Skills across the Urban–Rural Hierarchy

This paper examines the vertical and horizontal dimensions of human capital across regions within the U.S., ranging from densely populated city centers to isolated and sparsely populated rural areas. To do so, we classify detailed geographic areas into categories along the entire urban–rural hierarchy. An occupation‐based cluster analysis is then used to complement the conventional measure of human capital, based on college attainment, by measuring the types of skills available in the regional workforce. We find that differences in human capital across the urban–rural hierarchy are related to both the types of work performed in urban and rural areas and that a higher share of college‐educated workers is present in urban areas regardless of the skills typically required to perform the job.     

Forging Ahead and Falling Behind: Changing Regional Inequalities in Post‐reform China

This study analyzes the evolution of China’s regional inequalities during the reform period of 1978–1998 based on three geographical scales, both output and livelihood indicators of economic well‐being and three measures of inequality. The results indicate that interprovincial and regional inequalities declined between 1978 and 1990, but have widened steadily since 1990. Urban‐rural disparity diminished before 1984, then experienced a decade‐long surge afterwards to peak in 1994 at a much higher level and since 1994, it has been declining again. The levels of regional inequalities in China appear to be sensitive to changes in government development strategies and regional policies. Differential growth of the provincial economies shaped by the coast‐oriented and urban‐biased development strategies as well as selective open‐door policy implemented by the Chinese government after the reform is the key to understanding the wax and wane in China’s regional inequalities. This paper discusses the factors that account for the changing regional inequalities in post‐reform China and argues that government policies are likely to continue to influence the future trajectories of inequality change.     

Measuring Smart Land Use in Urban–Rural Regions of China: A Case Study of Pukou,Nanjing City

This article expands the study of smart growth from urban space to urban–rural regions based on land use. It analyses smart land use in urban–rural regions. The study sets up an integrated measure indicator system of smart land use in urban–rural regions, which consisted of three subsystems: land amount controls, land form compactness, and land use efficiency. As a case study, the system was used to measure the smart land use in the Pukou District of Nanjing City, an area with intensive urbanization in the Yangtze River Delta of China. The results show that smart land use in the investigated area is increasing year by year, but it remains to be further improved. The integrated measure indicator system of smart land use in urban–rural regions is effective for measuring the level and status of regional smart land use.     

Internal Migration in Mexico: Consolidation of Urban–Urban Mobility, 2000–2015

Internal migration has been recognized as the major influence in terms of population redistribution across urban systems, but it is not a homogeneous phenomenon. Within the context of internal rural‐urban migration decline and the negative changes in migratory balances in the metropolitan area of Mexico City, the core of enquiry in this paper is the approach to growth and consolidation of an internal urban–urban migration system in the early twenty‐first century (2000–2015). This process has taken place through two main networks, among metropolitan areas not corresponding to the principal city and among intermediate cities. Internal migration is a complex process that involves both individual and spatial characteristics and which leads to spatially uneven development in the long term. Data from three censuses of the population of Mexico (2000, 2010, and 2015) show a transition to a more urban–urban migration pattern, with skilled migrants tending to have metropolitan and urban destinations, whereas less‐skilled migrants prefer rural and small urban destinations.     

Regional Social Inequalities and Social Deprivation in Guangdong Province,China

This article examines social deprivation at a regional scale using the case of Guangdong province, China. Counties, county‐level cities, and districts of prefecture cities are selected as the units of analysis. At the provincial level, a significant variation is found in terms of the social deprivation index, showing a pattern of increasing deprivation from the core of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) to the peripheral areas of Guangdong province. In the PRD, social development conditions are significantly different among these units, whereas the level of economic development is less differentiated. Social deprivation in urban areas is considerably lower than in rural areas. The differences between cities are significant, showing a bifurcation trend, whereas rural areas seem to be similar. Social disparities in Guangdong province are derived from unequal economic growth as well as social and regional policies.     

