China deserves its hamburger: the controversy over WildAid’s Shu Shi campaign in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT We analyze the responses of Chinese netizens to U.S.-based WildAid’s Shu Shi campaign, which was launched in China in 2018 with aims to reduce the nation’s meat consumption in support of climate change mitigation. We conduct an interpretive content analysis of approximately 3,000 online comments, finding that nationalist sentiment is the most prevalent theme underlying responses to the campaign. Netizens generally see the campaign as a criticism of their national identity. They define this identity by emphasizing China’s achievements, expressing a need for the population’s autonomy, recalling a collective history of humiliation by Western actors, and taking pride in Chinese food culture. Feelings among netizens of unfair treatment weakened the campaign’s effectiveness. Respondents cite national identity, nationalism, and climate justice in micro-level discourses to challenge the legitimacy of WildAid’s efforts to encourage reduced meat consumption as a climate change mitigation strategy in China. This study adds depth and nuance to our understanding of national identity, nationalism, and the perceived effectiveness of strategies encouraging behavior change to mitigate climate change.