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Conference Paper: Fantasy is more believable: Justice and Solidarity in Chinese Online fiction
Title | Fantasy is more believable: Justice and Solidarity in Chinese Online fiction |
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Authors | |
Issue Date | 2017 |
Citation | The Civil Sphere in East Asia Conference, Hong Kong, 5-6 May 2017 How to Cite? |
Abstract | Does the civil sphere exist in a modernizing society with an authoritative state? To explore this question, this paper uses online observations, interviews with online fiction writers and readers, and content analysis of selected popular works of online fiction, to examine the puzzling phenomenon of the popularity of online fantasy fiction in contemporary China. I argue that living in a society with little chances of public engagement and expression, and social justice difficult to achieve in reality, Chinese users of literary websites have created fantasy worlds online that are meritocratic and which operate according to certain principles of justice. Such creations compensate, in turn, for their experienced lack of power and control in the real world. Even though these fictional worlds are anti-civil, the very fact that people favor fantasy fiction reflects their disappointment with reality and their desire for an ideal society. |
Persistent Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/245945 |
DC Field | Value | Language |
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dc.contributor.author | Tian, X | - |
dc.date.accessioned | 2017-09-18T02:19:38Z | - |
dc.date.available | 2017-09-18T02:19:38Z | - |
dc.date.issued | 2017 | - |
dc.identifier.citation | The Civil Sphere in East Asia Conference, Hong Kong, 5-6 May 2017 | - |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/245945 | - |
dc.description.abstract | Does the civil sphere exist in a modernizing society with an authoritative state? To explore this question, this paper uses online observations, interviews with online fiction writers and readers, and content analysis of selected popular works of online fiction, to examine the puzzling phenomenon of the popularity of online fantasy fiction in contemporary China. I argue that living in a society with little chances of public engagement and expression, and social justice difficult to achieve in reality, Chinese users of literary websites have created fantasy worlds online that are meritocratic and which operate according to certain principles of justice. Such creations compensate, in turn, for their experienced lack of power and control in the real world. Even though these fictional worlds are anti-civil, the very fact that people favor fantasy fiction reflects their disappointment with reality and their desire for an ideal society. | - |
dc.language | eng | - |
dc.relation.ispartof | The Civil Sphere in East Asia Conference | - |
dc.title | Fantasy is more believable: Justice and Solidarity in Chinese Online fiction | - |
dc.type | Conference_Paper | - |
dc.identifier.email | Tian, X: xltian@hku.hk | - |
dc.identifier.authority | Tian, X=rp01543 | - |
dc.identifier.hkuros | 277445 | - |
dc.publisher.place | Hong Kong | - |