The Internet Society in China

This book provides a cutting edge analysis of the rapid rise of China’s network society and reviews recent key developments within China’s internet economy, notably the concepts of “Lucky Money” and E-Business on Wechat, and Crowd-Funding Platforms. It focuses on drawing out the sociological impact of these economic developments, examining among others the bearing of the decentralization of e-business in rural areas. It offers a vital sociological perspective on the development of China’s internet society and how it affects social and professional relations, examining the shift from the traditional Red Envelope Giving Culture to Digital Red Envelope, micro charity 2.0 as well as the Rise of Internet Crowd Funding in China. Combining an up to date analysis of the current state of play of China’s internet society with expertise in the rapidly changing landscape of China’s social media, this book provides key insights into how technology impacts on the communication and movement of population in China, in both social and economic spheres.

• China’s Network Society
• Development within China’s Internet Economy
• E-Business on Wechat
• Decentralization of E-business in Rural China
• Rise of Internet Crowd Funding in China
• Changing Landscape of China’s Social Media
• Technology, Media and Communication in China
• Digital Red Envelope
• Micro Charity 2.0

• Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

  Shaojie Liu

• Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China

  Jianmin Wang

Shaojie Liu is Deputy Director of the Center for Studies of Sociological Theory & Method, as well as Professor and doctoral supervisor at Renmin University of China. His research focuses on the contemporary institutional structure of Chinese society, new trends in contemporary international sociology, and theories and practices of new economic sociology. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Sociological Review of China and Chairman of the Theoretical Sociology Commission of Chinese Sociological Association.

Jianmin Wang is Associate Professor and Master’s supervisor at the Department of Sociology of the Central University of Finance and Economics, China. His main research fields are sociological theory, the history of Sociology in the Republic of China, and network sociology.

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