Communication, Culture, and Governance in Asia | The Shifting Institutional Bases of Digital Asia Studies: Communication, Culture, and Governance in Asia — Introduction

Abstract

In recent years, several collections, books, events, journals, and dedicated publishing ventures on the digital in Asia have emerged, such that we can now speak of a body of digital Asia studies work. This introduction situates the Special Section on “Communication, Culture, and Governance in Asia,” coedited by Emma Baulch, Terry Flew, and Luzhou Li, within this broader body of work. It identifies three themes in digital Asia studies—infrastructure, political and civic engagement, and digitally equipped consumerism—and considers the Special Section’s contributions to each of these areas. The articles in the Special Section, most of which are authored by Asia-based scholars, point to a shift in anglophone digital media studies toward Asia-based institutions and networks.