Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui Province
Based on the theoretical perspective of scalar structuration, this study takes the course of restructuring of the administrative space in Wuhu City, Anhui Province, since 2000 as the empirical case study and discusses in depth the roles of diversified strategies for restructuring urban administrativ...
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| Format: | Article |
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Editorial Committee of Tropical Geography
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Redai dili |
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| Online Access: | https://www.rddl.com.cn/CN/10.13284/j.cnki.rddl.20240439 |
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| author | Ying Wanyun Luo Xiaolong Liu Xiaoman Tang Mi |
| author_facet | Ying Wanyun Luo Xiaolong Liu Xiaoman Tang Mi |
| author_sort | Ying Wanyun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Based on the theoretical perspective of scalar structuration, this study takes the course of restructuring of the administrative space in Wuhu City, Anhui Province, since 2000 as the empirical case study and discusses in depth the roles of diversified strategies for restructuring urban administrative spaces in shaping the scalar system of state power and the power operation mechanism behind it in contemporary China. The study finds that, first, the changes in the scalar relations of state power during the reconfiguration of urban administrative space have unfolded in a three-dimensional structure encompassing the flow, differentiation, and integration of state power in the vertical and horizontal coordinate systems as well as the absorption by the state of autonomy of social organizations. For example, through the restructuring of administrative boundaries of urban districts and counties, the government of prefecture-level city has created and expanded a 'subset' of the scale of its own power with rescaling the spatial jurisdiction of county-level governments. During the shaping of new functional spaces, such as economic and technological development zones, the government of prefecture-level city has consciously divided and then integrated its scalar 'subsets' with reorganizing the state power oriented to the production of capital and social reproduction between the management committees of development zones and the governments of urban districts to achieve growth targets in different stages. Besides, the reform of grassroots governance, such as practices in 'Village to Community', has incorporated rural society into the jurisdiction of the state by establishing a 'quasi-scale' of the state power with the establishment of the Residence Committee in order to promote the extension of the state power to the grassroots of urban governance. The scalar system of the state power shaped by this series of restructuring of urban administrative spaces is no longer confined to the traditional 'hierarchical' structure but is presented as a 'mosaic' of superimposed 'subsets' and 'quasi-scales' of various scales. Second, these changes in scalar relations have been found to be driven by competition among different social actors, such as government agencies at all levels, grassroots autonomous organizations, and residents, with the core interests in the economic value of the production of the territories, while the forms of competition and their results depend on the asymmetry and balances of the fixed power relations characterized by obedience, checks and balances, and intermediation. On the other hand, it also gives rise to a new order of power, as exemplified in the case of the coalitions between social autonomous organizations and the grassroots government. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-167485e4e4044558a188a1b0e1b32cb8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1001-5221 |
| language | zho |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Editorial Committee of Tropical Geography |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Redai dili |
| spelling | doaj-art-167485e4e4044558a188a1b0e1b32cb82024-12-24T07:48:43ZzhoEditorial Committee of Tropical GeographyRedai dili1001-52212024-12-0144122202221310.13284/j.cnki.rddl.202404391001-5221(2024)12-2202-12Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui ProvinceYing Wanyun0Luo Xiaolong1Liu Xiaoman2Tang Mi3School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, Nanjing210008, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, Nanjing210008, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, Nanjing210008, ChinaHigh-Quality Development Evaluation Research Institute, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing210003, ChinaBased on the theoretical perspective of scalar structuration, this study takes the course of restructuring of the administrative space in Wuhu City, Anhui Province, since 2000 as the empirical case study and discusses in depth the roles of diversified strategies for restructuring urban administrative spaces in shaping the scalar system of state power and the power operation mechanism behind it in contemporary China. The study finds that, first, the changes in the scalar relations of state power during the reconfiguration of urban administrative space have unfolded in a three-dimensional structure encompassing the flow, differentiation, and integration of state power in the vertical and horizontal coordinate systems as well as the absorption by the state of autonomy of social organizations. For example, through the restructuring of administrative boundaries of urban districts and counties, the government of prefecture-level city has created and expanded a 'subset' of the scale of its own power with rescaling the spatial jurisdiction of county-level governments. During the shaping of new functional spaces, such as economic and technological development zones, the government of prefecture-level city has consciously divided and then integrated its scalar 'subsets' with reorganizing the state power oriented to the production of capital and social reproduction between the management committees of development zones and the governments of urban districts to achieve growth targets in different stages. Besides, the reform of grassroots governance, such as practices in 'Village to Community', has incorporated rural society into the jurisdiction of the state by establishing a 'quasi-scale' of the state power with the establishment of the Residence Committee in order to promote the extension of the state power to the grassroots of urban governance. The scalar system of the state power shaped by this series of restructuring of urban administrative spaces is no longer confined to the traditional 'hierarchical' structure but is presented as a 'mosaic' of superimposed 'subsets' and 'quasi-scales' of various scales. Second, these changes in scalar relations have been found to be driven by competition among different social actors, such as government agencies at all levels, grassroots autonomous organizations, and residents, with the core interests in the economic value of the production of the territories, while the forms of competition and their results depend on the asymmetry and balances of the fixed power relations characterized by obedience, checks and balances, and intermediation. On the other hand, it also gives rise to a new order of power, as exemplified in the case of the coalitions between social autonomous organizations and the grassroots government.https://www.rddl.com.cn/CN/10.13284/j.cnki.rddl.20240439scalar structurationrescalingadministrative spaceadjustment of administrative divisionspower relationswuhu city |
| spellingShingle | Ying Wanyun Luo Xiaolong Liu Xiaoman Tang Mi Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui Province Redai dili scalar structuration rescaling administrative space adjustment of administrative divisions power relations wuhu city |
| title | Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui Province |
| title_full | Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui Province |
| title_fullStr | Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui Province |
| title_full_unstemmed | Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui Province |
| title_short | Research on the Restructuring of Urban Administrative Space from the Perspective of Scalar Structuration: A Case Study of Wuhu City in Anhui Province |
| title_sort | research on the restructuring of urban administrative space from the perspective of scalar structuration a case study of wuhu city in anhui province |
| topic | scalar structuration rescaling administrative space adjustment of administrative divisions power relations wuhu city |
| url | https://www.rddl.com.cn/CN/10.13284/j.cnki.rddl.20240439 |
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