Abstract:

Asset-based community development is one of the hot topics in urban research. In the practice of community construction in China, top-down administrative attributes and the important role played by grassroots party organizations cause this mode of community development to display distinct characteristics. Using the case study method, we found the key to asset-based community development in China lies in political assets, which lead, stimulate, and drive other advantageous assets to participate in community governance through the identification mechanism, the embedding mechanism, the empowerment mechanism, and the education and guidance mechanism. This paper sheds light on the theoretical construction and practical aspects of asset-based community development and local governance in mega-cities in China.

Key words: asset-based community development, primary-level party organizations, migrant workers, assimilation