Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Spatiotemporal Transformation of Urban Social Landscape: A Case Study of Wuhan, China

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

For decades, urbanization has been a major topic of discussion among academics and professionals when investigating issues such as social segregation, spatial inequality, and urban sustainability. However, little attention has been given to the relationship between social characteristics and the ever-changing development of urban spaces. This paper seeks to investigate progressive changes in the social stratification structure in Wuhan’s urban development zone (UDZ) while focusing on their associated spatial transformations, based on census data of Wuhan in 1990, 2000, and 2010. To obtain this objective, the study will answer two key questions: (1) What are the characteristics of urban social spatial evolutions of Wuhan the second-tier city in China? (2) What are the mechanisms of social spatial evolution? And (3) what role does the social spatial evolution play in urban social planning and management? We used varimax rotated principal component analysis (PCA) to extract social dimensions along with ArcMap to enhance spatial analysis while visualizing the distribution of social factor scores. The results show that since 1990, the local population (particularly the aging population) has reflected a hollowing trend. Industrial relocation and population mobility have become the main social dimensions in the 1990s and 2000s respectively. The characteristics of socio-spatial transformations are from concentric rings as well as combinations of concentric rings, axial aggregations, and multiple clusters. These transformations are formed by the push–pull force of the large area and the centripetal and centrifugal forces inside the city. We have concluded that top-down systems dominate socio-spatial transformations in the early stages, while public participatory management plays a more important role in the later stages, which will become inclusive governance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

source: http://hb.ifeng.com/news/jjcs/detail_2013_07/05/967640_0.shtml; A national central city Wuhan in a high-speed railway network, source: )

Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The city tier system is a hierarchical classification of Chinese cities with four categories. Although Chinese government does not recognize an official definition of the tier system, it is frequently referred to by various media publications and academic papers. The tier system has gained wide popularity in recent years as a point of reference. According to the city classification of the National Bureau of Statistics in the residential sales price survey, the first-tier cities are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The second tier-tier cities are provincial capital cities, autonomous capital cities and other sub-provincial cities, including Wuhan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Tianjin, Chengdu, etc. The third- and fourth-tier cities are the rest (China National Bureau of Statistics, 2018).

  2. Wuhan has experienced the evolution of three traditional towns. They are Hankou (west of the Yangtze River and north of the Han River), Hanyang (west of the Yangtze River and south of the Han River) and Wuchang (east and south of the Yangtze River). Traditional towns are mainly concentrated in the city center near the intersection of rivers.

  3. For the variables interpreting the same factor, if the correlation coefficients are equal or greater than 0.9, only one is kept.

  4. According to the rule of thumb, if the skewness standard error is between -0.5 and 0.5, the data are approximately symmetrical.

  5. The KMO test measures ‘sampling adequacy. This measure varies between 0 and 1, and values closer to 1 are better’. The BTS tests ‘the null hypothesis that the correlation matrix is an identity matrix’. This null hypothesis should be rejected for factor analysis. (Source: https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/spss/output/factor-analysis/).

  6. Varimax is to ‘minimize the number of variables that have high loadings on each factor, which simplifies the interpretation of the factors’. (Source: https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/spss/output/factor-analysis/).

  7. The dependence of Wuhan's local finance on land transfer fee is higher than 0.7, ranking top 10 among big cities in China. In 2007, the dependence was as high as 0.86. (Data source: Research Institute of Taxation, State Administration of Taxation (2014).).

References

  • Alonso, W. (1964). Location and land use. Toward a general theory of land rent. Location and land use. Toward a general theory of land rent. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

  • Arapoglou, V. P. (2012). Diversity, inequality and urban change. European Urban and Regional Studies, 19(3), 223–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berg, J. A. (2010). Race, class, gender, and social space: Using an intersectional approach to study immigration attitudes. The Sociological Quarterly, 51(2), 278–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bieri, D., Knox, P., & Wei, F. (2012). Changing social ecologies of US suburban areas, 1960–2000. University of Michigan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brade, I., Herfert, G., & Wiest, K. (2009). Recent trends and future prospects of socio-spatial differentiation in urban regions of Central and Eastern Europe: A lull before the storm? Cities, 26(5), 233–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burgess, E. W. (1925). Can neighborhood work have a scientific basis? The City, edited.

  • Cao, H., & Villeneuve, P. (1998). “La localisation des garderies dans l’espace social de l’agglomération de Québec” (Social Space and Daycare Centers in the Quebec Metropolitan Area). Cahiers De Géographie Du Québec, 42(115), 35–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao, H., Zhao, Y., & Losier, S. (2000). “Le projet urbain de Pudong à Shanghai offre-t-il un développement durable pour la globalisation de la Chine? ” (Does the Pudong Urban Project in Shanghai Have a Sustainable Future?). Les Annales De La Recherche Urbaine, 86, 92–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, J., & Zhou, J. (2015). Urban growth in a rapidly urbanized mega city: Wuhan. In Urban Development Challenges, Risks and Resillence in Asian Mega Cities (pp. 301–322). Springer, Tokyo.

