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First published January 2004

Hong Kong as a Global City? Social Distance and Spatial Differentiation

Ray Forrest, Adrienne La Grange, and Ngai-ming YipView all authors and affiliations
Volume 41, Issue 1
https://doi.org/10.1080/0042098032000155759

Abstract

This paper draws on on-going work on Hong Kong's socio-spatial structure to explore the extent to which it fits the dominant image of the global city. While there is a considerable literature on Hong Kong's changing social structure, there is relatively little on the spatial dimensions of social difference and division. The paper situates the available commentaries and analyses of Hong Kong's income, class and employment structure within the global cities debates. It then analyses census data at the tertiary planning unit level (TPU) to explore the spatial dimensions of social distance in Hong Kong. The conclusion focuses on the distinctive mediations which have shaped the socio-spatial structure of the territory. The integrative role of public housing is argued to be of particular importance in this context.

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Volume 41, Issue 1
Pages: 207 - 227
Article first published: January 2004
Issue published: January 2004

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Ray Forrest
School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Priory Road, Bristol, BS8 ITZ, UK
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Adrienne La Grange
Department of Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
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Ngai-ming Yip
Department of Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. [email protected].
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