Practices of place‐making: Globalisation and locality in the Philippines

Abstract: Global flows of people and information in the Asia–Pacific region are creating new forms of place that stretch across national boundaries and rural–urban distinctions. These new mobile forms of place link long‐inhabited rural areas to cities, national centres, and to rural frontiers within the nation. Here, we describe new forms of place that are being produced by contemporary migration and economic change, using data from the Philippines and applying Appadurai's theorisation of translocality. Our analysis links these flows of overseas migrants to concomitant processes of economic change, migration and new rural livelihoods. We outline changing practices of place within the Philippines, exploring ways that transnational migration can articulate with apparently ‘local’ development and the flow‐on effects from migration on the spatial patterns of rural livelihoods.     

Rural‐to‐Urban Commuting: Three Degrees of Integration

Commuting ties between rural places of residence and urban places of employment are among the most visible forms of rural–urban integration. For some rural areas, access to urban employment is a key source of population retention and growth. However, this access varies considerably across rural areas, with distance representing a primary deterrent. In addition to distance, the size of the urban community will also influence rural‐to‐urban commuting opportunities. In this paper, using Canadian data, we empirically estimated the influence of local rural population and job growth on rural out‐commuting within the urban hierarchy. We find consistent support for the deconcentration hypothesis where population moves to rural areas for lifestyle and quality of life reasons, while retaining urban employment. Further, we find some evidence that in addition to distance from the nearest urban center being a deterrent, increased remoteness from the top of the urban hierarchy exerts a positive influence on out‐commuting. Recognition of these types of rural–urban linkages through commuting is essential in designing Canadian rural policy and targeted programs that may effectively support local rural populations. In particular, they point to the need to have reasonable transportation infrastructure for urban accessibility, which should be complemented by other “built” infrastructure to improve the livability of rural communities.     

Rural–urban transition in China: illegal land use and construction

This paper takes issue with the desakota model developed by Terry McGee by elucidating the illegal land use and construction in the rural–urban transition zone in China, with the additional case study of Tianhe Village in Guangzhou City. The paper emphasises the need to examine the geography of illegal activities along the approach of geographies of difference. It has shown that illegal land use and construction is prevalent in rural China. In rural areas where cultivated land has been converted to non‐agricultural purposes, peasants are left with no alternative but to use land and construct buildings illegally. Some have increased their income by leasing out flats to migrant workers, whereas others have not been able to do this. This study has revealed that underneath the positive and integrative picture portrayed by the desakota model is its negative and disintegrative counterpart. Illegal land use and construction is one such example. Unless we incorporate both into our studies, we will not be able to comprehend the urban morphology of Chinese city regions in the new millennium.     

Does Commuting Reduce Wage Disparities?

ABSTRACT This paper shows that in the Baltic countries, commuting reduces urban‐rural wage and employment disparities and increases national output. To quantify the effect of commuting on wage differentials, two sets of earnings functions are estimated (based on Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian Labor Force Surveys) with location variables (capital city, rural, etc.) measured at the workplace and at the place of residence. We find that the ceteris paribus wage gap between capital city and rural areas, as well as between capital and other cities is significantly narrowed by commuting in some cases but remains almost unchanged in others. Different outcomes are explained by country‐specific spatial patterns of commuting, educational and occupational composition of commuting flows, and presence or absence of wage discrimination against rural residents in urban markets. A treatment effects model is used to estimate individual wage gains to rural—urban or inter‐city commuting; these gains are substantial in most but not all cases. Wage effects of commuting distance, as well as impact of education, gender, ethnicity, and local labor market conditions on the commuting decision are also explored.     

Institutional Structure,Industrialization and Rural Development: An Evolutionary Interpretation of the Italian Experience

This paper proposes an evolutionary reading of rural development referred to cases of rapid industrial growth, where a strong concentration process has involved the main urban centers and the successful industrial districts. This territorial development pattern has gradually extinguished rural society and its institutional basis, creating a clear separation between new central and peripheral areas. The consequent effects on local economy and social dynamics reveal the long‐term risks raised in terms of development sustainability. An empirical study of two Italian provinces is also carried out to show how this framework can be helpful in interpreting real historical patterns.     

