/library/oar/handle/123456789/8928 2025-12-22T08:53:04Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/141281 Title: Waging war on feminism through jiaoqi discourse : Chinese tradwife influencers on Douyin Authors: Peng, Altman Yuzhu; Pan, Yun; Talmacs, Nicole Abstract: Today, the ¡®tradwife¡¯ (traditional wife) aesthetic, often embodied by female influencers who celebrate returning to the domestic sphere, has gained popularity across Euro-American societies. Mirroring this phenomenon, a comparable jiaoqi (½¿ÆÞ, meaning young, beautiful wife) aesthetic has emerged within China¡¯s influencer economy, valorizing women¡¯s withdrawal from public life. In this article, we draw on Teun van Dijk¡¯s sociocognitive approach to analyse Douyin videos posted by a female influencer who has brought jiaoqi discourse to the forefront of public attention on the Chinese-language internet. We contend that jiaoqi discourse operates as a nuanced form of therapeutic governance, establishing a discursive apparatus tailored to uphold gender asymmetry in China. Commercially, the discourse enables lifestyle influencers to construct appealing personas that resonate most with heterosexual, middle-class women living in cities. Politically, it dovetails with the party-state¡¯s post-socialist governing doctrines by assisting the depoliticization of gender issues, as well as legitimizing state-sanctioned fertility policies and beyond. Therefore, the proliferation of jiaoqi discourse should be interpreted as both a localized adaptation of a global reactionary trend and a vernacular manifestation of the state¨Cmarket nexus under party-state rule. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/140671 Title: Sino-Yugoslav friendship and contemporary Chinese tourism : perspectives from online Chinese travelogues and local tourism operators Authors: Talmacs, Nicole Abstract: China¡¯s and the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia¡¯s (SFRY) contributions to the 20th century¡¯s ¡°socialist worldmaking¡± was never a straightforward affair (Stopic et al. 2023). Complicated by differing visions on economic planning, adherence to Soviet hegemony, and foreign policy, Sino-Yugoslav relations ebbed and flowed in a series of ideological disagreements, and competition for influence in the Third World. Despite this, and while leaders Mao Zedong and Josip Broz ¡°Tito¡± never met in person, occasions of conciliatory fanfare and mutual admiration took place despite their differences (Pirjevec 2023). 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/140341 Title: Hyperlocal and the nation state - Malta¡¯s complicated media ecosystem Authors: Grech, Alex; Debattista, Martin G. Abstract: Malta, the smallest member state of the EU, has a distinctive and complex hyperlocal media ecosystem for a democratic country. This chapter describes the complex relationship between state, state-controlled public broadcasting, party-owned media outlets, and the Fifth Estate. It explains the long-standing threat to independent media in Malta due to political interference and the declining (albeit still potent) influence of the Catholic Church on the social world. The perceived erosion of media freedoms (reflected in a decline in Malta¡¯s media freedom index), ineffective national media regulation, the entrenched power of incumbency of the bi-partisan structures, and the mass turn to social media platforms are some of the challenges faced by media outlets and citizen journalists, already constrained by long-standing commercial pressures. Significant events, such as the murder of investigative journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, the death of teenager Jean Paul Sofia on a construction site, and shifts in voting patterns have led to increasing domestic and international pressure on Malta, to reform its media ecosystem. Based on this analysis, the chapter proposes a hyperlocal media ecosystem model, based on established media concepts, to explain the operations of such ecosystems in small states and how the construction of reality is mediated. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/140340 Title: AI, social media platforms, decentralization, and regulatory dilemmas : an EU perspective Authors: Grech, Alex; Ellul, Joshua; Revolidis, Ioannis; Grech, Jacob Abstract: The convergence of social media, artificial intelligence (AI), and decentralized technologies represents one of the most signifcant technological and social transformations of our time. What began as a promise of digital liberation¡ªa vision of an internet that would democratize information and empower individuals¡ªhas given way to a complex reality shaped by unforeseen opportunities and challenges. We stand at a critical juncture where the original utopian dreams of the internet collide with the realities of surveillance capitalism, algorithmic control, and the emergence of powerful artificial intelligence systems. This chapter examines this transformation through technological, regulatory, and philosophical lenses. It traces the evolution from the early optimism of the read/write web to the current landscape dominated by centralized platforms and AI-driven systems. As social media platforms evolve from tools of personal expression into powerful arbiters of public discourse, they raise fundamental questions about privacy, truth, and democratic values. The rise of AI amplifes these challenges, introducing unprecedented capabilities for content generation, manipulation, and control. Amidst these challenges, two parallel developments offer potential paths forward. First, decentralized alternatives to traditional platforms present a vision of distributed power and enhanced user agency. Second, the European Union has emerged as a global leader in digital governance, developing ambitious regulatory frameworks to address the societal implications of digital technologies. By examining these approaches alongside philosophical traditions, such as utilitarianism and deontology, this chapter explores how different cultures and societies approach the technological and ethical dilemmas of the digital age. The stakes in this discussion extend far beyond technical considerations. They include fundamental questions about human agency, democratic discourse, and the nature of truth in an age of algorithmic mediation. As we navigate this complex terrain, balancing technological innovation with the preservation of human values and rights, this chapter contributes to this dialogue by examining the journey from digital promise to disruption and the possibilities for a more equitable digital future. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z