Modern Social Science Research

This study takes Changsha as a case study, employing Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space as its theoretical framework. Through a mixed-methods approach combining content analysis, questionnaire surveys, and in-depth interviews, it empirically investigates the construction logic and internal contradictions of the youth development-oriented city image on short video platforms. The research finds that short videos construct the urban image through three primary mechanisms: the symbolic compression of material space, the identity production within mental space, and the democratic interaction in social space. In response to identified issues—such as the low visibility of industrial image, weakened policy communication effectiveness, and the disconnection between emotional expression and rational policy—the study proposes an integrated optimization path. This path synthesizes spatial narrative, algorithmic logic, and evaluation paradigms. It advocates for reshaping the functional role of short videos in building youth development cities through technological empowerment and institutional innovation, thereby providing theoretically grounded and practically feasible references for urban image communication. This research not only expands the application of spatial mediation theory in the field of youth urban development but also offers scholarly insights and practical implications for optimizing communication strategies in the transition from internet-famous cities to youth development-oriented cities.

Youth development city; Short video; Spatial production; Urban representation; Changsha