Rethinking Two-Way Socialisation

Cultural Governance on Chinese Social Media Platforms

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6434875
AutoresKarl Yan (0000-0003-4831-4773, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen), Yin Yang (0000-0002-6195-4145, Pennsylvania State University, autor correspondente)
Ano2024
Volume54
Fascículo1
Páginas3-24
Data de publicação2024-04-07
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Current Chinese Affairs (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1868-1026 • E-ISSN: 1868-4874
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/18681026241240074
OpenAlexW4394573711
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas34

During the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in China, Chinese netizens engaged in protracted entanglements with the state across major platforms. They called on the Wuhan (武汉, wuhan ) government to be accountable for the rapid spread of the pandemic. Interestingly, this same group of netizens had sung praises to the Chinese Communist Party's tune and lauded the extraordinary achievements of the regime before the outbreak of COVID-19, during the seventieth anniversary of the country. In fewer than six months, the national binge spiralled into poignant criticisms. Against this backdrop, this paper investigates two questions: First, why was there a marked shift in opinions towards the state? Second, what discourse did netizens adopt when expressing their discontent? We argue that the shift is indicative of two-way socialisation in the party-state's legitimacy-building process. While netizens have bought into the official narratives of a celebratory event, they hold the state to the same standard when a crisis occurs

Corporate governance · Management · Media studies · Political science · Public relations · Social media · Social science · Socialization · Sociology · Asian Culture and Media Studies · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · Hong Kong and Taiwan Politics