This book considers the impact of the last 10 years of Deng Xiaoping's rule on China's physical environment, as well as its people, industry, agriculture and trade. It assesses the contribution of this decade towards regional development, urbanization, the environment and geopolitics.

Chapter 1. Education and Democracy in Dangerous Times Chapter 2. The Paradox of Democratisation: College Prep and The Production of Shadow CapitalChapter 3. Global Social Movements and Dialogical Pedagogy: Politics, Power and Process Chapter 4. Resisting Governance by Numbers: Some Lessons from Schools Chapter 5. Pursuing Pragmatic-Radical Curriculum Democracy: Students as Co-Researchers on Problems that Matter Chapter 6. What Is Valued Knowledge and Where Does It Live? Educational Consciousness and the Democratisation of Education Chapter 7. Critical Literacy as Legitimate Knowledge: The Importance of Teacher Agency Chapter 8. Re-Imagining Young Children's Literacy Education for their Democratic Participation Chapter 9. Teaching Democracy While Students Leave Their Shoes at the Door: Attending to Mundane Practices of Power Inequality in Thai Schools Chapter 10. Wither Democracy? The Rise of Epistocracy and Monopoly in School Governance Chapter 11. Jacinta's Story: Challenging Neoliberal Practices and Creating Democratic Spaces in Public High Schools Chapter 12. Towards an Arts Education for Cultural Citizenship Chapter 13. Democratic Management in Brazilian Schools: Practices of Resistance Chapter 14. Becoming Third World Women Educators Chapter 15. `Beating Their Unclad Chests': Voluntourism, International Service and The Place of Critical Pedagogy Inside the Neoliberal University Chapter 16. Grassroots Democracy In New York State: Opting-Out and Resisting the Corporate Reform Agenda in Schooling

`The editors and the contributors have written an excellent and much-needed book ... lucid, readable and authoritative ..it will be welcomed by all those wishing to understand the often dramatic events that have been taking place in China over the past decade or so.' - Area`..the volume...is exceptionally well presented...Most chapters not only provide a general review of the subject matter they also contain at least one specific case study and a guide to further reading.' - Pacific Review`This publication fills a gap in the present geographical literature. It will be welcomed by many teachers and students, but also by the China specialists who want to have a general geographical setting for their research in political, social or economic problems.' - Development and Change`This book is a readable introduction to the geography of Communist China...it should become a useful reference.' - The Professional Geographer`...a book of considerable and lasting merit.' - Journal of the Royal Geographic Society`The breadth of coverage and the detailed analysis of case studies make it likely to become a fixture on many reading lists...the editors have done an excellent job in producing a book which is both authoritative and readable.' - China Now