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The Social Construction of Internet Addiction in China: Youth between Reality and Temporal Autonomy in the Documentary 'Web Junkie'
[journal article]
Abstract This article addresses issues surrounding the social construction of internet addiction, focusing on conceptualisations of reality, escape, hope, and time. Drawing on a critical realist account of semiosis, the framing of internet addiction in China is analysed using the documentary film Web Junkie ... view more
This article addresses issues surrounding the social construction of internet addiction, focusing on conceptualisations of reality, escape, hope, and time. Drawing on a critical realist account of semiosis, the framing of internet addiction in China is analysed using the documentary film Web Junkie as an empirical pivot and point of departure. A contextual overview of relations, interests, and tensions surrounding youth and the internet in China is provided, and the film Web Junkie is briefly presented. The main body of the article consists of a critical analysis of conceptualisations of "reality" and "escape." The core tension focused on in the analysis is the struggle over time, necessitating engagement with critical thought on hope and utopia. The analysis concludes that struggles over temporal autonomy underlie conflicting claims about "reality" and "escape" that are central to "internet addiction" and its treatment in China today.... view less
Classification
Interactive, electronic Media
Sociology of the Youth, Sociology of Childhood
Free Keywords
China; internet addiction; youth; temporal autonomy
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
Page/Pages
p. 86-105
Journal
Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 50 (2021) 1
ISSN
1868-4874
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed