Extending the research on digital China: the transnational lens

ABSTRACT

The goal of this article is to reflect on and challenge some key presumptions in the existing research on digital China, and to critically extend this line of inquiry by engaging with the transnational perspective. We argue that the transnational lens, while acknowledging the vital role of the state, can reveal a more diverse set of actors and their dynamics. Theoretically, we borrow from critical studies that conceptualize and repackage Chinese-ness as Sinophone communities and expression, a more progressive, inclusive, and grounded perspective. To substantiate our arguments, we introduce two cases derived from our own empirical studies: the multi-faceted border transgression of platform game workers, as well as the transnational production and boomerang diffusion of disinformation to undergird the less visible service and content supply chain. We propose that future research should recenter the fluid and intersectional identities of actors involved in the digital presumption, and utilize a multi-platform and relational approach to shed light on the dynamic evolution of transnationalism.

KEYWORDS:

• Transnational
• digital China
• sinophone
• game worker
• disinformationa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 This GitHub site summarizes news coverage of various global solidarity campaigns: https://deliveryworkers.github.io/

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mengyang Zhao

Mengyang Zhao is a doctoral candidate in sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. Their research interests include digital labor, precarious work, and social movements.

Kecheng Fang

Kecheng Fang is an Assistant Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research interests include journalism, political communication, and digital media.