Counter-hegemony: grassroots use of the Internet to save dialects in China

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Internet is used to create a grassroots counter-hegemony force. However, how individuals can effect changes to the development of language policies, especially in contexts such as China, is understudied. This study analyses three different forms of online activities – self-generating content, interaction, and discussion – to demonstrate how the Internet empowers individuals and creates a virtual public sphere for public participation and increased public awareness. It found that the Internet enabled citizens to participate in the manufacturing of online counter-hegemony discourse. These democratised contents and the process of participation provide grassroots bargaining power against the hegemony discourse. The study also discusses the challenges and limitations of the role of individuals in changing language policies in countries where citizens have limited political and civic rights.