基于SWOT分析的河南省城镇化发展策略研究

研究旨在分析河南省现阶段城镇化的发展水平,了解其优势及问题所在,在此基础上得出未来城镇化发展的相关策略,以推动其持续健康发展。以河南省城镇化进入历史转型期为切入点,运用SWOT分析方法,明确了当前的城镇化建设在历史文化、区位交通及国家政策等方面拥有显著优势,并揭示了城镇化进程中存在的诸多问题：城乡发展不均衡、基础设施建设及产业发展滞后、“城市病”频发及人口素质和资源环境的制约等。以此为依据,提出未来河南省的城镇化建设应集中力量做好四件事：以“新三化”协调发展助推新型城镇化建设;加快城乡一体化建设,全力缩小城乡差距;加大生态环境保护力度,追求可持续发展的新型城镇化;注重农村人口素质提升,助力城镇化转型升级。     

The peri‐urbanisation of Shanghai: Planning,growth pattern and sustainable development

Abstract: With the increase of global integration, the peri‐urban area (PUA) of megacities in Asia has become a favourite destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). This paper uses the PUA of Shanghai as a case study to investigate the impact of global forces on the urban expansion of the city, and the link between urban growth and sustainable development in this mega‐urban context. Shanghai has grown impressively during the past two decades in terms of economic and physical transformation. Much of this transformation has rested on the unbridled exploitation of land and other environmental resources in its peri‐urban area. This is characterised by the designation of development zones and the concentration of manufacturing FDI, resulting in dispersed growth and environmental degradation. The disruption of the physical environment, combined with the concentration of the urban poor in these areas (in particular ‘temporary migrants’), has turned the PUA into a potential crisis point threatening the social and economic development of the city.     

中国西部地区县域城乡统筹发展模式探讨

县域城乡统筹发展是西部地区经济社会发展的必由之路。现阶段,受资源禀赋、人力资源、产业发展、制度环境等要素条件影响,中国东、中、西部县域城乡统筹发展水平有明显差异。自2001年国家实施西部大开发战略以来,特别是“十一五”时期,西部地区县域经济城乡统筹发展已经取得积极成效。西部不少市县在立足当地实际、因地制宜地加快县域城乡统筹发展的过程中,逐步形成各具特色的县域城乡统筹发展模式。对于西部地区县域城乡统筹发展模式的研究,也就在于总结、梳理西部各省县域城乡统筹发展成就、经验和做法,比较不同区域、不同县区县域城乡统筹发展路子或模式,探讨西部地区统筹城乡发展、转变经济发展方式思路和对策。     

Concentrated versus diffused growth assets: agglomeration economies and regional cohesion

The interest toward the supposed trade-off between efficiency and equity has strongly come back to the fore within the European Union (EU) after the 2008 economic crisis. The worsening of spatial economic imbalances, in fact, opened again the debate whether the European institutions should focus their budget allocations on core areas or on peripheral areas of less developed countries, following concentrated or spatially distributed normative actions. This paper addresses the question by applying an original method to assess the relative importance of urban efficiency with respect to spatially distributed resource endowments in affecting regional inequality. An innovative two-step procedure is applied: that first estimates a regional production function and then makes use of its output through a simulation to assess efficiency versus spatially even distribution of resources on the improvement of regional cohesion. The results show that urban efficiency gains play a relatively minor role in affecting regional disparities if compared with a spatially even distribution of production factors.     

