The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on Pets
Using the frameworks of biopower and uses and gratification theory, this article examines the treatment of pets in China during the COVID-19 outbreak and the role of social media in fulfilling users’ social needs by facilitating discussions on associated animal welfare issues and mobilizing animal...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Asian Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/12299 |
| _version_ | 1797690419045203968 |
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| author | Thomas William Whyke Joaquin Lopez Mugica Sadia Jamil Aiqing Wang |
| author_facet | Thomas William Whyke Joaquin Lopez Mugica Sadia Jamil Aiqing Wang |
| author_sort | Thomas William Whyke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Using the frameworks of biopower and uses and gratification theory, this article examines the treatment of pets in China during the COVID-19 outbreak and the role of social media in fulfilling users’ social needs by facilitating discussions on associated animal welfare issues and mobilizing animal advocates to take action. The analysis focuses on how social media comments on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, have influenced public discourse surrounding the biopolitical governance of animals emphasized by the zero-COVID policy, which has helped maintain a strong sense of national consciousness in post-socialist China. The study centres on an isolated case of the killing of a corgi by a health worker in Shanghai and how it was perceived on social media. The findings suggest that much of the animosity demonstrated on Weibo towards the killing is centred around biopower, or the biopolitical governance of humans and animals that has more broadly prioritized human life over animal welfare in China’s approach to COVID-19. In this way, social media has played a crucial role in mobilizing animal advocates to take a more prominent role in the emergency management of pets. The study concludes that China should consider adopting a standard operating procedure for pet care and rescue that includes pets in its humans-first disaster response and relief measures to develop a better and healthier national consciousness, fulfil the social needs of its citizens who value animal welfare, and strengthen its sense of national consciousness.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:59:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7505e389230146f58e68dd6220216698 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2232-5131 2350-4226 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:59:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-7505e389230146f58e68dd62202166982023-09-07T21:06:01ZengUniversity of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)Asian Studies2232-51312350-42262023-09-0111310.4312/as.2023.11.3.93-127The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on PetsThomas William Whyke0Joaquin Lopez Mugica1Sadia Jamil2Aiqing Wang3University of Nottingham Ningbo, ChinaWenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, ChinaUniversity of Nottingham Ningbo, ChinaUniversity of Liverpool, United Kingdom Using the frameworks of biopower and uses and gratification theory, this article examines the treatment of pets in China during the COVID-19 outbreak and the role of social media in fulfilling users’ social needs by facilitating discussions on associated animal welfare issues and mobilizing animal advocates to take action. The analysis focuses on how social media comments on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, have influenced public discourse surrounding the biopolitical governance of animals emphasized by the zero-COVID policy, which has helped maintain a strong sense of national consciousness in post-socialist China. The study centres on an isolated case of the killing of a corgi by a health worker in Shanghai and how it was perceived on social media. The findings suggest that much of the animosity demonstrated on Weibo towards the killing is centred around biopower, or the biopolitical governance of humans and animals that has more broadly prioritized human life over animal welfare in China’s approach to COVID-19. In this way, social media has played a crucial role in mobilizing animal advocates to take a more prominent role in the emergency management of pets. The study concludes that China should consider adopting a standard operating procedure for pet care and rescue that includes pets in its humans-first disaster response and relief measures to develop a better and healthier national consciousness, fulfil the social needs of its citizens who value animal welfare, and strengthen its sense of national consciousness. https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/12299COVID-19Chinaanimal welfareemergency managementbiopower |
| spellingShingle | Thomas William Whyke Joaquin Lopez Mugica Sadia Jamil Aiqing Wang The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on Pets Asian Studies COVID-19 China animal welfare emergency management biopower |
| title | The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on Pets |
| title_full | The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on Pets |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on Pets |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on Pets |
| title_short | The Impact of China’s Biopolitical Approach to COVID-19 on Pets |
| title_sort | impact of china s biopolitical approach to covid 19 on pets |
| topic | COVID-19 China animal welfare emergency management biopower |
| url | https://journals.uni-lj.si/as/article/view/12299 |
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