Fernando Ortiz-Moya | IGES - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Fernando Ortiz-Moya
INTERNATIONAL PLANNING STUDIES, 2021
As more countries witness depopulation, the expansion of High-Speed Rail (HSR) to reach shrinking... more As more countries witness depopulation, the expansion of High-Speed
Rail (HSR) to reach shrinking cities in peripheral regions is renewing the
debate on the effects of this infrastructure. This is the case in Japan, a
country that continues to extend its highly developed HSR network
hoping to curb regional decline. This paper investigates whether HSR
had a positive effect on the shrinking trajectories of connected medium
and small-sized cities in peripheral regions by examining the impact of
extending the Shinkansen network on five municipalities in the
prefectures of Iwate and Aomori, northern Japan. Although
depopulation decelerated in some of the case studies, the findings
highlight that HSR did not reverse shrinkage and benefits are mainly
found in increased accessibility, albeit unevenly distributed. This
suggests that, rather than uniformly uplifting socio-economic outlooks,
the Shinkansen contributed to reshaping the trajectories of the
connected cities and reproduced core–periphery dynamics at the
regional level.
Shrinking cities are places characterized by long-term population decline, property abandonment, ... more Shrinking cities are places characterized by long-term population decline, property abandonment, social inequality, and environmental degradation. Urban scholarship, however, has not yet addressed the challenges of promot- ing social and environmental justice in shrinking cities. Focusing on Kitakyushu City, Japan, this article explores the manner in which grassroots movements can push forward environmental justice and how that can lead to policies coping with urban shrinkage and environmental degradation. Kitakyushu City was Japan’s major iron and steel center during the rapid industrialization years, which culminated in severe environmental degradation. The need for environ- mental justice pushed grassroots movements and, in particular, women’s associations to initiate different campaigns aiming at raising awareness of the city’s environmental hazards and to trigger governmental response. Since then, environmental policies are driving Kitakyushu City’s fight against the negative consequences that shrinkage brings about in Japanese cities. Using case study methodology and critically assessing the implemented poli- cies, this article argues that seeking environmental justice presents an oppor- tunity to tackle long-term decline. Hence, the article explores the theoretical implications and empirical factors behind environmental justice as the basis for a new urban revitalization model.
Growth and shrinkage are two sides of the same coin—global restructuring of the capital that prod... more Growth and shrinkage are two sides of the same coin—global restructuring of the capital that produces geographies of unequal urban development. This new reality goes beyond the attention of academics and policymakers, and is becoming a common narrative in Japanese cinema. This paper explores how Japanese contemporary filmmakers portray the problems associated with shrinkage, such as urban decay or the social and economic restructuring processes in Japan, disseminating it to a wider audience. This research study analyses two Japanese film-texts—Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s Sketches of Kaitan City (2010) and Sand-Il Lee’s Hula Girls (2006)—which serve to illustrate current trends of both Japanese urban shrinkage and cinema. The main objective underlying this analysis is to stress the relationship between cinema and urban space; and how the cinematic vision of cities helps to understand the complex socio-spatial processes from contemporary urban transformations.
OA paper available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21681376.2015.1085328 This pa... more OA paper available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21681376.2015.1085328
This paper investigates how cinema has represented the two sides of the industrial expansion and contraction process in the context of a peripheral shrinking region. It explores how the cinematic vision of regions helps one to understand the processes of spatial development that resulted from socio-economic changes. Classic and contemporary filmmakers have shown the social problems associated with industrialization as well as deindustrialization. The paper focuses on the Northern Kyushu Region in Japan, which due to its own history epitomizes the problematic that affects Japan’s peripheral territories – those outside the Pacific Industrial Belt. Through this analysis, it is argued that films can reveal aspects that other kinds of data cannot convey and, therefore, the cinematic analysis of regions has the potential to identify and reveal problems that otherwise would have remained unnoticed.
