Study module

By the end of this course students
- are able to discern the central and controversial role media (and various forms of media) has in Chinese society.
- have gained an understanding of the complicated and dynamic role of social media in Chinese society
- comprehend the diverse ownership and organization structure of Chinese media companies
- understand the role of Party and politics in Chinese media
- have developed a deeper understanding of critical issues related to Chinese media and media culture
- are also aware of current debates on social change as expressed through Chinese media.

The Chinese society – China and media course offers students insight into the important role of media, social media, emerging new ways of interacting in daily life, gigantic media companies and the role of censorship in the Chinese society. The course illustrates how media and social media in particular are changing society, reflect social and popular issues, and serve as a platform where censorship machine and party play a cat and mouse game with netizens’ desire to express sensitive issues. Chinese young netizens are among the most active social media users in the whole world. The internet, online wholesaling, games and social media in general have become an inseparable part of Chinese people’s daily life. This revolutionary development has been paralleled with the rise of global media giants; companies such as Baidu, Tencent and Alibaba and number of other Chinese high-tech companies and restricting Western internet companies, such as Google and YouTube, to operate in China. The course introduces these global leading companies, their role, strategies and intriguing relationship with the Party and its censorship machine in China.

No previous studies required

Lectures and exercises (27 h), independent work

It is required to attend and pass all parts of the course to receive a final course grade.

Donald, S.H., Keane, M. and Hong, Y. 2002. Media in China: Consumption, Content and Crisis. Routledge.
- Especially chapters 11 and 16

Erni, J.N. and Chua, S.K. (Eds.) 2005. Asian Media Studies. Blackwell Publishing.
- Chapter 8

Keane, M. 2013. Creative Industries in China. Polity Press.
- Especially chapters 1, 2 and 7

Keane, M. (Ed.). Forthcoming. Handbook of China's Cultural and Creative Industries. Edward Elgar.
- Especially chapters 2, 3, 9, 13, 24 and 29

Grades 1-5/fail
The lecturer(s) will inform the evaluation method of the course.

Professor Matti Nojonen, University of Lapland

Lecturer(s)

Research Assistant Professor Hanna Wirman, Hong Kong Polytechnic University