Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2010, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (3): 182-198.

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Media Construction: Social Significance Bestowed to Suicide:The Reported Suicide Incidents during China’s 1919-1928 Social Movements as Examples

 Liu Changlin, Department of History,Shanghai Universit   

  1.  Liu Changlin, Department of History,Shanghai Universit
  • Online:2010-05-25 Published:2010-05-25
  • Contact: Liu Changlin, Department of History,Shanghai Universit E-mail:E-mail: liuchlin@shu.edu.com
  • Supported by:

    This research was supported by General Topic of Shanghai Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning (2007BLS002),and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission Key Disciplines (fifth):Cultural History of Modern Chinese Society(J50106).

Abstract:

Abstract: The suicide incidents that happened during China’s 1919〖CD*2〗1928 social movements were reported utilizing a mediadesign approach with a variety of rhetorical means that bestowed these suicides a positive social significance through storytelling narratives with specific discourse structures and strategies. This was to raise the public awareness of the nation’s common values and crisis so that the public would be mobilized and unified to fight against the enemy. The bestowing of a social significance to suicidal actions by the media was characterized by social construction, which was the mission entrusted by society to the media at that time, manifesting the bidirectional interaction between society and the individuals who had committed suicide.Such a circular relation in the twoway construction resulted from then China’s social structure and the changing social ideology.

Key words: bestowment ,   media construction  ,  social movement ,  social significance , suicide