This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda... more This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda of cities experiencing urban shrinkage. It focuses on Manchester, archetypical example of a postindustrial shrinking city that has been able to return to the growth paradigm. Using an exploratory case study methodology, this paper analyses the spillover effects of pro-growth approaches tackling urban shrinkage. It first compiles and critically assesses its multiple flagship developments, in order to study Manchester's decay process by opposing it to the initiatives that are coping with it. It will then go on to analyse the social consequences of those initiatives and to examine the factors that can burden the city's further development. The paper argues that even though Manchester has performed well in the political game, and cosmetically improved certain areas, its flagship developments have not been able to fix the economic or social problems derived from its decay.
This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda... more This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda of cities suffering of urban shrinkage. It focuses on Manchester, which is facing the situation with a growing ambitious objectives. Compiling and critically assessing its multiple flagship developments, the paper studies Manchester's decay process by opposing it to the development initiatives that are coping with it. They are aiming to reverse the population drainage affecting Manchester and its metropolitan area, by bringing back its previous regional role as an economic and cultural centre. The paper argues that even though Manchester has performed well in the political game, and cosmetically improved certain areas, its flagship developments have not been able to fix the economic or social problems derived from its decay. 230 ICSDEC 2012 © ASCE 2013 ICSDEC 2012 Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Fernando Ortiz-Moya on 08/26/15.
Book Chapter by Fernando Ortiz-Moya
Halfway to the 2030 deadline, humanity is clearly off-track on the Global Goals. Achieving the ... more Halfway to the 2030 deadline, humanity is clearly off-track on the Global Goals. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development remains a significant challenge for society. Numerous and compounding crises—including coping with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing armed conflicts, climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the cost-of-living crisis, among many others—have hindered, and even reversed in some cases, progress towards achieving the SDGs. These crises are exposing and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and inequalities, de facto leaving many behind.
In the wake of this bleak picture, urgent and bold actions are needed to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs. Innovative solutions and cooperation between different levels of governments and all segments of society will be essential to overcome the complex and interconnected challenges facing humanity today.
Local and regional governments, in particular, are at the forefront of implementing solutions to advance sustainable development. In their sustainability efforts, a growing number of local and regional governments are using Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) as a valuable policy tool to structure the localisation, planning, execution, and follow-up and review stages of SDG implementation. Between 2018 and 2020, almost 200 local and regional governments have conducted a VLR process.
This report marks the fourth edition in an annual series launched by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in 2020 to analyse and document the VLR movement to date. This fourth edition explores the VLR reports published in 2022, paying special attention to the 40 reports identified by the authors presented by cities (available in either English or Spanish). The analysis focuses on two key themes: first, the integration between national and local reviews of progress; and second, how VLRs contribute to local follow-up and review processes. The report also provides an overview of the trajectory of the VLR movement from 2018 to 2022 to discern ongoing trends and new frontiers in the quest to deliver the ambitious promises made by the 2030 Agenda.
This report concludes that local and regional governments can play a crucial role by conducting VLRs that go beyond monitoring and reporting progress. Well-developed VLRs can help localise the SDGs, promote multilevel governance, enhance accountability and transparency, facilitate innovation and experimentation, and contribute to policy learning and diffusion. In the face of ongoing crises, it is crucial that all levels of government coordinate their strategies to avoid duplicities, redundancies and gaps. Moreover, robust follow-up and review frameworks can inform decision-making in the face of ongoing challenges to better adapt policies to changing contexts. Based on this analysis, this report recommends integrating the VLR process into the policymaking cycle and planning mechanisms of local and regional governments. By integrating VLR processes into policymaking, VLRs can become an important tool in advancing sustainable development beyond 2030.
En sus pocos más de cien años el cine ha representado los procesos de industrialización y desindu... more En sus pocos más de cien años el cine ha representado los procesos de industrialización y desindustrialización fruto de la economía de mercado, y a su vez ha ayudado a ilustrar y comprender, los cambios producidos en la estructura urbana y social consecuencia de dichos procesos. En el caso de Japón, directores clásicos, tales como Kinoshita Keisuke, Masumura Yasuzo o Urayama Kirio, y contemporáneos, como Aoyama Shinji, Kawase Naomi o Kumakiri Kazuyoshi, han puesto de manifiesto los problemas de índole social asociados con procesos de expansión y contracción de tipo económico e industrial que conducen a un desequilibrio social en la mayoría de los casos. El presente escrito pretende investigar el peso que dichos procesos han tenido en la cinematografía japonesa. En concreto, consiste en: por un lado, una exploración de cómo la visión cinematográfica del paisaje industrial ayuda a entender el complejo proceso de identidad e industrialización llevado a cabo en Japón después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial hasta hoy, y por otro, las consecuencias sociales y urbanas contemporáneas de la desindustrialización en los mismos espacios (cinematográficos).