城乡居民信息资源可获得性差异及其影响因素分析

信息资源作为农业生产首要要素,也是城乡融合发展的重要领域。在进一步加快城乡融合发展的进程中,了解城乡信息资源可获得性情况,具有重要的理论价值与现实意义。本研究基于全国31个省市自治区（除港、澳、台）的3296份城乡居民调研数据,对国内城乡信息资源可获得性差异及影响因素进行实证分析。研究结果表明,中国城乡居民信息资源可获得性差异较大,差异指数呈现出西部地区大于中部地区大于东部地区。城乡居民信息资源可获得性普遍受到性别、文化程度、家庭收入水平、网络接入以及信号强度因素的显著影响。应结合不同区域发展现状需求、不同居民特征,通过建立完善信息资源获取渠道、制定具有针对性的信息资源应用推广对策措施来加速推动城乡信息资源融合发展。     

城市功能区视角下的都市农区研究

为了科学规划城市农用地,有必要确立都市农区概念,研究都市农区的基本内涵、空间特征和地域类型。都市农区是指由城市空间内农用地构成的城市功能区,一般仅限于市辖区。相对理想化的都市农区的空间尺度大体上为200 hm²,宜以呈小集中大分散的空间形态融入城市功能组团。都市农区有城市化地区、准城市化地区、半城市化地区、浅城市化地区和城市生态敏感区5种地域类型。依据都市农区区位特征、资源禀赋与功能需求的差异性,合理配置依托城市、服务城市的多功能农业,是形成城乡经济社会发展一体化新格局对城市规划提出的重要新课题。     

The throughgoing urbanisation of East and Southeast Asia

The image of East and Southeast Asia is of a predominantly rural region, with the exception of Japan. This image no longer reflects reality. Although in 2000 the proportion of the population living in areas officially defined as urban will still be below 40 percent, this understates the degree to which populations throughout the region have, in terms of employment, ease of transport and communications, been brought into a close relationship with urban areas. Not only this, but the region already has eight of the world’s 21 megacities — cities with populations exceeding eight million. Urbanised corridors are emerging in parts of the region, in some cases cutting across national boundaries. Some implications for the future are discussed: the growth of a truly urban proletariat, the influence of megacities on political change, the ending of rural isolation, and regional development and income inequality issues.     

广西国家级贫困县贫困类型划分与扶贫对策研究

贫困长期以来备受世界各国政府关注,广西是我国西南地区贫困人口分布较为密集的地区之一,贫困问题呈现多样化特点,为进一步探讨广西贫困乡村类型,推进广西精准扶贫工作。本文以广西区国家级贫困县为研究对象,从人口、经济、资源、社会四个方面选取影响贫困的28个指标,利用SPSS进行主成分分析,得出制约广西贫困的主成分,并在此基础上将影响贫困的主成分作为变量,对广西的贫困县进行聚类分析。结果表明：1)制约广西贫困的主要的因子为：“人口”因子、“经济收入”因子、“交通基础设施”因子,“工业化程度”因子、“农业机械化水平”因子、“通讯”因子、“教育”因子;2)广西贫困县的地域类型可划分为三类：农业生产力-工业化水平较低型贫困县,交通通讯基建落后型贫困县,文化教育落后型贫困县三大类,并针对各类型贫困县提出相应的减贫脱贫对策建议。     

Air Passenger Transportation and Growth in the U.S. Urban System, 1950–1987

The relationship between transportation and urbanization at the national scale is revisited by focusing upon the role that air passenger transportation has played in the post-war evolution of the U.S. urban system. Theory suggests that major transportation innovations have exhibited profound and prolonged interdependencies with patterns of growth in national or regional urban systems. As the most recent major intercity transportation innovation, it should be expected that utilization of air transportation should bear some relationship to patterns of growth in urban places. This paper documents this relationship by using FAA and U.S. Census data to correlate volumes of air passenger flows per capita with changes in population and employment for the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. The expectation that higher volumes of air passenger flow per capita exhibit a positive correlation with both previous and subsequent growth is confirmed by the analysis. More detailed examination of both high and low air passenger index cities suggests functional and regional consistencies with the central hypothesis. The implications of these results for air transportation and airport planning include at least some justification for increased attention to provision of air service and adequate airport infrastructure as well as reiteration of the importance of air transportation in economic development.