Personal Narrative under Nationalism: Chinese COVID-19 Vaccination Expressions on Douyin

Zheng Yang, Xi Luo (), Hepeng Jia, Yu Xie and Ruifen Zhang
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Zheng Yang: Center for Chinese Urbanization Studies, School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
Xi Luo: School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
Hepeng Jia: School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
Yu Xie: School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
Ruifen Zhang: School of Communication, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-18

Abstract: Scholars are divided over whether narrative/storytelling occupies a central position in health-related behaviour or in the health-related issues discussed on social media platforms. This study explored Chinese COVID-19 vaccination expressions on Douyin, China’s biggest short-video sharing social media platform, and found that narration is still the most important tool employed by Chinese users when talking about COVID-19 vaccinations on Douyin, emphasizing nationalism and widespread optimism. Most of the narratives employed by Chinese users come from a first-person perspective. Nationalism, as manifested in the support expressed for national policies, rather than the external platform characteristics of memetics, makes the Chinese users’ expressions about COVID-19 vaccinations similar on Douyin. Douyin seems to have become a ‘pilgrimage platform’ for the Chinese public to express their patriotic sentiment and their trust in the country and the government.

Keywords: COVID-19 vaccination; narration; individualism–nationalism; memetics; imitation public; Douyin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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