The Digitalisation of Memory Practices in China Contesting the Curating State

Available open access digitally under a CC-BY-NC-ND license

How is memory in China curated in the digital era?

This pioneering volume investigates the transformation of collective memory in China amid rapid technological change.

Introducing the concept of the “curating state,” it reveals how digitalisation both supports and challenges official memories, giving rise to more hybrid and, at times, democratised memory practices. Bringing together leading Chinese and international scholars, the book examines the use of digital tools by state, private and commercial actors to curate their own versions of the past.

Combining theoretical innovation with rich empirical research, this is a vital resource for understanding the dynamic interplay between memory, media and power in contemporary China―and beyond.

Maximilian Mayer is Junior-Professor of International Relations and Global Politics of Technology at University of Bonn.

Frederik Schmitz is Research Fellow and PhD student at the University of Bonn.