Chinese Social Media: Face, Sociality, and Civility

This book explores the social media experiences and practices of young middle-class Chinese who moved to Beijing to study and work. It argues that sustaining personal and social relationships in China's modernity requires new norms of positivity and online civility, framed by tensions between emerging opportunities for freedom of expression and long-standing traditions of social identity and reputation. The participants' practices reveal a fascinating amalgam of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy, Western-influenced ideas of positive psychology, self-expression, social networks, and pragmatic social relations.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 168 pages
\n Publication date: 02 April 2021
\n Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
\n

The impact of social media on the lives of Chinese youths as they navigate the rapid economic and social changes in modern China is a complex and multifaceted issue. This book delves into the social media experiences and practices of young middle-class Chinese individuals who have relocated to Beijing to pursue education and employment opportunities. Through an in-depth analysis of their use of WeChat, the authors explore the profound enthusiasm these individuals possess for self-expression online, as well as their mediated social connections with family, friends, classmates, and colleagues.

Furthermore, they examine the participants' engagement with issues of online civility, highlighting the need for new norms of positivity and etiquette in the context of China's modernity, which includes its soft regulation of internet and social media. This study is framed by several tensions, including the clash between emerging opportunities for freedom of expression and long-standing traditions of social identity and reputation, such as face (lian and mianzi). Additionally, it explores the interplay between traditional obligations to parents (xiaoshun) and the desire for personal autonomy, as well as the pressure to constitute and govern the internet as a space of positive energy and civility in support of national Chinese sovereignty.

The social media practices and deliberations of the participants reveal a fascinating amalgamation of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy, reflections on tradition and collectivism, and an embrace of Western-influenced ideas of positive psychology, self-expression, social networks, and pragmatic social relations. This exploration sheds light on the complex ways in which social media is shaping the lives of Chinese youths, providing insights into their aspirations, challenges, and opportunities in the rapidly evolving social and technological landscape of modern China.

\n Weight: 372g\n
Dimension: 160 x 237 x 19 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781839091360\n \n