Consumer Activism in China

"This book provides one of the first original, timely, and empirically-rich analyses of an emerging and critical social and political phenomenon in contemporary China: consumer activism, especially in the realm of short video-based consumer activism. Drawing on first-hand qualitative data and analysis, Zizheng Yu extends a long-standing discussion on consumer activism in China and offers essential insights into the influence of increasingly popular video-based social media platforms on China’s political landscape. This book is valuable for scholars across disciplines seeking to understand the intersections of politics, culture, consumption, and technology in contemporary China."

—Jun Liu, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

This book investigates the origins, dynamics and impacts of the different nuances of contemporary short video activism tactics, by merging theories from social movement studies and communication studies including grievances theories, a renewed understanding of the concept of repertoires of contention and a critical media practice approach. It situates this phenomenon in the long durée of consumer activism in both the Global North and the South and demonstrates how short video activism constitutes a vibrant new phase in the historical evolution of activism in the Chinese socio-political context. It will be of interest to students and scholars of social activism, social movement studies, consumer culture studies and media practice.

Zizheng Yu is Lecturer in Promotional Media, University of Exeter, UK.