This volume investigates mediated lives and media narratives during the Covid-19 pandemic, with Asia as a focus point. It shows how the pandemic has created an unprecedented situation in this globalized world marked by many disruptions in the social, economic, political, and cultural lives of individuals and communities― creating a ‘new normal’. It explores the different media vocabularies of fear, panic, social distancing, and contagion from across Asian nations. It focuses on the role media played as most nations faced lockdowns and unique challenges during the crisis. From healthcare workers to sex workers, from racism to nationalism, from the plight of migrant workers in news reporting to state propaganda, this book brings critical questions confronting media professionals into focus.
The volume is of critical interest to scholars and researchers of media and communication studies, politics, especially political communication, social and public policy, and Asian studies.
Author(s): Shubhda Arora, Keval J. Kumar
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 260
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Figures
Tables
Contributors
Introduction
The ‘Global Village’ in the Time of Corona
Remembering Pandemics and Natural Disasters
References
Part I: Missing and Marginalized Narratives
Chapter 1: Unrest in the Comments: Voicing the Discontent of Japan’s Foreign Residents in the Comments Sections of Japan Today
Introduction
Big in Japan, but Always an Outsider
Having Your Say: News Comments and Their Value
Methods
Reader Sentiment and Article Themes
Entry Ban
State of Emergency: What Emergency?
Second-Class Citizens
Conclusion
References
Chapter 2: Gender, Media and the Covid-19 Pandemic: An Investigation into Missing Gendered Narratives in Indian News Media
Introduction
Gendered Impact of Covid-19
Gender and Media: Gender Bias in News Media/Coverage
Methodology
A Brief Overview of Indian Press
Gender and the Indian News Media
Of Numbers and Statistics
‘Symbolic Annihilation’ of Gender Concerns
Conclusion
References
Chapter 3: The Mask Dilemma: Hierarchy between Two Know-Hows in Chinese-Language Media of Canada
The Study
The Pre-Outbreak Phase
Confinement and Border Control
The Mask Issue
The Theresa Tam Issue
Conclusion
References
Chapter 4: Missing Media Narratives: Covid’s Impact on Transgender Population in India
Introduction
Impact of Covid on Indian Transgender Community: Three Case-Studies
Missing Media Narratives: Analysis of English News-Stories on Transgender Persons
Theme One: Impact of Covid and 2020 Lockdown/Pandemic on Transgender Population
Theme Two: Plight of Hijra Community during Covid
Theme Three: Government Initiatives
Theme Four: Government Negligence
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Part II: Media Memory and Narratives
Chapter 5: Masked Presence: Covid-19 and Remembering SARS in Taiwan
Introduction
The “Taiwan Model” for Containing Covid-19
Mask Diplomacy and Masked Governance
Masking as a Total Social Fact
“Lucky to be Taiwanese”? SARS, Masks, and Covid-19
The Past, Redux: Remembering SARS
Notes
Bibliography
Chapter 6: Familial Halcyon: Narratives of Nostalgia in the Lockdown
Introduction
The Disjuncture Apparatus
‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’
Second-Order Myths and Intellectual Uncertainty
Narratives of Nostalgia
Conclusion
Notes
References
Part III: Media Bias and Propaganda
Chapter 7: Taiwan Can Help: Covid-19, the Model Minority State, and the Limits of Taiwan-as-Beacon Rhetoric
Taiwan-as-Beacon and the Model Minority State
Covid-19 and the Model Minority State
Conclusion
References
Chapter 8: The Myths of Hate: Digital Deception in the (Communal) Times of Covid-19
Introduction
The Deception Ecosystem
Islamophobia and The Indian State
The Communal Turn of Covid-19
Decoding Digital Disinformation
Actors
Goals
Media Ecosystems
Stratagems
Concluding Remarks: The Myths of Hate
Notes
References
Chapter 9: Risk Communication versus Risks in Communication: Efforts of Vietnam Government in Controlling Messages during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Introduction
Literature Background
Organizational Model of Covid-19 Prevention Communication System of the Government of Vietnam
Message about Covid-19 Pandemic Prevention by Government
Discussion and Conclusion
References
Chapter 10: Modern Hua Mulans in Global Chinese-Speaking Media: Female Frontline Workers as Tools of Propaganda during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Introduction
Official PRC Media Coverage of Female Frontline Workers during the Pandemic
The Problem of Hua Mulan and the Masculinization of Working Women
Backlash from Chinese-Speaking Media Outside Mainland China
Conclusion
References
Part IV: Mainstream and Alternative Narratives
Chapter 11: Confronting Anti-Asian Bias in the Classroom: Reflections on the Importance of Asian and Asian American Studies in the Wake of Covid-19
The Importance of Asian and Asian American Studies
The Need for Media Literacy
Andragogical Strategies to Confront Yellow Peril
Supporting Asian International and Asian American Students
Reflections on Our Roles as Educators
One of the Few (Kimberly)
Always Asking Why (Meghan)
Conclusion
Notes
References
Chapter 12: From a Story of Disaster to a Story of Victory: Chinese Media Reports in the Covid-19 Crisis
Introduction
Theoretical Background: Media in China
Party Journalism and Market Journalism
Media under Xi Jinping
Method and Data Selection
Results
Local and Central Governments: Whose Faults? Whose Merits?
Health Workers: “War Heroes” or Victims?
In and Out of Hospitals: Setting the Stage, Setting the Narrative
Discussion and Conclusion
Notes
References
Chapter 13: The Covid-19 Pandemic: News Reporting in Malaysia
Introduction
The Malaysian News Media
The Star Online
Malaysiakini
Journalists and News Sources
Malaysia and the Covid-19 Pandemic
Methodology
Findings
Themes
March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
Sources
March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
Conclusion
References
Part V: Narratives of Othering
Chapter 14: Viral Vilification
Introduction
Cartoon
Cover
Citizenship
Criticisms
Consequences
Notes
References
Chapter 15: Pandemics, Politics and Religious ‘Others’: Exploring Media Narratives during Covid-19 in India and Pakistan
Introduction
Politics of Religion in India and Pakistan
Media Narratives in India
Media Narratives in Pakistan
Conclusion
Notes
References
Part VI: Social Media Narratives
Chapter 16: Social Media and Vietnamese Undocumented Workers in Thailand during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Introduction
Marginalization during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Use of Social Media to Mitigate Everyday Experience of Marginalization
Use of Social Media to Mitigate Marginalization during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Discussion and Conclusion
References
Chapter 17: Representations of Covid-19 in West Asia: A Case Study of Islamic Republic News Agency’s (IRNA) Instagram Account
Introduction
Methodology
Findings
Analysis of National and International News Covered by IRNA Instagram Page
Analysis of National News on Covid-19 Covered by IRNA Instagram Page
Analysis of International News Covered on Covid-19 by IRNA Instagram Page
Analysis of the Type of Content used by IRNA Instagram Page
Conclusion
References
Chapter 18: Don’t Panic! Reach Us: Indian Tech Unions’ Social Media Narratives during the Pandemic
Introduction
Review: Existing Accounts and Unexplored Aspects
Methods
Data: Narratives of Precarity
Individual Narratives
Collective Narratives
Discussion: Interpreting the Narratives
Conclusion
Note
References
