Banyan tree and migrant cities: Some provisional thoughts for a strategic postcolonial cosmopolitanism

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingBook Chapterpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

China is experiencing the largest mass migration in human history, Chinese urbanites today amount to twice the total US population. This chapter explores the changing cultural values, worldviews and built environments in the transcultural network of migrant cities. Most of us are now migrants to a certain degree. It is a common fate for all. In this increasingly diasporic intercultural and interracial life-world, there is an urgency in contemplating a form of rooted cosmopolitanism. The diverse societies resulting from the influx of migrants, who belong to a variety of ethnic groups, intensify the need for recognition for these minority migrant communities. This chapter provides an analogy that every banyan tree individually forms a mongrel 'banyan-place' - a combination of tree, human and building; a hybrid of Britain, Hong Kong, China and others; a mixed memory of modern, postmodern, colonial and postcolonial eras.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationForty Ways to Think About Architecture
Subtitle of host publicationArchitectural History and Theory Today
PublisherWiley-Blackwell
Pages259-265
Number of pages7
ISBN (Electronic)9781118822531
ISBN (Print)9781118822616
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

Keywords

  • Banyan tree
  • China
  • Migrant cities
  • Migration
  • Postcolonial cosmopolitanism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering
  • General Arts and Humanities

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