Frances Yaping Wang, an assistant professor at Colgate University and a peace scholar, discusses her book on China's media strategies during international disputes. She explains how and why China amplifies or downplays certain conflicts based on public sentiment and state policy alignment. The conversation reveals insights into pacifying propaganda, highlighting how the government manages public opinion through strategic narratives. Wang's research emphasizes the dynamic interplay of state media and citizen sentiment within authoritarian regimes, reshaping our understanding of global diplomacy.
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insights INSIGHT
The Barking Dog, Silent Dog Puzzle
Frances Wang noticed that media coverage of interstate disputes varies significantly.
This led her to explore why some disputes are emphasized while others are downplayed.
insights INSIGHT
Barking Without Biting
Not all media campaigns promoting aggressive rhetoric lead to aggressive actions.
This "barking without biting" phenomenon suggests a more nuanced role for propaganda.
insights INSIGHT
Pacifying Propaganda
Authoritarian states sometimes use media campaigns to pacify, not mobilize, the public.
This is done when public opinion is more hawkish than the state's desired foreign policy.
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The Art of State Persuasion, China's Strategic Use of Media in Interstate Disputes
The Art of State Persuasion, China's Strategic Use of Media in Interstate Disputes
China's Strategic Use of Media in Interstate Disputes
Frances Wang
Frances Wang's "The Art of State Persuasion" examines China's strategic use of media in interstate disputes. The book analyzes how China employs media to manage public opinion and shape foreign policy outcomes. Wang introduces the concept of 'pacification campaigns,' where media is used to calm public sentiment rather than incite aggression. The research uses textual analysis of media reports, interviews, and archival data to support its claims. This work challenges traditional views of Chinese propaganda as solely aggressive, offering a more nuanced understanding of its strategic communication.
Beijing's Global Media Offensive
Beijing's Global Media Offensive
Josh Kurlantzick
Why do nations actively publicize previously overlooked disputes? And why does this domestic mobilization sometimes fail to result in aggressive policy measures?
The Art of State Persuasion (Oxford UP, 2024) delves into China's strategic use of state propaganda during crucial crisis events, particularly focusing on border disputes. Frances Wang aims to explain the diverse strategies employed in Chinese state media, analyzing why certain disputes are amplified while others are downplayed. This variation, as proposed, is contingent on the degree of alignment between Chinese state policy and public opinion. When public sentiment is more moderate than the state's foreign policy objectives, the government initiates a "mobilization campaign." Conversely, if public opinion is more hawkish than state policy, the authorities deploy a "pacification campaign" to mollify public sentiment.
Through a comprehensive examination of medium-N and case-study analyses, Wang elucidates these arguments. The research incorporates extensive textual analyses of media reports, interviews with officials and journalists, and archival data. The book also illuminates the mechanics of mobilization and pacification media campaigns, enabling policy makers to distinguish varying state foreign policy intentions. This book not only acknowledges the significance of public opinion but also illustrates how fluctuating public sentiment is delicately managed by the state through diverse discursive tactics. By highlighting the existence and relevance of pacification campaigns, The Art of State Persuasion enhances our understanding of propaganda, and challenges the traditional view of China's propaganda as uniformly aggressive, bringing to light a more nuanced picture especially in the domain of foreign policy.
New Books in Political Science