  • China National Bureau of Statistics (2018). Residential Real Estate Price Statistics, http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjfw/tjzx/tjzxbd/201811/t20181121_1634999.html (In Chinese. 中国国家统计局 (2018), 住宅销售价格调查.)

  • Etienne, F. (2008). Urban growth and segregation in the roanoke, virginia, metropolis: the effects of low-density development on low-income populations and racial minorities. Virginia Commonwealth University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flood, J. (2000). Sydney divided: factorial ecology revisited. residential differentiation in Australian Cities: working paper 2. In Australian Population Association Conference, 28th November-1st December.

  • Gaudreau, M., & Cao, H. (2015). Political constraints on adaptive governance: Environmental NGO networks in Nanjing, China. The Journal of Environment & Development, 24(4), 418–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodchild, M. F., & Janelle, D. G. (1984). The city around the clock: Space-time patterns of urban ecological structure. Environment and Planning A, 16(6), 807–820.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gu, C., & Kesteloot, C. (1997). Social polarisation and segregation phenomenon in Beijing. Acta Geographica Sinica, 64(5), 385–393. (In Chinese. 顾朝林, & 克斯特洛德. (1997). 北京社会极化与空间分异研究. 地理学报,  64(5), 385–393.)

  • Gu, C., & Shen, J. (2003). Transformation of urban socio-spatial structure in socialist market economies: The case of Beijing. Habitat International, 27(1), 107–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han, R. (2012). Urban transformation in China: From an urban ecological perspective (Doctoral dissertation, Université d'Ottawa/University of Ottawa).

  • Han, R., Cao, H., & Liu, Z. (2018). Studying the urban hierarchical pattern and spatial structure of China using a synthesized gravity model. Science China Earth Sciences, 61(12), 1818–1831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, C. D., & Ullman, E. L. (1945). The nature of cities. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 242(1), 7–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyt, H. (1939). The structure and growth of residential neighborhoods in American cities. US Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Z., Xue, D., Lyons, M. & Brown, AMB. (2008) The African enclave of Guangzhou: A case study of Xiaobeilu. Acta Geographica Sinica, 63(2), 208–218. (In Chinese. 李志刚, 薛德升, Lyons, M., & Brown, A. (2008). 广州小北路黑人聚居区社会空间分析. 地理学报, 63(2): 208–218.)

  • Li, Z., Wu, F., & Xiao, Y. (2014). Residential segregation of new migrants in Guangzhou, China: A study of the 6th census. Geographical Research, 33(11), 2056–2068. (In Chinese. 李志刚, 吴缚龙, 肖扬 (2014).基于全国第六次人口普查数据的广州 新移民居住分异研究.地理研究 33(11), 2056–2068).

  • Li, B. (2005). Urban social change in transitional China: A perspective of social exclusion and vulnerability. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 13(2), 54–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, D., Li, X., Wang, B., Hong, Y., Fang, X., Qin, X., & Stanton, B. (2011). Discrimination, perceived social inequity, and mental health among rural-to-urban migrants in China. Community Mental Health Journal, 47(2), 171–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Z., & Cao, H. (2017). Spatio-temporal urban social landscape transformation in pre-new-urbanization era of Tianjin, China. Environment and Planning b: Urban Analytics and City Science, 44(3), 398–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murdie, R. (1969). Factorial Ecology of Metropolitan Toronto, 1951–1961: An Essay in the. Social Geography of a City. Chicago: Chicago University Press.

  • Qiao, X. C., & Huang, Y. H. (2013). Floating populations across provinces in China-analysis based on the sixth census. Popul Dev, 19(1), 13–22. (In Chinese. 乔晓春, & 黄衍华. (2013). 中国跨省流动人口状况——基于 “六普” 数据的分析. 人口与发展, 19(1), 13–22.)

  • Shen, J. (2013). Increasing internal migration in China from 1985 to 2005: Institutional versus economic drivers. Habitat International, 39, 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shevky, E., & Bell, W. (1955). Social area analysis; theory, illustrative application and computational procedures. Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Squires, G. D., Bennett, L., & McCourt, K. (1989). Chicago: Race, class, and the response to urban decline. Temple University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanilov, K. (2007). Urban development policies in Central and Eastern Europe during the transition period and their impact on urban form. In The Post-Socialist City (pp. 347-359). Springer, Dordrecht.

  • Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Pearson Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, B. (2004). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis: Understanding concepts and applications. American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, W. W., & Fan, C. C. (2012). Migrant workers’ integration in urban China: Experiences in employment, social adaptation, and self-identity. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 53(6), 731–749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Z., Zhang, F., & Wu, F. (2016). Intergroup neighbouring in urban China: Implications for the social integration of migrants. Urban Studies, 53(4), 651–668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei L., & Yan X. (2006). Summaries and analysis on studies about urban social space in the socialist transitional countries. Human Geography, 21(4), 7–12. (In Chinese. 魏立华, & 闫小培. (2006). 有关 “社会主义转型国家” 城市社会空间的研究述评. 人文地理, 21(4), 7–12.)

  • Williams, A., & Emamdjomeh, A. (2018). America is more diverse than ever -- but still segregated. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/segregation-us-cities/

  • Wu, Q., Cheng, J., Chen, G., Hammel, D. J., & Wu, X. (2014). Socio-spatial differentiation and residential segregation in the Chinese city based on the 2000 community-level census data: A case study of the inner city of Nanjing. Cities, 39, 109–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, X., Hu, H., & Yeh, A. (1989). A factorial ecological study of social spatial structure in Guangzhou. Acta Geographica Sinica, 56(4), 385–399. (In Chinese: 许学强, 胡华颖, & 叶嘉安. (1989). 广州市社会空间结构的因子生态分析. 地理学报, 56(4), 385–399.)

  • Xue, D. S., & Huang, G. Z. (2008). Regulation beyond formal regulation: Spatial gathering and surviving situation of the informal sectors in urban village case study in Xiadu Village of Guangzhou City. Geographical Research, 27(6), 1390–1399. (In Chinese: 薛德升, & 黄耿志 (2008). 管制之外的“管制”: 城中村非正规部门的 空间集聚与生存状态——以广州市下渡村为例. 地理研究, 27(6), 1390–1399.)

  • Yi, C., Zhang, C., Wu, S., Gao, M., & Liang, H. (2014). Spatial restructuring of senior population in Beijing from 2000–2010. Urban Development Studies, 21(2), 66–71. (In Chinese. 易成栋, 张纯, 吴淑萍, 高萌, & 梁环. (2014). 2000–2010 年北京市老年人口空间分布及其变动研究. 城市发展研究, 21(2), 66–71.

  • Yong, A. G., & Pearce, S. (2013). A beginner’s guide to factor analysis: Focusing on exploratory factor analysis. Tutorials in Quantitative Methods for Psychology, 9(2), 79–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Z., Li, J., Chen, S. et al. (2011). Spatial distribution of affordable houses in cities: a case study of Wuhan based on DEM. Acta Geographica Sinica, 66(10), 1309–1320. (In Chinese: 张祚, 李江风, 陈双, & 刘艳中. (2011). 经济适用住房在城市中的空间分布——基于 DEM 的武汉市实例分析. 地理学报, 66(10), 1309–1320.)

  • Zhou, C., Liu, Y. and Zhu, H. (2006). Analysis on social areas of Guangzhou city during the economic system transformation. Acta Geographica Sinica, 61(10): 1046–1056. (In Chinese: 周春山, 刘洋, 朱红 (2006). 转型时期广州市社会区分析. 地理学报, 61(10): 1046–1056.)

  • Zhou, C., & Ye, C. (2013). Progress on studies of urban spatial structure in China. Progress in Geography, 32(7), 1030–1038. (In Chinese. 周春山, & 叶昌东. (2013). 中国城市空间结构研究评述. 地理科学进展, 32(7), 1030–1038.)

  • Zhou, C., Xu, X., & Sylvia, S. (1998). Population distribution and its change in Guangzhou city. Chinese Geographical Science, 8(3), 193–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zwick, W. R., & Velicer, W. F. (1982). Factors influencing four rules for determining the number of components to retain. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 17(2), 253–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zwick, W. R., & Velicer, W. F. (1986). Comparison of five rules for determining the number of components to retain. Psychological Bulletin, 99(3), 432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Liqin Zhang & Huhua Cao

  2. Department of Public Administration, China University of GeoSciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, China

    Liqin Zhang

  3. Center for Geospatial Information Science, University of Maryland, Maryland, MD, 20742, USA

    Ruibo Han

Authors
  1. Liqin Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ruibo Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Huhua Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liqin Zhang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Appendix

Appendix

See Fig. 10.

Fig. 10
figure 10

Social spatial transformation (city center)

Full size image

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, L., Han, R. & Cao, H. Spatiotemporal Transformation of Urban Social Landscape: A Case Study of Wuhan, China. Soc Indic Res 163, 1037–1061 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-022-02929-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-022-02929-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation