Reading
Zhang, M 2016, ‘A rhetorical analysis of Chinese WeChat messages among midlife adults’,
China Media Research, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 7-16.
Question
- In what ways have socially and politically marginalised individuals and groups
pushed back against systemic power structures to create powerful online identities and
communities? List as many examples as you can think of.
Answer
Internet offers the government new communication opportunities with citizens but also allows citizens to access alternative information and connect among themselves in unprecedented ways (Masterson, 2015, p. 238).
Social media contributes to identity construction, nostalgia and cultural memories, and these things work together to bring shared cultural identity among citizens (Zhang M, 2016, p.8). The definite group identity based on shared memory is the primary reason for bringing the group together. WeChat can be an example of social media enabling social gratification, content gratification, and entertainment.
In the research, Zhang finds out that there was little sharing of work identity and absence of political identity in group discussions in four Chinese alumni groups.
Reference
Zhang, M 2016, ‘A rhetorical analysis of Chinese WeChat messages among midlife adults’,
China Media Research, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 7-16.
Masterson J. R. 2016, ‘Social media in China: A double-edged sword.’ In S.B. Edwards III & D. Santos (Eds.). Revolutionizing the interaction between state and citizens through digital communications (pp. 238-283). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Seasalt Milkshake 