Page 19 - Feasibility Study of New Media Technology on Constructing Online Public Sphere

Chapter 1. Introduction

of public sphere in Chinese studies, whereas others have argued that the theory does

not suit in the Chinese context because it is not a western society (Chen and Hu, 2014).
Given China’s rigorous network monitoring system and limited freedom of speech,
scholars have had to use a relaxed notion of the public sphere, adopting more neutral
terms such as public space, social space or focusing on the public rather than the public
sphere (Yang, 2002; Lean, 2004). Wang (2005) even proposed the building of a green

space for public opinion in his book on green media, which alluded to Habermas’s con-
cept.
By contrast, Huang (1993) argued that since ‘public sphere’ and ‘civil society’ are

two concepts developed in western countries, neither can be applied to China because
‘they presuppose a dichotomous opposition between state and society’ (Huang, 1993,
cited in Tai, 2006, p.50). However, other scholars have indicated that it is possible for
advanced ICTs to drive the public sphere in China to become more independent and
more rational (Xiong, 2012). Drawing from previous debates, this book attempts to in-

vestigate whether China’s cyberspace is equipped with a public sphere.
There is no denying that the proliferation of ICTs has provided more opportunities
for public participation in social issues. Luo (2010) proposed the overthrow of the Qing

government as the first wave of ideological revolution in China’s modern history, which
broke the chains of two thousand years of feudalism. The ‘reform and opening-up’ pol-
icy of the late 1970s is considered to be the second wave. Now the prevalence of the
internet and of network culture appears to be the third wave of ideological revolution in
China. The Chinese government has been the driving force behind explosive ICT devel-

opment because it is believed that ICT is one of the key factors in boosting economic
growth and in bridging interregional development gaps (Wu, 2007). However, an am-
bivalent attitude from the Chinese government is reflected in its information censorship

mechanisms (Wacker, 2003). In short, the Chinese government exploits the economic
value of the internet, while constraining its other potential.
In contrast to traditional media, the internet has the overwhelming advantages
of speedy and wide dissemination, and of open discussion (Barmé and Davies, 2004;
Zhou, 2005; Yang, 2006). Chinese people have turned to the internet for information

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