Introduction: Walking around obstacles -- Nonconfrontational activism and the Chinese "social" -- NGO 2.0 and social media activism: activist as researcher -- WeChat vs. Weibo: microblogging and peer-to-peer philanthropy -- Millennials as change agents on the social web -- Makers and Tech4Good culture -- Participatory action research and the Chinese challenge -- Conclusion: Between Star Trek and Brave New World?
Summary:
The Other Digital China: Nonconfrontational Activism on the Social Web maps out the emerging ecosystem of Chinese activism 2.0 that traverses multiple sectors-the NGO sector, universities, the corporate sector, and the IT sector-where change agents are creating social good in non-contentious ways and engaged in constructing the new "social" under difficult ideological constraints. Focusing on social media and tech practices emerging from China's social sector in recent years, this book provides a multifaceted look at the Chinese society caught at a transformative moment, thanks in part to the arrival of Web 2.0 technology and the accompanying cyber utopianism, as well as the Communist Party's recently alleged commitment to policies aimed at energizing the hitherto weak social structure. Wang develops the idea of "nonconfrontational activism" and argues that it's possible to talk about the agency of "change-makers" even in authoritarian countries.-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.