Communication Campaigns and National Integration in Chinaℓ́ℓs Market Economy Era : Reviving the National Soul

Annotation This book adopts the method of grounded theory in studying national communication campaigns in China, referred to as propaganda campaigns in the Chinese linguistic context. The study provides an exploratory and descriptive analysis of the ways in which the media in China fulfilled their function of building a Socialist spiritual civilisation and maintaining national integration during state propaganda campaigns. Explanations for the success and limitations of the campaigns are clearly expressed and combined with cautious statements on the limited role of the media in the process of national integration. The three major communication campaigns detailed in this book offer revelations regarding how to maintain mass morale and revive the national spirit at a time when economic pursuits and aspirations seem to be the top priority for individuals and institutions. A chief premise underpinning this study is that economic growth is not to be equated with social progress or human development, the latter encompassing a far more profound spiritual dimension, which takes far more delicate efforts to accomplish Contents 5 List of Tables 9 1 Introduction 10 1.1 Introduction 10 1.2 In Search of China’s National Soul: Is the Nation Falling Apart? 14 1.2.1 Ideological Schism—Is There an Identity Crisis? 15 1.2.1.1 Defining Patriotism 18 1.2.1.2 Defining the Nation 19 1.2.2 Party-State-Nation: Consequences of Structural Differentiation 20 1.2.3 Historical Discontinuity—A Spiritual Vacuum 22 1.2.4 Substantive Conflicts—Does the Nation Seem Fair to All? 25 1.3 Reaching the Soul of the Nation: Empirical Justification for Study 26 References 28 2 Theoretical Foundations of the Study 30 2.1 Literature Review 30 2.1.1 Communication in National Development 30 2.1.2 Mass Mobilisation and National Integration: The Role of Communications 33 2.1.3 Mass Campaigns—an Old Topic, a New Perspective 37 2.2 Theoretical Horizons of the Study 39 2.2.1 An Overview of Prospect 39 2.2.2 Further Elaboration on Theoretical Significance of the Study 42 References 46 3 Empirical Approaches to the Study 48 3.1 Again, What Is This Study? 48 3.2 Approach to the Analysis 49 3.2.1 Why These Specific Cases? 49 3.2.2 Main Sources of Data 51 3.2.3 Basic Analytical Procedures 52 3.3 Possible Outcomes 53 References 53 4 A Nation in Action: Communication and China’s Bid for Year 2000 Olympics 54 4.1 Introduction: A Moment of Experience of the Nation 54 4.2 Analysis: From the Bid to a Collective Experience of the Nation 55 4.2.1 Nationalising a Wish for the Bid: The Media as Articulator 56 4.2.1.1 Initial Sentiments of “National Soul”: Will of a Leader—Wish of the People 56 4.2.1.2 Featuring Barcelona Olympics: Linking Olympics with China’s National Pride 57 4.2.1.3 Initial Expressions of Wish and Support from the Masses—It Is a National Bid 58 4.2.1.4 Official Planning to Promote the Bid: Present “China” for Support 59 4.2.1.5 Editorialising Relevance of the Bid to China—Invoking National Soul 59 4.2.2 Declaring—Displaying National Will: The Media as Facilitator 61 4.2.2.1 Official Call for Mobilisation: Declaring Beijing’s Determination 62 4.2.2.2 Mobilising the Media: Fermenting the Atmosphere of “Beijing Bidding” 63 4.2.2.3 Official Articulation of a National Will: Government and People as One 64 4.2.2.4 Displaying and Demonstrating a National Will—Presenting Beijing to IOC 65 4.2.2.5 Editorialising a National Will: The Bid Is Relevant to National Integration 67 4.2.3 Demonstrating National Work: The Media as an Integrating Interpreter 67 4.2.3.1 The Media as Mobiliser: Get People to Participate 68 4.2.3.2 Fermenting the Mass Atmosphere: Media as an Integrating Interpreter 69 4.2.3.3 Sublimating Significance of the Games—Patriotism Highlighted 71 4.2.3.4 The Games Presented as a National Event and Statement to the IOC 72 4.2.4 Final Presentation of Wish—Will—Work: The Nation Experienced as One 74 4.2.4.1 Prelude: Official Expression of Confidence—The Nation Is One 74 4.2.4.2 “Beijing” Became “China”—The Chinese Delegation’s Expedition to Monaco 75 4.2.4.3 Citing Mass Participation as Evidence of National Support 76 4.2.4.4 Idealising International Significance of the Bid—China’s Identity Defined 77 4.2.4.5 Punctuating National Climax of the Bid: The Nation Experienced via Media 79 4.2.5 Re-affirming National Strength and Redefining National Mission 81 4.2.5.1 Initial Step by the Media—De-emphasising the Bid 82 4.2.5.2 State Government: Idealising Interpretation of the Result 82 4.2.5.3 Further Response from the Media: Editorialising in Line with the State 83 4.2.5.4 Campaign Review: Peaceful Conclusion 85 4.3 Conclusion 86 References 88 5 Beyond the Planned Campaign: Construction of the “Nation” in the Bid for Olympics 92 5.1 Awareness—Activation–Action: Constructing a “Nation” 92 5.1.1 Spreading Awareness, Stimulating Participation—The Bid Links the Nation 93 5.1.2 Activating Awareness of the Bid: Relating the Individual to the Nation 95 5.1.3 Action in Support of the Bid: Mass Participation in the Nation 97 5.1.3.1 Actions Organised by the Media 98 5.1.3.2 Actions Organised by the Government 98 5.1.3.3 Spontaneous Actions: Initiated—Reported—Organised—Integrated 99 5.1.3.4 Action Initiated by the Commercial Sector 100 5.1.3.5 Integrated Action: Hundred-Enterprises-Support-Beijing’s-Bid 101 5.1.4 Aligning All the Chinese: Projecting All-inclusiveness of the Nation 103 5.2 “The Whole China Is Mobilised”—Featured in Foreign Eyes 106 5.2.1 IOC’s Appreciation of Beijing’s Bid Report 106 5.2.2 IOC Members’ Quoted Impression of BeijingChina 106 5.2.3 Reporting on the Other Bidding Cities: Beijing Is Strong! 107 5.2.4 International Expressions of Support—Integrated into National Strength 109 5.2.5 Covering Objections to Beijing: National Will Re-affirmed 110 5.3 Conclusions 111 5.3.1 Defining the Nation: The Bid as a Process of National Integration 111 5.3.2 Idealism—Pragmatism–Idealism: Metamorphosis of Promotional Thrust in Relation to the Nation 112 5.3.3 The Media’s Integrating Framework for Reporting and Interpretation 113 References 114 6 In Memory of Mao: Re-making a Nation Maker 117 6.1 Introduction 117 6.1.1 The Emergence of Mao Craze in the 1990s 118 6.2 The Commemoration: Integrating Straying Sentiments Under One Head 120 6.2.1 Re-placing Mao’s Ideologies—Official Line: Continuity from Mao to Deng 121 6.2.2 Re-interpreting Mao’s Ideologies—Academic Line Integrated with Party Line 127 6.2.3 Re-enacting Mao’s Personal Image: Mao and His People as One 129 6.2.4 Mass Participation 134 6.3 Conclusions: Integrating Mao into Post-Mao China 135 6.3.1 A Non-campaign Campaign: Notes on the Process 135 6.3.2 Levels of Integration Manifest in the Process 135 6.3.3 The Campaign and the Identity—Strength—Mission of the Nation 137 References 138 7 Revealing the National Soul: 50th Anniversary of Victory Over Japanese Invasion 140 7.1 Introduction: A Fully Planned Case 140 7.2 The Analysis: History as Resources for National Integration 142 7.3 Re-enactment of History: A Portrait of Collective Resistance 144 7.3.1 Telling the Story: And Telling You How to Read It 144 7.3.2 Dramatising History 147 7.3.3 Displaying History 148 7.4 Interpretation of History: How to Place the Actors in the Portrait 150 7.5 Abstraction of Patriotic Theme