Media and Conflict in the Social Media Era in China

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

   PDF

2. Introduction: Media and Conflict Studies in the Social Media Age

   • Shixin Ivy Zhang

   Pages 1-20

3. China’s Social Media Platforms: Weibo

   • Shixin Ivy Zhang

   Pages 21-40

4. Sino-Indian Border Crisis in 2017

   • Shixin Ivy Zhang

   Pages 41-61

5. Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands Dispute in 2017–2018

   • Shixin Ivy Zhang

   Pages 63-87

6. South China Sea Dispute in 2018

   • Shixin Ivy Zhang

   Pages 89-112

7. North Korea Nuclear Crisis in 2018

   • Shixin Ivy Zhang

   Pages 113-136

8. Conclusion

   • Shixin Ivy Zhang

   Pages 137-153

9. Back Matter

   Pages 155-160

   PDF

This book explores the media and conflict relationship in the age of social media through the lens of China. Inspired by the concepts of medialization of conflict and actor-network theory, this book centers on four main actors in wars and conflicts: social media platform, mainstream news organizations, online users and social media content. These four human and non-human actors associate, interact and negotiate with each other in the social media network.  The central argument is that social media is playing an enabling role in contemporary wars and conflicts. Both professional media outlets and web users employ the functionalities of social media platforms to set, counter-set or expand the online public agenda.  Social media platform embodies a web of technological and human complexities with different actors, factors, interests, and power relations. These four actors and the macro social-political context are influential in the medialization of conflict in the social media era.

‘’Empirically rich and theoretically innovative, this book advances our understanding of the constantly changing dynamic between international conflict and its medialization. With its compelling case studies, Shixin Zhang’s monograph makes a valuable contribution to the literature on Chinese social media in conflict situations.’’

- Daya K. Thussu, Professor of International Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong

• media and conflict studies in the social media age
• China and Weibo
• social media and Sino-Indian border crisis
• Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands dispute and the media
• conflict/crisis reporting in the social media age

‘’Empirically rich and theoretically innovative, this book advances our understanding of the constantly changing dynamic between international conflict and its mediation. With its compelling case studies, Shixin Zhang’s monograph makes a valuable contribution to the literature on Chinese social media in conflict situations.’’

- Daya K. Thussu, Professor of International Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong

• School of International Communications, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, China

  Shixin Ivy Zhang

Shixin Ivy Zhang (Ph.D. University of Leeds) is Associate Professor in Journalism Studies at University of Nottingham Ningbo China. She is the author of two research monographs entitled Impact of Globalization on the Local Press in China (2014) and Chinese War Correspondents: Covering Wars and Conflicts in the 21st Century (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). 

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