East Asia in Action| East Asia in Action: Activist Media Communication in New Perspectives – Introduction

Abstract

Although the interactions between media communication and movement activism have been widely acknowledged, much remains to be understood about how they operate in East Asia, where centralized authority and Confucius ideology prevail. This Special Section collected articles to examine the latest trends of activist media communication and reflect critically on their impact on civic-political participation and social change in the region. Some of the articles focus on the role of media practices in the emergence and proliferation of popular protests in East Asian societies, such as Hong Kong and Japan, where a tradition of political activism and radical protest had been lacking. Others analyze communication strategies and networks for engaging potential supporters and appealing to citizens in China, Taiwan, and Thailand. By highlighting the multiplicity of media forms, ranging from press media to social media and street performance, in the course of mobilization and activism, this Special Section opens up debates about the equivocal conceptualizations of activist media communication and offers insights into to their multiple potentials for advancing liberal democracy and social justice in East Asia.