Event

 Abstract: The Hong Kong Umbrella Movement, spanned from September to December 2014, has triggered an expectation of a "spillover" effect towards the Mainland China. However, polarized attitudes have been observed among Mainland Chinese toward the movement. While some support the Hong Kong protesters wholeheartedly, others show their skeptics and opposition. What factors contribute to the distinct political positions among citizens experiencing the same authoritarian regime? Based on online survey data, this study depicts a complex picture by presenting the interactive effects of education and exposure to various media outlets and sources. Findings indicate that higher education and student status are correlated with more negative attitude to protest, while exposure to foreign news media and social networking sites can lead to more positive attitude. Among different media outlets, more frequent use of newspaper, TV and news websites affect attitude to protest negatively, while use of social networking sites platforms has a positive effect. Specially, the media impacts are found greater among full-time students compared to non-students. The findings reveal new approaches to understand the penetrative power and interactive impact of state propaganda and education systems in authoritarian countries.

Lunch will be served. Feel free to invite friends and colleagues. Please RSVP here by Friday, April 17.
If you are interested in joining MARC, please email Rosemary Clark (rclark@asc.upenn.edu).