Giulia C. Romano

• University of Duisburg-Essen

Most research in policy transfer studies focused on cases of policies originating from the ‘Global North’. However, recently countries of the ‘Global South’ became sources of models. With the exception of a few studies, literature has not considered these developments. This paper aims at contributing to this direction, by proposing an agenda drawn...

This chapter introduces the contents and objectives of the book. Starting from the observation that the diffusion of models from the Global North has been widely covered by the policy transfer literature, the chapter calls for a new perspective that studies diffusion from the Global South. After taking stock of a recent literature that has begun to...

Since the early 2010s, the city of Duisburg has become internationally known for having become a terminal of the New Silk Road, renamed in 2013 as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This chapter explores the impacts of this linkage, focusing on potential knowledge and policy transfer effects. The connection between Duisburg and China can be seen a...

As it is widely recognized, countries employ various distinct strategies and instruments in order to accomplish their foreign policy objectives. That means there are several kinds of foreign policy (FP) instruments or tools. A typology of FP instruments should arguably include the following categories: (1) political, (2) economic, (3) cultural, and...

Cet article interroge le cas du transfert de la « rénovation urbaine douce », une approche allemande de rénovation urbaine, à la ville de Yangzhou, en Chine. Combinant une analyse du transfert à celle de l’apprentissage, il montre que la configuration de l’État local chinois limite les capacités de la ville de poursuivre l’apprentissage et le trans...

In this chapter, the author introduces the practices of urban renewal in China in the early 2000s. It focuses on the plans and policies of the Old City of Yangzhou, as well as on the local practices of urban renewal and conservation. It also introduces the main structural forces that support these same practices, which are not only exclusive to Yan...

This chapter is dedicated to the project of international cooperation between GTZ and the Yangzhou government. It highlights the understandings that the German cooperation agency had of the problems of Yangzhou Old City, the solutions proposed and the activities conducted with the local administration. The author in particular dwells on the difficu...

This chapter is dedicated to the theoretical and conceptual framework. The research benefitted of a double-level framework that combined a series of approaches to focus on the process of policy transfer from micro- and macro-perspectives. This framework helps take into account the multiple rationalities, interests and objectives that have an impact...

In this chapter, the author introduces the case of Yangzhou, very fruitful to explore the micro-dynamics of policy transfer in a case located in China – a country so far not so much explored by this literature. The author introduces the main research questions and anchoring of the research project – understand whether knowledge produced in one spec...

This chapter concludes the treatise by wrapping up the story of the transfer of Careful Urban Renewal to Yangzhou, drawing lessons from this case and reconnecting with the questions presented in the introduction. To this aim, the chapter proposes a discussion of the case study in dialogue with the literature on policy transfer introduced in Chap. 1...

In this chapter, the author shows how foreign knowledge inspired reforms in Yangzhou. She focuses on the local process of policy learning and translation, dwelling on its challenges and on the factors that allowed for the opening of a policy window. Once urban renewal attained an important position in the local governmental agenda, the city governm...

In this chapter, Romano illustrates the presence of twists and turns in the process of policy learning, showing first of all an initial phase of rejection – that halted the process of policy experimentation. However, later on the local government returned to apply a careful approach to urban renewal. This shift was due to the presence of different...

"This is a very rich monograph, based on impressive fieldwork in China, which demonstrates excellent qualitative and ethnographic research skills, research integrity, and cultural perceptiveness in the analysis. This book will make a great contribution to the literature on policy transfer and and policy mobilities, and on urban politics in contempo...

This paper, the first step of a project aiming at analysing the establishment of practices of resident participation and consultation in urban renewal in China, proposes a reflection upon these practices through a comparison with similar experiences in France. Identifying some convergences between the practices adopted in the two countries, the pap...

China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and one of the most polluting and polluted countries in the world. Nevertheless, starting with the Paris Agreement of 2015, the country has tried to change this infamous image. In response to the US’s withdrawal from recent climate agreements, China presented itself with an alternative image...

This article aims at showing the benefits of applying organisational learning theories to the study of transfers of eco-city concepts to China. Following this recommendation in the study of the transfer of the concept of "careful urban renewal" to the city of Yangzhou, this article shows that the contribution of international cooperation to reformi...

Thèse de doctorat en Science politique. Sociologie politique et action publique

A secure supply of energy is essential for all nations, to sustain their economy, and indeed their very survival. This subject is especially important in the case of China, as China’s booming economy and consequent demand for energy is affecting the whole world, and in turn potentially driving realignments in international relations. Moreover, as t...

A secure supply of energy is essential for all nations, to sustain their economy, and indeed their very survival. This subject is especially important in the case of China, as China’s booming economy and consequent demand for energy is affecting the whole world, and in turn potentially driving realignments in international relations. Moreover, as t...

Several projects are now currently conducted in China in the name of sustainable urban development, with initiatives aiming at building new cities ‘out of scratch’ being the most outstanding and advertised experiences. However, a burgeoning literature is already showing the flawed conceptualisations embodied by these realisations, with doubts emerg...

The energy policy at the core of Chinese modernization - Despite a significant development of green industries over the last years, it is still too early to speak of a « Chinese energy transition ». The strong influence of the state and of large public firms in energy production and distribution, at the core of China industrial growth, is an obstac...

In the face of more and more environmental pollution and the rapid pace of urbanisation, sustainable urban development has become an increasingly important issue for China. As the country aims to bring urbanisation levels up to 70% by 2035, the way its cities develop and the control of resources consumed for growing urban activity are of paramount...

In the global warming issue, China now covers the record of the first world polluter. Moreover, by far the country has shown a reticent attitude towards the possibility of engaging in an international accord stipulating concrete targets for emissions reduction. But how could we explain the partial change occurred in Durban, where China finally acce...

1 On 5 September 2005, during the 8 th EU-China Summit held in Beijing, the European Union and China signed an agreement to establish a bilateral Partnership on Climate Change. The two parties pledged to strengthen the dialogue on climate change policies, exchange views on key issues in climate change negotiations and develop concrete action to tac...