Abstract
This article explores the relationship between the Chinese Government’s new social policy, the
Internet and youth development. Implementation of the Three Represents Theory indicates that
the Chinese Government is moving from a directive, top-down approach to managing social
development and towards a more consultative, interactive style using the Internet as a new
medium to access and respond to youth cultural ruptures in the fabric of Chinese society. The
article draws on the emerging genre of ‘grunge and shock’ literature to illustrate the types of
cultural ruptures concerning the Government in relation to the direction of youth development.
Responding to the change, the Government has begun to utilize several characteristics of the
Internet to efficiently consult and interact with youth by linking into the popularity of this controlled
new media technology to access youth and provide immediate information on issues. The result is
that the Government is potentially more responsive to emerging youth issues relating to
structures, values and roles in China’s changing social milieu.
‘Three Represents’ and China’s Youth:
Using the Internet to Manage Social Change
Author: Ian Weber
Words: 6,839
Profile:
Dr Ian Weber is an Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University’s School of
Communication and Information in Singapore. His research focuses on technology, social
change and youth culture in China. Dr Weber’s most recent publications are ‘Shanghai’s Strategic
Mobilization of Individualistic Values: Constructing Cultural Identity in the Age of Spiritual
Civilization’, ‘Reconfiguring Chinese Propaganda and Control Modalities: A case study of
Shanghai’s television system’, ‘Shanghai Baby: Negotiating Youth Self-Identity in Urban China’ and
‘Communicating Styles: Balancing Specifity and Diffuseness in Developing China’s Internet
Regulations’.
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