unconventional ecological farms in China

Abstract

Amidst the backdrop of heightened rural–urban interactions, this article delves into the burgeoning phenomenon of unconventional ecological farms in Dali, a Chinese city that is usually perceived as being on the periphery of the urban world. Employing the planetary urbanization thesis in conjunction with the notion of throwntogetherness, this article explicates the trajectories that underpin the emergence of these peri-urban establishments in a way that displays instances of urbanization. Additionally, this article reveals how ostensibly capitalist moments are intricately interwoven with, and fundamentally contingent upon, the coming together of two reconfigurative forces: (1) the changing aspirations and lifestyle preferences of Chinese urban dwellers, and (2) the increasing emphasis on environmental sustainability in urban governance, a trend that has gained momentum in the country over the past decade. In doing so, this article elucidates the dynamics of rural–urban relationships in contemporary China and highlights the efficacy of a relational approach to unveil the complexities of rural transformations.