Mobile Media, Political Participation, and Civic Activism in Asia: Private Chat to Public Communication (Mobile Communication in Asia: Local Insights, Global Implications)

"This book explores how personalized content and the inherent networked nature of the mobile media could and do lead to positive externalities in social progress in Asian societies. Empirical studies that examine uses of the mobile phone and apps (voice mailing, SMS, mobile social media, mobile Weibo, mobile WeChat, etc.) are featured as a response to calls for theorization of the mobile media's efficacy as a tool for citizen engagement and participation in civic and political affairs, especially in the search for collective solutions to widespread social problems of food safety, pollution, government corruption, and public health risks. Considering the vast cultural diversity of Asian societies that are shaped by different levels of political, social, economic, and religious development, the book offers nuanced studies that provide in-depth analysis of the mobile media and political communication in a variety of communities of leading Asian countries. From the country-specific studies, broad themes and enduring concepts emerge." -- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-xv The Mobile Phone and Political Participation in Asia: Theorizing the Dynamics of Personalized Technologies and Networked Externality....Pages 1-15 Front Matter....Pages 17-17 Mobile Media as a Political Institution in Asia: Preliminary Evidence from Empirical Research 2000–2015....Pages 19-39 Developing Political Associational Ties on Mobile Social Media: A Cross-National Study of the Asia-Pacific Region....Pages 41-53 Front Matter....Pages 55-55 Political Conversations as Civic Engagement: Examining Patterns from Mobile Communication Logs in Japan....Pages 57-79 Public Discourse on Genetically Modified Foods in the Mobile Sphere: Framing Risks, Opportunities, and Responsibilities in Mobile Social Media in China....Pages 81-102 Examining the Role of Mobile Media in Public Engagement with GMO Foods Among Chinese Consumers....Pages 103-121 Civic Engagement in Myanmar: The Promise and Threat of Mobile Communication and the Internet....Pages 123-142 The Impacts of Mobile Social Media on Collective Action: Two Case Studies from Singapore and Indonesia....Pages 143-156 Front Matter....Pages 157-157 Social Media, Mobile Communication, and the Elections: Examining Independent Candidates’ Weibo Use for Local People’s Congress Election Campaigns in China....Pages 159-176 The Effects of Social Media and Mobile Apps Use on Political Participation in Taiwan....Pages 177-191 Exploring the Potential for Mobile Communications to Engender an Engaged Citizenry: A Comparative Study of University Students in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan....Pages 193-213 Rethinking Mobile Media Tactics in Protests: A Comparative Case Study of Hong Kong and Malawi....Pages 215-231 Back Matter....Pages 233-236