Multifaceted Influences of Urbanization on Sense of Place in the Rural–Urban Fringes of China: Growing, Dissolving, and Transitioning

Abstract

Rural–urban fringes are places undergoing dramatic shifts in people–place relationships worldwide, but relevant studies have yet to sufficiently reveal the change mechanism. This paper aims to use sense of place (SOP) as a framework, together with both quantitative and qualitative approaches, to reveal the changing people–place relationships in the rural–urban fringes of Beijing, China, during the past 10 years. Four rural–urban villages representing different urbanization intensities were examined. The findings demonstrate that the overall SOP of local residents has grown during the period of dramatic urbanization. However, the more intensely a place is urbanized, the lower its SOP is rated. Place dependence in general is the only consistent predictor of SOP, which demonstrates the success of China’s urbanization at poverty reduction and environmental improvement. The dissolution of social bonding and the unsuccessful transition of place identity during urbanization are also revealed. This study sheds light on the varied influences of Chinese urbanization on rural–urban fringes while confirming the importance of a multidimensional understanding of SOP and the impact of perceived changes during urbanization.