Shequ as mediator? Participatory heritage conservation and limits of grassroots governance in urban Beijing

Abstract

This article examines how participatory heritage conservation unfolds within the institutional logic of shequ (official residential communities) in urban China. Drawing on a case study of a housing renovation project in a historic Beijing neighbourhood, this study investigated how various actors, including residents, local officials and experts interpreted and enacted community participation. The study found that while participatory mechanisms were formally embedded in the project, their implementation remained procedural and state-led, constrained by pre-existing governance routines and hierarchical roles. At the same time, the project failed to recognise the diverse cultural meanings residents attached to their everyday environments, thus missing the opportunity to use heritage to foster local identity and shared responsibility. By adopting a contextual and practice-based perspective, this article highlights both the structural constraints and latent opportunities for building more inclusive and sustainable models of participatory heritage governance in China.