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China's Social Memory in a Digitalized World‐Assessing the Country's Narratives in Blogs
Author(s) -
ZHANG JUNHUA
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of historical sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.186
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1467-6443
pISSN - 0952-1909
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6443.2012.01431.x
Subject(s) - china , narrative , censorship , social media , social memory , sociology , media studies , root (linguistics) , political science , psychology , literature , cognitive science , art , law , linguistics , philosophy
This paper will study the role that new media plays in shaping social memory by exploring China's grass‐root narratives existing in blogs. By conducting a content analysis, the main features of China's storytellers are illuminated. While emphasizing the role of narratives in shaping a nation's social memory in China, explanations for the source of a new social memory are being searched. In doing so, the linear‐model of cause and effect between technology and social change, including McLuhan's term “digital village” are being questioned. The author predicts that, under today's circumstances, China's memory policy including an internalized self‐censorship will still have its effectiveness.