The Chinese government has made massive investments to modernize the urban fabric without paying much attention to the socioeconomic impacts of these policies. Shiyu Yang draws on Henri Lefebvre's well established theoretical framework and case studies from two urban villages in Beijing to examine how migrants shape the social production of space in these districts. She brings together various strands of academic discussion, e.g., appropriation of space, migration, informality, and contributes to cross-disciplinary urban research. The study thus offers insights into ongoing processes and social patterns relevant to scholars and practitioners in the fields of governance and urban planning.