7/21/2019 The Politics of Racism: Constructions of African Immigrants in China on ChinaSMACK

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Communication, Culture & Critique ISSN 1753-9129

O R I G I N A L A R T I C L E

The Politics of Racism: Constructions of

African Immigrants in China on ChinaSMACK

Tessa M. Pfafman1, Christopher J. Carpenter2, & Yong Tang3

1 Department of Communication Studies, Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL 61462, USA

2 Department of Communication, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA

3 Department of English and Journalism, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA

Te purpose of this study is to identify the politics of Chinese netizens racism toward

Africans on the website, ChinaSMACK. Critical and grounded theory analysis reveals that

racism on ChinaSMACK (a) is triggered by perceived threats to identity, economic stabil-ity, and State delity; (b) exists in a paradoxical relationship with globalization; and (c)

perpetuates sexist attitudes toward women. We conclude that racism functions politically

to disguise criticism of the government, scapegoat Africans for social problems, and obscure

netizens role in perpetuating social inequality.

Keywords:China, Netizens, African, Racism, Political Resistance, Power, Social Organizing.

doi:10.1111/cccr.12098

rade and cultural ties between China and Africa have grown over the last 5 decades.

In the 1960s, African students were invited to study at Chinese universities, and busi-

ness contacts followed (Y. Cheng, 2011). Since the late 1970s, when China formally

opened up to trade, African people increasingly travel, work, and study in China (Jaffe,

2012). oday Chinas African population is estimated between 200,000 (Mathews &

Yang, 2012) and 500,000 (Bodomo, 2012). However, interpersonal contact between

Chinese and Africans remains limited, so the media is an important source of infor-

mation for the Chinese about Africans. Media portrayals of Africans are linked to

biased attitudes toward Africans among Chinese people (an, Zhang, Zhang, & Dal-

isay, 2009), and this racialized thinking is expressed on Chinese websites (Y. Cheng,

2011).

Te Internet functions as a kind of third space site of political struggle over racial

meaning (Daniels, 2013). Chinese netizens post a wide variety of political comments

A version of this study was presented at China and the New Internet World: A 2013 ICA

Preconference in London England.

Corresponding author: essa M. Pfafman; e-mail: tpfafman@monmouthcollege.edu

Communication, Culture & Critique (2015) 2015 International Communication Association 1