Cultural Regeneration of Local Communities In East Asia: Scenes Perspectives and Comparative Insights

Over the past decade, scenes research has increasingly expanded beyond its North American and European origins, finding particularly fertile ground in East Asia. Through the development of the Scenes Academy network and related international collaborations, the scenes perspective has been introduced, adapted and applied across diverse cultural contexts in the region.

What distinguishes East Asian scenes research is its deep engagement with local cultural regeneration. From the revitalization of historic districts in Chinese cities to the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage in South Korea, East Asian scholars and practitioners have developed distinctive pathways for mobilizing cultural assets as drivers of community development. These diverse experiences—grounded in local histories, cultural traditions and community practices—offer rich material for comparative analysis yet have rarely been brought into systematic dialogue.

The session brings together scholars working on cultural regeneration in East Asian communities through the lens of scenes analysis. Contributions will examine how scenes of cultural regeneration are constructed and sustained in different local contexts, explore the mechanisms through which cultural assets are mobilized for community revitalization, and draw comparative insights across cases from different East Asian societies. Particular attention will be devoted to the relationship between scenes analysis and local cultural traditions, heritage conservation and urban transformation, as well as the transferability of concepts across cultural settings.