2026/04/28 by Dechun Zhang, Yuji Xu · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Central European national history #Diaspora, migration, transnational identity #Philippine History and Culture
paper · doi:10.4324/9781003632757-33
openalex publication_date 2026/04/28 · openalex created_date 2026/04/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
COVID-19, as a global public health crisis, has intensified nationalist sentiments to varying degrees worldwide. This study employs an online survey to examine the relationships between media use, media trust, and nationalism in China during the first wave of the pandemic. The findings reveal that nationalism in China remained notably high during the first wave of the pandemic, with both social and traditional media playing a crucial role in reinforcing national identity. This influence has been further amplified by the digital transformation of news media. The study argues that contemporary expressions of nationalism in China are socially constructed through media narratives and are deeply embedded in Confucian cultural traditions. Moreover, the Chinese government has strategically shaped news media frameworks and exerted control over social media platforms, fostering a state-driven nationalism to advance political interests during the crisis. As a result, nationalism has become an integral part of the media-constructed social reality in China.