ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on recent transformations and emerging key issues. An empirically and theoretically significant contribution of the volume is the strong, close-to-the-ground perspectives presented by scholars based in leading universities and research institutions both inside and outside China. The book includes the decline of China'ss household registration or hukou system; urban demolition and home protection; urban socio-spatial and sectoral restructuring; rural migrants in cities; urban gated communities: self-governance; and greening and cleaning up of cities. To reflect the complexities of the process, the book discusses the transformation of Chinese cities in the context of six major interlocking themes. The consequences of urban socio-spatial and sectoral restructuring form are the one of the theme of the book. Finallly, the book looks at a new form of the urban communities, the gated communities.
