When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making

© The Author(s) 2019. China’s emergence as a technological power is now unquestioned. Since the early 2000s, the Chinese government has invested heavily in information and communication technology. Rather than seeing the internet as a challenge to its hegemony, the government has allowed leading com...

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Main Authors: Keane, Michael, Su, G.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP170102176
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80346
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author Keane, Michael
Su, G.
author_facet Keane, Michael
Su, G.
author_sort Keane, Michael
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © The Author(s) 2019. China’s emergence as a technological power is now unquestioned. Since the early 2000s, the Chinese government has invested heavily in information and communication technology. Rather than seeing the internet as a challenge to its hegemony, the government has allowed leading communications companies to offer new digital services, many of which enhance peoples’ lifestyles, while others allow people to express their loyalty to the nation. The Party-state has in the process found a new solution to asserting control. This article investigates the concept of a ‘digital civilisation’, in particular how civilisational discourses associated with the Party-state since the beginning of the economic reforms have found new applications in online technologies. It draws on the ancient metaphor of flood control to show how behaviour is redirected, or nudged, towards digital lifestyle choices. Examples discussed include the multiplicity of QR codes, mobile payments, the social credit system, the Strong Nation (xuexi qiangguo) app and the Huawei Harmony operating system (OS).
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-803462020-12-17T07:14:50Z When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making Keane, Michael Su, G. Social Sciences Communication algorithms apps China digital civilisation digital lifestyle social order SILK ROAD BELT © The Author(s) 2019. China’s emergence as a technological power is now unquestioned. Since the early 2000s, the Chinese government has invested heavily in information and communication technology. Rather than seeing the internet as a challenge to its hegemony, the government has allowed leading communications companies to offer new digital services, many of which enhance peoples’ lifestyles, while others allow people to express their loyalty to the nation. The Party-state has in the process found a new solution to asserting control. This article investigates the concept of a ‘digital civilisation’, in particular how civilisational discourses associated with the Party-state since the beginning of the economic reforms have found new applications in online technologies. It draws on the ancient metaphor of flood control to show how behaviour is redirected, or nudged, towards digital lifestyle choices. Examples discussed include the multiplicity of QR codes, mobile payments, the social credit system, the Strong Nation (xuexi qiangguo) app and the Huawei Harmony operating system (OS). 2019 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80346 10.1177/1329878X19876362 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP170102176 SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD restricted
spellingShingle Social Sciences
Communication
algorithms
apps
China
digital civilisation
digital lifestyle
social order
SILK ROAD
BELT
Keane, Michael
Su, G.
When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making
title When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making
title_full When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making
title_fullStr When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making
title_full_unstemmed When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making
title_short When push comes to nudge: a Chinese digital civilisation in-the-making
title_sort when push comes to nudge: a chinese digital civilisation in-the-making
topic Social Sciences
Communication
algorithms
apps
China
digital civilisation
digital lifestyle
social order
SILK ROAD
BELT
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP170102176
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80346