Conference Presentations by Fernando Ortiz-Moya
The post-industrial world is characterised by the growth in importance of knowledge and creative ... more The post-industrial world is characterised by the growth in importance of knowledge and creative industries. Therefore, cities have entered a competition to bring cultural industries to their economic fabric. Within this context, higher education institutions are playing a key role, as they represent embryonic synergies between public and private enterprises aiming at develop the knowledge economy.
This paper explores the possibilities opened by cultural international exchanges in reshaping the knowledge industries of a city. Taking the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) as case study, it analyses how the university has transformed the social, economic and cultural fabrics of the city. UNNC has been pioneer in developing a new model of collaboration and knowledge transfer between China and the United Kingdom while at the same time expanding the educational capabilities of Ningbo, a second tier city in Zhejiang Province. Moreover, China represents a paradigmatic case as it is transitioning to the post-industrial economic structure while at its manufacturing peak. By focusing on the physical, cultural and social transformation triggered by the establishment of UNNC we argue that the university is helping to brand Ningbo as a research and development centre while laying emphasis in its entrepreneurial capabilities. Through our analysis we stress that cultural international interchanges can open avenues to develop the cultural industries of a city and transform its economic profile.
In the context of growing concerns about environmental preservation and conservation, the ‘over p... more In the context of growing concerns about environmental preservation and conservation, the ‘over population’ discourse points to the possible environmental benefits of lower population figures due to the correlation between population growth and the emission of greenhouse gases. However, urban studies have not adequately addressed the depopulation dividend—the possible benefits achievable from decreasing population figures—and how it can contribute towards sustainable goals (Matanle, 2017). Because of its low birth rate and aged population, Japan is naturally depopulating, and hence can serve to explore the environmental impact of depopulation.
Focusing on Kitakyushu City, this paper studies the environmental impact of policies in response to depopulation. Kitakyushu was one of Japan’s industrial powerhouses; its steelworks were responsible for the city’s rapid population growth but also for severely damaging its environment. Since the 1960s deindustrialisation and environmental pollution worked as push factors triggering out-migration. The city’s authorities, pushed by grassroots movements, hastened to respond to the double challenge of depopulation and pollution by implementing policies aiming at transforming Kitakyushu into a green city. Using case study methodology, including historical research and qualitative analysis of statistical data from official bodies –such as water quality of the city’s major rivers, air pollutants, CO2 emissions or green area per capita, comparing this with the city’s population change– this paper explores the impact of depopulation and urban policies on the environment.
While globalisation is improving the overall living conditions of urban population in Asia, it is... more While globalisation is improving the overall living conditions of urban population in Asia, it is also generating a new set of problems that will mark society’s development in the coming decades. Rapid urbanisation is fragmenting social spaces triggering isolation and hence creating new forms of marginalisation within cities. China and Japan epitomise two different social systems that have developed new ‘glass walls’ that hinder communication between urban dwellers.
This paper explores the filmic representation of the growing social fragmentation consequence of globalisation, economic development and urbanisation in China and Japan. This phenomenon has captured the attention of filmmakers who have approached this topic in order to rethink mechanisms to help finding society’s urban existence in this world. Through the analysis of two Chinese films—Boli Shi Touming De (A Country Boy in Shanghai, Xia Gang, 1999) and Shijie (The World, Jua Zhangke, 2004)—and two Japanese films—Toukyou Sonata (Tokyo Sonata, Kiyoshi Kyrokawa, 2008) and Noriko no Shokutaku (Noriko’s Table, Sono Shion, 2005)—this paper reflects on the different ‘glass walls’ that globalisation is constructing that fracture social spaces disconnecting individuals from society. Through our film analysis we stress the dangers of these ‘glass walls’ and call for society’s resilience in order to break them to allow for the development of new social relations.
