Restructuring Beijing's Social Space: Observations on the Olympic Games in 2008

Abstract

Two American geographers comment on the preceding analysis of restructuring of Beijing's social space (Feng et al., 2007) by presenting observations on the city's Olympic Games, forthcoming in the summer of 2008. The authors focus on some of the more salient geographical impacts stemming from construction, relocation, and related measures undertaken by the authorities to accommodate the event. Included in the paper are sections on environmental concerns (particularly air pollution), infrastructure (water supply, automobile traffic, and mass transit), and relocation and displacement of residents (particularly of migrants and other disadvantaged segments of the population). Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: I31, O15, O18, P20. 2 figures, 2 tables, 44 references.

Keywords:

• China
• Beijing
• Olympic Games
• air pollution
• environmental protection
• urban housing
• urban water supply
• automobile traffic
• urban mass transit
• relocation of residents