China's Fandoms: Are Celebrities Fueling Patriotism, or Are Fans Calling the Tune?

Study Challenges Top-Down View of Chinese Nationalism Online

China's Fandoms: Are Celebrities Fueling Patriotis...

A new study published in *Science Advances* suggests that grassroots enthusiasm, rather than state-directed influence, is the primary driver of nationalist sentiment on Chinese social media. Researchers from leading universities in the US and Britain challenge the widely held belief that Beijing orchestrates online nationalism through celebrities and propaganda. Their findings indicate that fans exert a more significant influence on celebrities, shaping the nationalist narratives that these public figures then amplify.

The study, conducted by scholars from the University of Michigan, Texas A&M University, Brown University, and Cambridge University, analyzed over 8 million microblogs and comments from Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform. The data spanned the period encompassing the 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong, a time of heightened nationalist fervor in mainland China.

Methodology and Findings

The researchers employed a statistical method called vector autoregression to examine the dynamic interplay between celebrities and fans. This approach allowed them to track how posts from both groups influenced each other over time. The analysis revealed that "fans' nationalistic expressions exert a stronger and more consistent influence on celebrities." This suggests that celebrities are often reacting to, rather than initiating, nationalist trends online.

Context: Hong Kong Protests and Celebrity Reactions

The 2019 Hong Kong protests provided a crucial backdrop for the study. The protests, initially sparked by a proposed extradition bill, evolved into a broader anti-government movement. This period saw a surge in nationalist sentiment on Chinese social media, with many users expressing support for the Chinese government and condemning the protests.

Celebrity reactions to the Hong Kong protests were closely scrutinized. For instance, Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei, known for her role in Disney's *Mulan*, publicly supported the Hong Kong police. While this stance garnered praise in mainland China, it sparked controversy in Hong Kong. The study suggests that such celebrity endorsements, while impactful, are often driven by pre-existing nationalist sentiments among their fan base, particularly those aligning with what the study calls the "state-conformist camp."

The findings offer a nuanced perspective on the dynamics of online nationalism in China, highlighting the power of grassroots movements and the reactive role of celebrities within this digital landscape. This challenges assumptions about the extent of state control and influence in shaping public opinion online.