INTERNATIONAL PLANNING STUDIES, 2021
As more countries witness depopulation, the expansion of High-Speed Rail (HSR) to reach shrinking... more As more countries witness depopulation, the expansion of High-Speed
Rail (HSR) to reach shrinking cities in peripheral regions is renewing the
debate on the effects of this infrastructure. This is the case in Japan, a
country that continues to extend its highly developed HSR network
hoping to curb regional decline. This paper investigates whether HSR
had a positive effect on the shrinking trajectories of connected medium
and small-sized cities in peripheral regions by examining the impact of
extending the Shinkansen network on five municipalities in the
prefectures of Iwate and Aomori, northern Japan. Although
depopulation decelerated in some of the case studies, the findings
highlight that HSR did not reverse shrinkage and benefits are mainly
found in increased accessibility, albeit unevenly distributed. This
suggests that, rather than uniformly uplifting socio-economic outlooks,
the Shinkansen contributed to reshaping the trajectories of the
connected cities and reproduced core–periphery dynamics at the
regional level.
Shrinking cities are places characterized by long-term population decline, property abandonment, ... more Shrinking cities are places characterized by long-term population decline, property abandonment, social inequality, and environmental degradation. Urban scholarship, however, has not yet addressed the challenges of promot- ing social and environmental justice in shrinking cities. Focusing on Kitakyushu City, Japan, this article explores the manner in which grassroots movements can push forward environmental justice and how that can lead to policies coping with urban shrinkage and environmental degradation. Kitakyushu City was Japan’s major iron and steel center during the rapid industrialization years, which culminated in severe environmental degradation. The need for environ- mental justice pushed grassroots movements and, in particular, women’s associations to initiate different campaigns aiming at raising awareness of the city’s environmental hazards and to trigger governmental response. Since then, environmental policies are driving Kitakyushu City’s fight against the negative consequences that shrinkage brings about in Japanese cities. Using case study methodology and critically assessing the implemented poli- cies, this article argues that seeking environmental justice presents an oppor- tunity to tackle long-term decline. Hence, the article explores the theoretical implications and empirical factors behind environmental justice as the basis for a new urban revitalization model.
Growth and shrinkage are two sides of the same coin—global restructuring of the capital that prod... more Growth and shrinkage are two sides of the same coin—global restructuring of the capital that produces geographies of unequal urban development. This new reality goes beyond the attention of academics and policymakers, and is becoming a common narrative in Japanese cinema. This paper explores how Japanese contemporary filmmakers portray the problems associated with shrinkage, such as urban decay or the social and economic restructuring processes in Japan, disseminating it to a wider audience. This research study analyses two Japanese film-texts—Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s Sketches of Kaitan City (2010) and Sand-Il Lee’s Hula Girls (2006)—which serve to illustrate current trends of both Japanese urban shrinkage and cinema. The main objective underlying this analysis is to stress the relationship between cinema and urban space; and how the cinematic vision of cities helps to understand the complex socio-spatial processes from contemporary urban transformations.
OA paper available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21681376.2015.1085328 This pa... more OA paper available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21681376.2015.1085328
This paper investigates how cinema has represented the two sides of the industrial expansion and contraction process in the context of a peripheral shrinking region. It explores how the cinematic vision of regions helps one to understand the processes of spatial development that resulted from socio-economic changes. Classic and contemporary filmmakers have shown the social problems associated with industrialization as well as deindustrialization. The paper focuses on the Northern Kyushu Region in Japan, which due to its own history epitomizes the problematic that affects Japan’s peripheral territories – those outside the Pacific Industrial Belt. Through this analysis, it is argued that films can reveal aspects that other kinds of data cannot convey and, therefore, the cinematic analysis of regions has the potential to identify and reveal problems that otherwise would have remained unnoticed.
