At the Liaison's Gates: Spirit and Security in Hong Kong

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Vesperi, Maria

Keywords

China, South Florida, Social Movement

Area of Concentration

Anthropology

Abstract

Beginning since Deng Xiaoping's 1970's reforms, Chinese affairs have been increasingly transparent to the rest of the world. This is in large part due to increased travel and increased usage of the Internet and communications. Among those growing Internet possibilities are the possibilities to sustain new social movements in China. This includes tech-savvy members of well-organized groups who can help keep the movement together even when members are geographically separate. The new movements also operate independent media including private radio, television, and newspaper media outlets. In interviews conducted in China over summer 2011 and others conducted in South Florida in fall 2011, I spoke with members who comprise a piece of this larger narrative of independent organization and self-regulated private media. They told me of the merits, the difficulties, and the future for these media outlets as well as that media's relationship with the laobaixing, the everyday Chinese citizens within the public. The public's sympathy, apathy, or distrust for some of these new social movements has been turbulent over time. This paper provides a history and personal accounts of some new social movements in China. It also looks at the themes that emerged from my interviews as possible windows toward analyzing the extent which these individuals' personal views are reflected in their respective media outlets.

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