Comparison of urban and rural memory research in China and internationally since 2000 and implications

Abstract

Urban and rural memories record and interpret the changes in social forms and cultural structures.They provide insights into human-environment relationships, local cultural spirit, and urban-rural landscape changes, and are an indispensable part of people's lives in their "ideal home". This study used the CiteSpace and VOSviewer visualization software, combined with comparative studies of urban and rural memory research in China and internationally, to explore important research progress and reflect on the development of modern society. The study found that: 1) Urban and rural memory can be divided into commemorative memory, daily memory, and media memory. 2) Urban and rural memory is a multidisciplinary research field. In China, it is mainly focused on disciplines such as architecture, planning, and tourism management, with a clear application direction; while in other countries, it is a comprehensive research field in humanities and social sciences. 3) The ideas and theories of Chinese and international research are consistent, viewing memory as a social heritage. The evolution of international research followed the route of collective memory produced by cultural turn, commemorative memory under official narratives, and daily memory under local customs, with a focus on localities and landscape analysis, emphasizing spatial perception. In contrast, the evolution of Chinese research followed archive construction and memory-urban historical context protection and memory-tourism and memory under the rural revitalization strategy, focusing on people's nostalgia as the entry point. In the future, it is necessary to define the connotations of and differences between urban and rural memory and cultural heritage, pay attention to the memory discourse rights of minority groups, and construct a more comprehensive urban and rural memory space paradigm based on the development of local culture.