Progress of Gentrification Research in China: A Bibliometric Review

Abstract

Gentrification, as a term introduced into China 20 years ago, has now become a topical word in scholarly discussion. This paper for the first time used the software of multiple pieces to analyze literature on gentrification between 1996 and 2017 in China based on bibliometrics, aiming to get the overview of the study, identify and expound the research themes, and analyze their evolution. It showed that the study on gentrification had entered into an exploratory stage with fluctuation from the early germination stage; gentrification research mainly concentrated on two disciplines, namely Geography and Urban and Rural Planning; the top 10 influential authors were identified and collaborative research teams leading the gentrification research had initially been formed. The themes of gentrification research in China were decided by visual analysis method, including urban renewal and dynamic mechanism of gentrification, evaluation and response to the effects of gentrification, new types of gentrification, and historical and cultural heritage conservation and creative industry, on which deeper content and information were described in detail. In terms of research themes evolution analysis, the results showed that the gentrification research in China had experienced the shift from initial concept and literature introduction to current empirical research and theory construction. There are significant signs showing the future trends of gentrification will move to the construction of a theoretical system of gentrification with Chinese characteristics, gentrification consequences evaluation and urban policies, new types of gentrification, gentrification driven by cultural consumption and authenticity protection of gentrification-stricken historical and cultural heritages, application of new technology to gentrification research, and relationship between shantytown renovation and gentrification in China. As to this paper, as far as the authors know, it is the first comprehensive systematic summary within this field based on bibliometric analysis.

Megaprojects, Gentrification, and Tourism. A Systematic Review on Intertwined Phenomena

“…Between 2011 and 2021, 85% of all the studies included were published. Indeed, similar evolutions have been observed in other literature reviews, for example, one about gentrification research [22]. This might be linked to the general increase in contributions in the field of gentrification.…”

Comparing spatial and content analysis of residents and tourists using Geotagged Social Media Data. The Historic Neighbourhood of Alfama (Lisbon), a case study

“…These historic and residential neighbourhoods are often vulnerable areas, which came to arise tourist's interest in their picturesque ways of life, as portraits of a more authentic experience and gateways of cultural immersion. The cases studied pile up, neighbourhoods in Berlin (Füller & Michel, 2014) and in Madrid (Lavapiés) (Sequera & Janoshka, 2013), or in coastal cities associated with sun, sea and sand tourism such as Palma de Mallorca (Morell, 2009), historic centres in emerging destinations such as Latin America (Hiernaux & González, 2014) and China (Liu, Zhu, Li, Sun, & Huang, 2019) or triggered by religious practices such as the Camino de Santiago (Pérez Guilarte & Lois González, 2018).…”

Young Pioneers, Vitality, and Commercial Gentrification in Mudan Street, Changchun, China

“…The usual results were new buildings that stood nearly empty, and businesses that became depressed. To some extent, these results suggest gaps in the micro-cognition of the evolutionary mechanisms of bottom-up commercial space renewal, and in the research of gentrification in Eastern contexts [3,8].…”

“…For its considerable effects, such as the upgrading of landscapes and enhancing of land values, on urban management, gentrification has been a preferred strategy for city renewal by municipalities around the world [2]. However, gentrification strategies based on Western contexts are often impractical in developing countries because of the different political systems and economic conditions, and the different spatial and temporal paths of urban development [3]. In the 1990s, urban renewal in China started in the large cities [4,5].…”