![]() In the context of a previous lack of tolerance of LGBT stories, Guardian adapted one of the top gay fictional series on the Chinese internet, but strategically changed gay romance into ‘men’s friendship’ to safely comply with the supervision of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT). Since the webisode series Guardian (“镇魂”) became a hit in the summer of 2018, the term ‘ socialist brotherhood’ (“社会主义兄弟情”) has become a buzzword on Chinese social media. It argues that practice of repeating these memes produces interpretive ambiguities around the official language, and in doing so re-directs socialist persuasion towards a liberalised end. ![]() Looking at humorous ‘socialist memes’ popularised on the Chinese internet in recent years, the article conducts a discourse analysis on the patterns they reveal to break down this reiterative practice as an unfolding event, revealing how its humour disrupts official language and engages the public affectively. Drawing on affect theory to address these multiple potentials, it critically reconsiders the nature of persuasion itself, arguing that affective engagement is crucial in sustaining and consolidating temporary tendencies that lead to alteration in the social fabric. Considering that repeated propaganda in China is broadly ineffective in generating wholehearted public support, this article is interested in how and when repetition does achieve meaningful persuasion. Previous research has noted the ambiguous persuasive potentials of reiteration: repeating a statement, slogan or image can work both positively and negatively, can both help and hinder the effectiveness of a political message.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |