Fantasy Islands : Chinese Dreams and Ecological Fears in an Age of Climate Crisis

The rise of China and its status as a leading global factory are altering the way people live and consume. At the same time, the world appears wary of the real costs involved. __Fantasy Islands__ probes Chinese, European, and American eco-desire and eco-technological dreams, and examines the solutions they offer to environmental degradation in this age of global economic change. Uncovering the stories of sites in China, including the plan for a new eco-city called Dongtan on the island of Chongming, mega-suburbs, and the Shanghai World Expo, Julie Sze explores the flows, fears, and fantasies of Pacific Rim politics that shaped them. She charts how climate change discussions align with US fears of China's ascendancy and the related demise of the American Century, and she considers the motives of financial and political capital for eco-city and ecological development supported by elite power structures in the UK and China. __Fantasy Islands__ shows how ineffectual these efforts are while challenging us to see what a true eco-city would be. The Rise Of China And Its Status As A Leading Global Factory--combined With An Increasing Worldwide Desire For Inexpensive Toys, Clothes, And Food--are Altering The Way People Live And Consume. At The Same Time, The World Appears Wary Of The Real Costs Of This Desire: Toys Drenched In Lead Paint, Dangerous Medicines, And Tainted Pet Food. Examining Sites In China, Including The Plan For A New Eco-city Called Dongtan On The Island Of Chongming, Suburbanization Projects, And The Shanghai World Expo, Julie Sze Interrogates Chinese, European, And American 'eco-desire' And The Eco-technological Fantasies That Underlie Contemporary Development Of Global Cities And Mega-suburbs. In Doing So, She Challenges Readers To Rethink How Cities Must Undergo Alterations To Become True 'eco-cities.' Sze Frames Her Analysis Of These Case Studies In The Context Of The Problems Of Global Economic Change And Climate Crisis, And She Explores The Flows, Fears, And Fantasies Of Pacific Rim Politics That Shaped Plans For Dongtan. She Looks At The Flow Of Pollution From Asia To The United States (ten Billion Pounds Of Airborne Pollutants Annually). Simultaneously, She Considers The Flow Of Financial And Political Capital For Eco-city And Ecological Development Between Elite Power Structures In The Uk And China, And Charts How Climate Change Discussions Align With Us Fears Of China's Ascendancy And The Related Demise Of The American Century. Ultimately, Fantasy Islands Examines How Fears And Fantasies About China And Historical And Political Power Change The American Imagination.--provided By Publisher. Fear, Loathing, Eco-desire : Chinese Pollution In Transnational World -- Changing Chongming -- Dreaming Green : Engineering The Eco-city -- It's A Green World After All? : Marketing Nature And Nation In Suburban Shanghai -- Imagining Ecological Urbanism At The World Expo. Julie Sze. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 205-219) And Index. "The rise of China and its status as a leading global factory ... combined with an increasing worldwide desire for inexpensive toys, clothes, and food ... are altering the way people live and consume. At the same time, the world appears wary of the real costs of this desire: toys drenched in lead paint, dangerous medicines, and tainted pet food. Examining sites in China, including the plan for a new eco-city called Dongtan on the island of Chongming, suburbanization projects, and the Shanghai World Expo, Julie Sze interrogates Chinese, European, and American 'eco-desire' and the eco-technological fantasies that underlie contemporary development of global cities and mega-suburbs. In doing so, she challenges readers to rethink how cities must undergo alterations to become true 'eco-cities.' Sze frames her analysis of these case studies in the context of the problems of global economic change and climate crisis, and she explores the flows, fears, and fantasies of Pacific Rim politics that shaped plans for Dongtan. She looks at the flow of pollution from Asia to the United States (ten billion pounds of airborne pollutants annually). Simultaneously, she considers the flow of financial and political capital for eco-city and ecological development between elite power structures in the UK and China, and charts how climate change discussions align with US fears of China's ascendancy and the related demise of the American Century. Ultimately, Fantasy Islands examines how fears and fantasies about China and historical and political power change the American imagination." ... Provided by publisher The rise of China and its status as a leading global factory are altering the way people live and consume. At the same time, the world appears wary of the real costs involved. Fantasy Islands probes Chinese, European, and American eco-desire and eco-technological dreams, and examines the solutions they offer to environmental degradation in this age of global economic change.

Uncovering the stories of sites in China, including the plan for a new eco-city called Dongtan on the island of Chongming, mega-suburbs, and the Shanghai World Expo, Julie Sze explores the flows, fears, and fantasies of Pacific Rim politics that shaped them. She charts how climate change discussions align with US fears of China's ascendancy and the related demise of the American Century, and she considers the motives of financial and political capital for eco-city and ecological development supported by elite power structures in the UK and China. Fantasy Islands shows how ineffectual these efforts are while challenging us to see what a true eco-city would be. The rise of China and its status as a leading global factory-combined with an increasing desire worldwide for inexpensive toys, clothes, and food-are altering the way people live and consume. At the same time, the world appears wary of the real costs of this desire: toys drenched in lead paint, dangerous medicines, and tainted pet food. Examining sites in China, including the plan for a new eco-city called Dongtan on the island of Chongming, suburbanization projects, and the Shanghai World Expo, Julie Sze interrogates Chinese, European, and American eco-desire and the eco-technological fantasi