Emerging divided cities in China: Socioeconomic segregation in Shanghai, 2000–2010

Abstract

Compared with North America and Western Europe, Chinese cities used to feature a low extent of socioeconomic segregation. However, systematic analysis of the changes in socioeconomic segregation after the end of the provision of welfare housing is needed. Using residential-committee-level data from the fifth and sixth censuses of Shanghai, for the first time, this article systematically charts changes in socioeconomic segregation in Chinese cities over the period 2000–2010. Along with the emergence of high-status neighbourhoods and migrant neighbourhoods, Shanghai has grown more divided based on individual socioeconomic status. The extent of socioeconomic segregation in Shanghai was comparable to that of large US and European cities. While patterns of sociospatial divisions are different across central and suburban areas, the level of educational segregation becomes greater than that of hukou segregation. The crucial role of housing commodification in driving these changes highlights the importance of contextual and institutional factors in understanding the dynamics of segregation.

Remaking Shanghai: New Divisions in an Expanding Metropolis

“…Some scholars emphasized its marketization elements. Shen and Xiao (2020: 1342), for example, refer to ‘the total abolishment of the welfare housing system in 1998 [when] the market became the dominant mechanism of residential sorting’. However, we must point out that market‐based inequalities still include important elements of past and present state policy.…”

“…After 2005, however, a new land consolidation policy, intended to make rural land available for urban development, improved the terms for villagers (Tian et al ., 2017). They typically had two options: either to give up their rural hukou and move to a new urban residence with the same floor space or take direct monetary compensation (most moved to towns in the same subdistrict—see Shen and Xiao, 2020: 1344), or to retain their rural status and move to upgraded housing in new villages (Tian et al ., 2017: 893). Relocated villagers profited from cash compensation by selling their new residences and by renting to migrants.…”

Paving the way to growth: transit-oriented development as a financing instrument for Shanghai’s post-suburbanization

“…Last but not least, Chinese suburbs are socially diverse. Suburban residents have different socioeconomic attributes, ranging from wealthy families living in luxury villas, and relocated middle-class families, to rural-to-urban migrant workers living in private rental houses (Shen and Wu, 2013;Shen and Xiao, 2019).…”

The changing geography of urban China: social change and spatial re-division at the neighbourhood level

“…Cities were very small and were not divided into separate residential areas for different income groups. Within each housing-compound individuals from all ranks lived in the same area creating a diverse social mix with strong social ties Shen, 2020;.…”

“…Due to the scope of this project and new insights gained as it unfolded, there are several suggestions we can offer for future research: Segregation has increased during this decade and recent literature suggests that further studies are still needed (Shen 2020). As Chinese cities are still in transition, it is compelling to examine how urban fragmentations continue to unfold.…”