from History: Interaction Between the People and the “Nation” 153 7.6 Direction for the Campaign: Towards a Guided Conception of the Nation 155 7.6.1 Official Directives 155 7.6.2 Media Editorials as Directives for Education 159 7.6.2.1 Activities Intended for Guidance and Education 160 7.7 Sublimation: The Moments Glorified—Reaching the Soul of the Nation 161 7.8 Immortalisation: Preserving References to the National Soul 163 7.8.1 Mass Participation in Creating National Memory 163 7.8.2 Cast in Stone: Physical Concentration of National Memory 165 7.8.3 Into Personal Memory: Knowledge Contests 165 7.9 Conclusions 166 References 169 8 Conclusions 172 8.1 Changing Environment of Campaigns 172 8.2 Comparative Analysis of Mechanisms of Campaigns 176 8.2.1 National Time and National Space: Grounded Concepts 178 8.3 Campaigns and the Construction of “Nation” 180 8.4 National Integration—Concertedness; Continuity; Compatibility 183 8.5 Role of the Media in the Campaigns 186 8.6 “Communications and National Integration” Revisited 189 References 196 9 Revelations from Recent Campaigns 198 9.1 A Campaign that Started After Its Conclusion: Bid for Year 2008 Olympics 199 9.1.1 The Bidding Campaign Became a Celebration Campaign 201 9.1.2 Comparing the Bid for Year 2000 Olympics and Bid for Year 2008 Olympics 207 9.2 Demonstrating National Strength: 50th Anniversary of the PRC 210 9.3 Strengthening the Party: Celebrating CCP’s 80th Anniversary 212 9.4 Calls for National Unity and Stability: Three Campaigns Against Negative Forces (1999–) 216 9.4.1 Harnessing National Emotions: Campaign Against U.S. Hegemony 217 9.4.2 Promoting National Integration: Campaign Against “Two Nations Theory” 220 9.4.3 Uniting All Against One Evil: Campaign Against Falun Gong Cult 222 9.5 All People of One Heart: Campaign Against the Flood in 1998 226 9.6 Revelations on Propaganda Techniques from the Campaigns 232 9.7 Concluding Remarks 236 References 239 Bibliography 241 "This book adopts the method of grounded theory in studying national communication campaigns in China, referred to as propaganda campaigns in the Chinese linguistic context. The study provides an exploratory and descriptive analysis of the ways in which the media in China fulfilled their function of building a Socialist spiritual civilisation and maintaining national integration during state propaganda campaigns. Explanations for the success and limitations of the campaigns are clearly expressed and combined with cautious statements on the limited role of the media in the process of national integration. The three major communication campaigns detailed in this book offer revelations regarding how to maintain mass morale and revive the national spirit at a time when economic pursuits and aspirations seem to be the top priority for individuals and institutions. A chief premise underpinning this study is that economic growth is not to be equated with social progress or human development, the latter encompassing a far more profound spiritual dimension, which takes for more delicate efforts to accomplish." -- Back cover Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-20 Theoretical Foundations of the Study....Pages 21-38 Empirical Approaches to the Study....Pages 39-44 A Nation in Action: Communication and China’s Bid for Year 2000 Olympics....Pages 45-82 Beyond the Planned Campaign: Construction of the “Nation” in the Bid for Olympics....Pages 83-107 In Memory of Mao: Re-making a Nation Maker....Pages 109-131 Revealing the National Soul: 50th Anniversary of Victory Over Japanese Invasion....Pages 133-164 Conclusions....Pages 165-190 Revelations from Recent Campaigns....Pages 191-233 Back Matter....Pages 235-239