Computer-Mediated Communication  and the Formation of Collective Action in China: The Human Flesh Search Engine Phenomenon

In the beginning of the 1990s, China witnessed the arrival of the internet. The internet allowed ordinary citizens to contribute to the production of media content by sharing news and opinions with each other. The computer-mediated communication (CMC) technology provided a new medium of interaction for citizens and allowed them to mobilise more quickly and more efficiently. Since then, the notion of collective action took on new dimensions. New forms and practices of collective action started to appear on the internet in China. One of such practices is the Human Flesh Search Engine (HFSE). It is a public search for people driven by a massive collaboration of internet users. The participants share a common goal of revealing the truth and punishing targets of the search accused or suspected of wrongdoing. This thesis analyses the role of the internet in relation to social activism and collective action in China by answering the following research question: How does the CMC, that the...Show moreIn the beginning of the 1990s, China witnessed the arrival of the internet. The internet allowed ordinary citizens to contribute to the production of media content by sharing news and opinions with each other. The computer-mediated communication (CMC) technology provided a new medium of interaction for citizens and allowed them to mobilise more quickly and more efficiently. Since then, the notion of collective action took on new dimensions. New forms and practices of collective action started to appear on the internet in China. One of such practices is the Human Flesh Search Engine (HFSE). It is a public search for people driven by a massive collaboration of internet users. The participants share a common goal of revealing the truth and punishing targets of the search accused or suspected of wrongdoing. This thesis analyses the role of the internet in relation to social activism and collective action in China by answering the following research question: How does the CMC, that the internet facilitates, reflect the formation of collective action in China? To answer this question, I examined the CMC in the context of the HFSE phenomenon. I analysed two notable cases of the HFSE, namely, the South China tiger scandal (2007) and the search for “Liaoning Girl” (2008). Both cases demonstrated similar patterns in terms of formation of collective action and the following search for the target. The collective action in the context of the HFSE had an actual impact on the outcomes of these cases. The CMC provides a new medium of communication, which in turn facilitates the formation of collective action.Show less

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Computer-Mediated Communication and the Formation of Collective Action in China: The Human Flesh Search Engine Phenomenon