ABSTRACT
Describes the changing life of the city and its inhabitants during the final decades of the twentieth century and examines the complex forces at play in the search for modernity. The author presents us with four case studies of how the city is marketing and selling itself (including its refurbishment for the 2008 Olympic bid) and concludes that Beijing's urban image construction may provide an avenue for opposition groups to challenge the hegemony of those in power.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
chapter 3|52 pages
Selling the Past: Nationalism and the Commodification of History at Yuanmingyuan
The Politics of Heritage, Memory, and Identity
chapter 4|54 pages
The Malling of Wangfujing: Commercial Redevelopment in the Selling of Places
Market Reforms and Consumption
chapter 5|60 pages
Staging the Event-City: Olympics, Anniversaries, and the Politics of City Marketing
Games, Rituals, and Political Spectacle in the Selling of Places