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Resilience in Ecology and Urban Design pp 289–297Cite as

Eco-Cities Without Ecology: Constructing Ideologies, Valuing Nature

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Part of the book series: Future City ((FUCI,volume 3))

Abstract

In the last 5 years, prominent large-scale “eco-city” development proposals have emerged around the globe. The term has been increasingly applied to a number of different projects that embrace a broad array of ideological and ecological goals. We outline the ideologies embedded in contemporary eco-city development through a case-study approach, focusing on two high-profile eco-cities. The two eco-city proposals we examine include one located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates called Masdar and another one in Shanghai, China known as Dongtan. We ask the question: are “eco-cities” really about “ecological cities”? We argue that this new iteration of eco-city development is based on an ideological world-view akin to green, state-sponsored capitalism, and ultimately, “eco-cities” are less about “ecological cities” than about enacting and supporting pro-capitalist ideologies, albeit with a green veneer. We argue that these eco-cities present a new process of the consumption of nature.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. American Studies, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

    Julie Sze

  2. Office of Research and Development, ESD, US EPA, Las Vegas, NV, USA

    Gerardo Gambirazzio

Authors
  1. Julie Sze
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  2. Gerardo Gambirazzio
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Correspondence to Julie Sze .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Sharon Turnpike 2801, Millbrook, 12545-0129, New York, USA

    S.T.A. Pickett

  2. , Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Shields Avenue 1, Davis, 95616, California, USA

    M.L. Cadenasso

  3. , Sch Constructed Environments, Parsons the New School for Design, East 13th Street 25, New York, 10011, New York, USA

    Brian McGrath

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Sze, J., Gambirazzio, G. (2013). Eco-Cities Without Ecology: Constructing Ideologies, Valuing Nature. In: Pickett, S., Cadenasso, M., McGrath, B. (eds) Resilience in Ecology and Urban Design. Future City, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5341-9_14

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