1. The Internet and social media have opened up spaces of freer expression for Chinese citizens. Some argue that the Chinese Internet should therefore be seen as an antagonistic force that challenges the state authorities. What do you think of this argument? You may choose to agree with it and support it by showing that there is strong evidence for that. You may choose to counter the claim by demonstrating that it is inadequately supported and that in fact the opposite is true. Or you may choose to modify the claim by showing that while some evidence supports it, other evidence tends to undermine it. In the latter two cases, you’ll need to state clearly what your counterclaim or modified claim is.
2. Popular culture may be seen as carefully planned and manufactured cultural goods that not only entertain but also impose values and ideas upon consumers. It may also been seen as a playground where consumers appropriate materials supplied by these cultural goods to create new meanings for themselves and/or engage in transgressive fantasies. Do you see these claims as contradictory? What is your position in this debate? Defend it using examples from the course.
The essay should be no less than 500 words. Whenever you need to cite from the course readings, simply provide the author’s last name and year of publication.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a24ffx3px3o967j/AABv2S6S5DD3HkvbtsStTogOa?dl=0
all the course readings in this dropbox. Please use these course readings.