How does a name shape a place? The performativity of urban branding in the case of Songdo, South Korea.

Socially constructed urban branding not only revises the identity and structure of a city but also influences legislation, planning and policy mobility. To overcome the narrow view of the existing debate over whether or not Songdo is a smart city, a performative approach is adopted, focusing on the impact of a succession of urban branding slogans and the symbolic and discursive imaging of Songdo on the evolution of political processes of city development and the mobility of the urban model within and beyond the country. By examining the circular relations among discourses, planning and policy mobilities, this study contributes to academic and practical discussions of development rationales and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]