Improving Resident Participation for Neighborhood Rehabilitation in Post-pandemic China: From Initiation to Continuation

From Initiation to Continuation

Abstract

In alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, particularly Target 11.3 on inclusive and sustainable urbanization, many countries and regions now regard public participation as a cornerstone of human settlements planning. China’s recent neighborhood rehabilitation initiatives likewise prioritize resident engagement, though the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new obstacles and reconfigured participatory processes.

Against this backdrop, this thesis investigates resident participation for neighborhood rehabilitation in post-pandemic China. Drawing on established theories of public participation and neighborhood revitalization, it proposes a conceptual framework centered on stakeholder concerns, power relations, and information sharing, and examines mechanisms that foster sustained resident involvement.

Wuhan, a developing city and the initial epicenter of COVID-19, serves as the case study. Results identify 37 key concerns, each subject to varied stakeholder perceptions. Power operates through multiple channels, shifting across project phases. Despite frequent information sharing, exploitation and competition persist. Organizers, particularly community-based organizations, play a critical role but face resource constraints, shifting power dynamics, and information manipulation. Straightforward participatory activities, early engagement, and greater influence increase resident willingness to stay involved.

Nevertheless, opacity and exclusion, amplified by power imbalances and selective information control, remain pressing issues. Synthesizing the lessons and insights, the thesis concludes with short- and long-term measures to “enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management (SDG 11.3).”