Creative Industry Districts ― An Analysis of Dynamics, Networks and Implications on Creative Clusters in Shanghai

Since the late 1990s, there have been broad discussions concerning the rapid rise of the creative economy. Creative or cultural industry is seen as the new engine of the regional growth for both developed economies and emerging nations. At the point of transition in economy and society, China is recently striving to transform its economy from “made in China” towards “created in China”. This book provides an insight into creative industries and spaces in Shanghai, which is the fastest growing megacity in China and the center of modern economic development on a global scale. Underpinned by new approaches from economic geography and urban studies, it deals with the new relations between the creative economy and urban environment in Shanghai. Over the last decade, creative clusters have been rapidly emerging in particular locations in the central city of Shanghai. This spatial phenomenon is explained in the book through an analysis of dynamics, networks and implications.

Jinliao He is currently a post-doctor at the Department of Human Geography, University of Heidelberg, Germany. He received his PhD in Human Geography in 2013 at University of Heidelberg. Over past 4 years he has been focusing on creative industries in China and Shanghai. This book is the main part of the outcome of his PhD program. He places his research field in between economic geography and urban geography. His research results have been published in both national and international journals, including Planners, Journal of Urban Planning and Development (ASCE), and Sociology Study.