Synopses & Reviews
The new Internet bar phenomenon in China reveals a contradictory time and a vital tug of war between the state and civil society. Small, private net bar operators are caught in the double roles of regulator and the regulated, struggling to survive; many Internet cafZ visitors largely enjoy emailing and online entertainment, showing little interest in political or policy issues. And both bar operators and visitors skillfully play a cat-mouse game with the state. Internet Policy in China: A Field Study of Internet CafZs reports the results of a multi-layered study of this phenomenon. Helen Sun investigates how the Internet has been used by the state and individuals, as well as the implications of Chinese Internet policies and regulations. She conceptualizes media technology as a _dependent variable_ that can be affected by other factors such as its availability, the user's uses and expectations, media policy, the market, and the nations-state. Internet Policy in China focuses on the Chinese telecommunications policy-making system, regulatory activities, and the governmental means of control over Internet access and use at both the macro and micro levels. Sun also discusses users' perceptions and uses of the Internet in net cafZs, the dual role cafZ owners play in the frantic digital arena, the mismatch between Internet regulations and net cafZ owners and goers, their interaction with governmental policy and regulation, and the social implications of their interactions during China's transitional time.
Synopsis
Part 1 INTRODUCTION
Part 2 PART I: ISSUES AT THE MACRO LEVEL
Chapter 3 CHAPTER ONE: Techno-Socio Relationships
Chapter 4 CHAPTER TWO: The Evolution of Statism in China
Chapter 5 CHAPTER THREE: Media Development and Communication Policy
Chapter 6 CHAPTER FOUR: The State's Political Response to Internet Technology
Part 7 PART II: ISSUES AT THE MICRO LEVEL
Chapter 8 CHAPTER FIVE: Theories about the Public Sphere and the Regulability of Cyberspace
Chapter 9 CHAPTER SIX: Internet Cafes and Their Environment
Chapter 10 CHAPTER SEVEN: Net Bar Visitors and Their Reaction to Regulation
Chapter 11 CHAPTER EIGHT: Net Bar Owners and Their Interaction with the State
Part 12 CONCLUSION
Synopsis
Helen Sun details the meticulous methods used by the Chinese Communist Party to monitor China's Internet communication, particularly at Internet bars. At the same time, she also vividly describes the political energy and democratic discourse unleashed by the Internet, primarily among the younger generation. Internet Policy in China provides a vivid picture of momentous political and social changes under way in China today.