This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda... more This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda of cities experiencing urban shrinkage. It focuses on Manchester, archetypical example of a postindustrial shrinking city that has been able to return to the growth paradigm. Using an exploratory case study methodology, this paper analyses the spillover effects of pro-growth approaches tackling urban shrinkage. It first compiles and critically assesses its multiple flagship developments, in order to study Manchester's decay process by opposing it to the initiatives that are coping with it. It will then go on to analyse the social consequences of those initiatives and to examine the factors that can burden the city's further development. The paper argues that even though Manchester has performed well in the political game, and cosmetically improved certain areas, its flagship developments have not been able to fix the economic or social problems derived from its decay.
This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda... more This paper investigates the role that flagship developments are having in the regeneration agenda of cities suffering of urban shrinkage. It focuses on Manchester, which is facing the situation with a growing ambitious objectives. Compiling and critically assessing its multiple flagship developments, the paper studies Manchester's decay process by opposing it to the development initiatives that are coping with it. They are aiming to reverse the population drainage affecting Manchester and its metropolitan area, by bringing back its previous regional role as an economic and cultural centre. The paper argues that even though Manchester has performed well in the political game, and cosmetically improved certain areas, its flagship developments have not been able to fix the economic or social problems derived from its decay. 230 ICSDEC 2012 © ASCE 2013 ICSDEC 2012 Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Fernando Ortiz-Moya on 08/26/15.
Halfway to the 2030 deadline, humanity is clearly off-track on the Global Goals. Achieving the ... more Halfway to the 2030 deadline, humanity is clearly off-track on the Global Goals. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development remains a significant challenge for society. Numerous and compounding crises—including coping with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing armed conflicts, climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the cost-of-living crisis, among many others—have hindered, and even reversed in some cases, progress towards achieving the SDGs. These crises are exposing and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and inequalities, de facto leaving many behind.
In the wake of this bleak picture, urgent and bold actions are needed to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs. Innovative solutions and cooperation between different levels of governments and all segments of society will be essential to overcome the complex and interconnected challenges facing humanity today.
Local and regional governments, in particular, are at the forefront of implementing solutions to advance sustainable development. In their sustainability efforts, a growing number of local and regional governments are using Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) as a valuable policy tool to structure the localisation, planning, execution, and follow-up and review stages of SDG implementation. Between 2018 and 2020, almost 200 local and regional governments have conducted a VLR process.
This report marks the fourth edition in an annual series launched by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in 2020 to analyse and document the VLR movement to date. This fourth edition explores the VLR reports published in 2022, paying special attention to the 40 reports identified by the authors presented by cities (available in either English or Spanish). The analysis focuses on two key themes: first, the integration between national and local reviews of progress; and second, how VLRs contribute to local follow-up and review processes. The report also provides an overview of the trajectory of the VLR movement from 2018 to 2022 to discern ongoing trends and new frontiers in the quest to deliver the ambitious promises made by the 2030 Agenda.
This report concludes that local and regional governments can play a crucial role by conducting VLRs that go beyond monitoring and reporting progress. Well-developed VLRs can help localise the SDGs, promote multilevel governance, enhance accountability and transparency, facilitate innovation and experimentation, and contribute to policy learning and diffusion. In the face of ongoing crises, it is crucial that all levels of government coordinate their strategies to avoid duplicities, redundancies and gaps. Moreover, robust follow-up and review frameworks can inform decision-making in the face of ongoing challenges to better adapt policies to changing contexts. Based on this analysis, this report recommends integrating the VLR process into the policymaking cycle and planning mechanisms of local and regional governments. By integrating VLR processes into policymaking, VLRs can become an important tool in advancing sustainable development beyond 2030.
En sus pocos más de cien años el cine ha representado los procesos de industrialización y desindu... more En sus pocos más de cien años el cine ha representado los procesos de industrialización y desindustrialización fruto de la economía de mercado, y a su vez ha ayudado a ilustrar y comprender, los cambios producidos en la estructura urbana y social consecuencia de dichos procesos. En el caso de Japón, directores clásicos, tales como Kinoshita Keisuke, Masumura Yasuzo o Urayama Kirio, y contemporáneos, como Aoyama Shinji, Kawase Naomi o Kumakiri Kazuyoshi, han puesto de manifiesto los problemas de índole social asociados con procesos de expansión y contracción de tipo económico e industrial que conducen a un desequilibrio social en la mayoría de los casos. El presente escrito pretende investigar el peso que dichos procesos han tenido en la cinematografía japonesa. En concreto, consiste en: por un lado, una exploración de cómo la visión cinematográfica del paisaje industrial ayuda a entender el complejo proceso de identidad e industrialización llevado a cabo en Japón después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial hasta hoy, y por otro, las consecuencias sociales y urbanas contemporáneas de la desindustrialización en los mismos espacios (cinematográficos).
The post-industrial world is characterised by the growth in importance of knowledge and creative ... more The post-industrial world is characterised by the growth in importance of knowledge and creative industries. Therefore, cities have entered a competition to bring cultural industries to their economic fabric. Within this context, higher education institutions are playing a key role, as they represent embryonic synergies between public and private enterprises aiming at develop the knowledge economy.
This paper explores the possibilities opened by cultural international exchanges in reshaping the knowledge industries of a city. Taking the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) as case study, it analyses how the university has transformed the social, economic and cultural fabrics of the city. UNNC has been pioneer in developing a new model of collaboration and knowledge transfer between China and the United Kingdom while at the same time expanding the educational capabilities of Ningbo, a second tier city in Zhejiang Province. Moreover, China represents a paradigmatic case as it is transitioning to the post-industrial economic structure while at its manufacturing peak. By focusing on the physical, cultural and social transformation triggered by the establishment of UNNC we argue that the university is helping to brand Ningbo as a research and development centre while laying emphasis in its entrepreneurial capabilities. Through our analysis we stress that cultural international interchanges can open avenues to develop the cultural industries of a city and transform its economic profile.
In the context of growing concerns about environmental preservation and conservation, the ‘over p... more In the context of growing concerns about environmental preservation and conservation, the ‘over population’ discourse points to the possible environmental benefits of lower population figures due to the correlation between population growth and the emission of greenhouse gases. However, urban studies have not adequately addressed the depopulation dividend—the possible benefits achievable from decreasing population figures—and how it can contribute towards sustainable goals (Matanle, 2017). Because of its low birth rate and aged population, Japan is naturally depopulating, and hence can serve to explore the environmental impact of depopulation.
Focusing on Kitakyushu City, this paper studies the environmental impact of policies in response to depopulation. Kitakyushu was one of Japan’s industrial powerhouses; its steelworks were responsible for the city’s rapid population growth but also for severely damaging its environment. Since the 1960s deindustrialisation and environmental pollution worked as push factors triggering out-migration. The city’s authorities, pushed by grassroots movements, hastened to respond to the double challenge of depopulation and pollution by implementing policies aiming at transforming Kitakyushu into a green city. Using case study methodology, including historical research and qualitative analysis of statistical data from official bodies –such as water quality of the city’s major rivers, air pollutants, CO2 emissions or green area per capita, comparing this with the city’s population change– this paper explores the impact of depopulation and urban policies on the environment.
While globalisation is improving the overall living conditions of urban population in Asia, it is... more While globalisation is improving the overall living conditions of urban population in Asia, it is also generating a new set of problems that will mark society’s development in the coming decades. Rapid urbanisation is fragmenting social spaces triggering isolation and hence creating new forms of marginalisation within cities. China and Japan epitomise two different social systems that have developed new ‘glass walls’ that hinder communication between urban dwellers.
This paper explores the filmic representation of the growing social fragmentation consequence of globalisation, economic development and urbanisation in China and Japan. This phenomenon has captured the attention of filmmakers who have approached this topic in order to rethink mechanisms to help finding society’s urban existence in this world. Through the analysis of two Chinese films—Boli Shi Touming De (A Country Boy in Shanghai, Xia Gang, 1999) and Shijie (The World, Jua Zhangke, 2004)—and two Japanese films—Toukyou Sonata (Tokyo Sonata, Kiyoshi Kyrokawa, 2008) and Noriko no Shokutaku (Noriko’s Table, Sono Shion, 2005)—this paper reflects on the different ‘glass walls’ that globalisation is constructing that fracture social spaces disconnecting individuals from society. Through our film analysis we stress the dangers of these ‘glass walls’ and call for society’s resilience in order to break them to allow for the development of new social relations.