Shortening the Distance Between Government and Public in China : Methods and Practices

Distance, in its traditional sense, connotates "estrangement" and "division". But in the context of modern political studies, it means a controllable resource which can be manipulated to change the relationship between the government and the public.

Drawing on this concept from western political science, the author explores the law and mechanisms of China’s political communication. In this volume, the author introduces the empirical investigation of the distance between government and the public in China. First, it discusses how the use of online social media, such as Weibo, can be used strategically to mediate the distance of offline communication. Then, it points out that social media can also lead to unlimited expression of general will, to which governments should pay attention. An empirical study on how rural residents of five provinces in China obtain political information is used to illustrate the point.

Students and scholars who are interested in political science and political communication, especially Chinese politics, would find this title a useful reference.

Liu Xiaoyan is Professor of Communication Studies at Renmin University of China (RUC), Beijing. Professor Liu is now working with the School of Journalism and Communication at RUC, and she is a research fellow at RUC’s National Academy of Development and Strategy and Research Center of Journalism and Social Development. Her research focuses on political communication and international communication.