How Censorship in China Allows Government Criticism But Silences Collective Expression

By Gary King, Jennifer Pan, Margaret Roberts on June 5, 2012

Contrary to previous understandings, Chinese Internet posts with negative, even vitriolic, criticism of the state, its leaders, and its policies are not more likely to be censored than posts without this content. Instead, this study shows that the censorship program is aimed at curtailing collective action by silencing comments that represent, reinforce, or spur social mobilization, regardless of content.

This study uses modern computer-assisted text analytic methods that the researchers adapted and validated in the Chinese language to compare the substantive content of Internet posts censored by the Chinese government to those not censored over time in each of 95 issue areas. The study's authors located, downloaded, and analyzed the content of millions of social media posts originating from nearly 1,400 different social media services throughout China.

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Kennett Werner
Topics: 
Society
Keywords: 
Censorship
Internet
Social Media
Political Mobilization
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Harvard University

But Some of Us Are Looking at the Stars

Profiles of Chinese Science Fiction Writers by Kun Kun

on June 4, 2012

The wild nature of a realist

The moment that someone decides to write, if it’s truly miraculous, is often likened to a “flash of inspiration.” Haruki Murakami’s description of such a moment is a classic example, and whether true or not, it has a certain moving patina. He said: I was watching a baseball game when I decided to start writing; the team I support hit a home run and the ball flew fast and high across the sky. I stared at it and thought: I want to be a writer!

Diplomat

on June 4, 2012

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Food Paradise or Hell: A New Documentary Sparks Debate

By Sun Yunfan & Qiaoyi Zhuang on June 4, 2012

A seven-part documentary on China’s food culture, “A Bite of China” (which translated literally means “China on the Tip of the Tongue”) premiered on the main channel of China Central Television (CCTV-1) on May 14, 2012 and became an instant sensation. The series gives a panoramic introduction to China’s rich culinary traditions and wide regional varieties by showcasing unique ingredients, famous dishes, and special food processing techniques, as well as local custom and sceneries.

 

Ex-Beijing Mayor Backs Away from Long-Standing Account of Tiananmen Crackdown

By Andrew Higgins on June 4, 2012

Shortly after Chinese troops stormed into Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, the then-mayor of Beijing gave a lengthy report that, for 23 years, has formed the bedrock of the Communist Party’s justification for the use of lethal force against unarmed protesters. Describing street demonstrations by millions of people in Beijing and other cities as a Western-backed conspiracy orchestrated by a “tiny handful of people,” Chen Xitong’s report hailed the crackdown as “correct” and unavoidable.