Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic
Abstract This study investigates the emotional management strategies employed by the Chinese maintream media Huanqiu Shibao (HQSB), through the use of nationalistic rhetoric during the Covid-19 pandemic. By conducting a discourse analysis of the coverage of Covid-19 on HQSB’s WeChat account, this re...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01925-2 |
| _version_ | 1797630382274772992 |
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| author | Chang Zhang Zi Wang |
| author_facet | Chang Zhang Zi Wang |
| author_sort | Chang Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study investigates the emotional management strategies employed by the Chinese maintream media Huanqiu Shibao (HQSB), through the use of nationalistic rhetoric during the Covid-19 pandemic. By conducting a discourse analysis of the coverage of Covid-19 on HQSB’s WeChat account, this research reveals two primary emotional management strategies: defensive nationalism and aggressive nationalism. Defensive nationalism utilizes fear and positive emotions to uphold and defend Chinese politics, while aggressive nationalism employs disgust to counter external criticisms and delegitimize the US democratic system and international leadership. By examining how HQSB emotionally differentiates the world, the study unveils that tactics Chinese mainstream media use to construct national identity, drawing a divisive line between a despised ‘them’ and an innocent ‘us’. The Covid-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the emotionalisation of Chinese digital propaganda and the evolution of state-led nationalism during a public health crisis. The research concludes that the use of emotion in HQSB’s Covid-19 coverage aligns with China’s broader strategy of nation-building and global influence promotion. It underscores the need for greater awareness of the emotional mobilization used in political communication, particularly during times of crisis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:06:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6953d0423f7b43c8a1f0012bce4750be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:06:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-6953d0423f7b43c8a1f0012bce4750be2023-11-12T12:10:28ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922023-07-0110111110.1057/s41599-023-01925-2Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemicChang Zhang0Zi Wang1School of Government and Public Affairs, Communication University of China Department of Applied Linguistics & Student Opportunity, University of WarwickAbstract This study investigates the emotional management strategies employed by the Chinese maintream media Huanqiu Shibao (HQSB), through the use of nationalistic rhetoric during the Covid-19 pandemic. By conducting a discourse analysis of the coverage of Covid-19 on HQSB’s WeChat account, this research reveals two primary emotional management strategies: defensive nationalism and aggressive nationalism. Defensive nationalism utilizes fear and positive emotions to uphold and defend Chinese politics, while aggressive nationalism employs disgust to counter external criticisms and delegitimize the US democratic system and international leadership. By examining how HQSB emotionally differentiates the world, the study unveils that tactics Chinese mainstream media use to construct national identity, drawing a divisive line between a despised ‘them’ and an innocent ‘us’. The Covid-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the emotionalisation of Chinese digital propaganda and the evolution of state-led nationalism during a public health crisis. The research concludes that the use of emotion in HQSB’s Covid-19 coverage aligns with China’s broader strategy of nation-building and global influence promotion. It underscores the need for greater awareness of the emotional mobilization used in political communication, particularly during times of crisis.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01925-2 |
| spellingShingle | Chang Zhang Zi Wang Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic |
| title_full | Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic |
| title_short | Despicable ‘other’ and innocent ‘us’: emotion politics in the time of the pandemic |
| title_sort | despicable other and innocent us emotion politics in the time of the pandemic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01925-2 |
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