Scalar configuration, power strategies and water governance: insights from the politics of the Yangtze-to-Huai Water Transfer Project

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Abstract
The paper studies the decision-making process of the Yangtze-to-Huai Water Transfer Project (YHWTP) in China to explore how governments at various levels and the public respond to spatial and jurisdictional ambiguities inherent in the incomplete decentralization of water governance. Through participatory observations, semi-structured interviews and investigation of historical records of the project, we examine scalar strategies adopted by various groups at different stages. We find that within China’s regionally decentralized authoritarian regime under centralized regulation, the scalar configurations as a result of the scalar strategies produce material consequence in the planning, designing and construction of inter-basin transfer projects. The use of such strategies transforms the existing scalar configuration, which provides a basis for further changes in the power structure.
Funding Information
  • Research Foundation on Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education of China (19YJA840003)
  • Research Foundation of Nanjing Social Sciences (21ZD03)
  • International and Regional Research Foundation of Hohai University (2)

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