Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The Social Construction of Internet Addiction in China : Youth between Reality and Temporal Autonomy in the Documentary Web Junkie

Pissin, Annika LU (2021) In Journal of Current Chinese Affairs 50(1). p.86-105
Abstract

This article addresses issues surrounding the social construction of internet addiction, focusing on conceptualisations of reality, escape, hope, and time. Drawing on a critical realist account of semiosis, the framing of internet addiction in China is analysed using the documentary film Web Junkie as an empirical pivot and point of departure. A contextual overview of relations, interests, and tensions surrounding youth and the internet in China is provided, and the film Web Junkie is briefly presented. The main body of the article consists of a critical analysis of conceptualisations of “reality” and “escape.” The core tension focused on in the analysis is the struggle over time, necessitating engagement with critical thought on hope... (More)

This article addresses issues surrounding the social construction of internet addiction, focusing on conceptualisations of reality, escape, hope, and time. Drawing on a critical realist account of semiosis, the framing of internet addiction in China is analysed using the documentary film Web Junkie as an empirical pivot and point of departure. A contextual overview of relations, interests, and tensions surrounding youth and the internet in China is provided, and the film Web Junkie is briefly presented. The main body of the article consists of a critical analysis of conceptualisations of “reality” and “escape.” The core tension focused on in the analysis is the struggle over time, necessitating engagement with critical thought on hope and utopia. The analysis concludes that struggles over temporal autonomy underlie conflicting claims about “reality” and “escape” that are central to “internet addiction” and its treatment in China today.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
China, internet addiction, temporal autonomy, youth
in
Journal of Current Chinese Affairs
volume
50
issue
1
pages
20 pages
publisher
Institute of Asian Studies at the GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies
external identifiers
  • scopus:85105325032
ISSN
1868-1026
DOI
10.1177/1868102621993134
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
760d7552-72cf-4090-84ba-685953bad95a
date added to LUP
2021-05-27 15:31:58
date last changed
2022-04-27 02:03:32
@article{760d7552-72cf-4090-84ba-685953bad95a,
  abstract     = {{<p>This article addresses issues surrounding the social construction of internet addiction, focusing on conceptualisations of reality, escape, hope, and time. Drawing on a critical realist account of semiosis, the framing of internet addiction in China is analysed using the documentary film Web Junkie as an empirical pivot and point of departure. A contextual overview of relations, interests, and tensions surrounding youth and the internet in China is provided, and the film Web Junkie is briefly presented. The main body of the article consists of a critical analysis of conceptualisations of “reality” and “escape.” The core tension focused on in the analysis is the struggle over time, necessitating engagement with critical thought on hope and utopia. The analysis concludes that struggles over temporal autonomy underlie conflicting claims about “reality” and “escape” that are central to “internet addiction” and its treatment in China today.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pissin, Annika}},
  issn         = {{1868-1026}},
  keywords     = {{China; internet addiction; temporal autonomy; youth}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{86--105}},
  publisher    = {{Institute of Asian Studies at the GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies}},
  series       = {{Journal of Current Chinese Affairs}},
  title        = {{The Social Construction of Internet Addiction in China : Youth between Reality and Temporal Autonomy in the Documentary Web Junkie}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1868102621993134}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1868102621993134}},
  volume       = {{50}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}