Documentaries and China’s National Image

Emphasizing the role of documentary in shaping a nation-state’s image, demonstrating social development and promoting cultural exchanges, this book examines the changes in China’s national image in documentaries at home and abroad since 1949.

Based on theoretical frameworks of media sociology, political economy of communication and cultural studies, the book traces the development of Chinese documentary and discusses social transformation and cultural representation embodied in documentaries related to China. It is revealed how these works witness, reflect and interact with social transitions in all aspects of a modernizing China, as well as how documentary production struggles among and mediates between technology, market, ideology, social forces and professionalism. In terms of future prospects of documentary in an era when media convergence is burgeoning, the author explores feasible paths to further promotion of cross-cultural communication and China’s national image, by analyzing documentary aesthetics and representative cases of documentary practice.

The title will appeal to scholars and students interested in culture and communication, documentary, film, media and Chinese society.

Chen Yi is a professor at Soochow University, China. His research interests are documentary, critical visual communication and media convergence.