China's Media and Soft Power in Africa (eBook)

Xiaoling Zhang is Associate Professor and Head of the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China. She is the author of The Transformation of Political Communication in China: From Propaganda to Hegemony.Herman Wasserman is Professor of Media Studies and Director of Centre for Film and Media Studies, University of Cape Town, South Africa. He is editor of  African Journalism Studies  and author of Tabloid Journalism in South Africa: True Story!Winston Mano is Director of Africa Media Centre and Reader in Media and Communication Studies, University of Westminster, UK and Editor of the Journal of African Media Studies. He is also a Senior Research Associate in the School of Communication at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Cover 1
Half-Title 2
Title 4
Copyright 5
Contents 6
List of Tables and Figures 8
Preface: Competing Representations and Conflicting Perceptions of China’s Engagement in Africa 10
Acknowledgments 13
Introduction 14
1 A World of Shared Influence 15
Section I Theoretical, Historical, and Global 29
2 Reflections of a Soft Power Agnostic 30
3 The Scramble for Asian Soft Power in Africa 43
4 Evolving Media Interactions between China and Africa 56
Section II China’s Promotion 71
5 How Much Soft Power Does China Have in Africa? 72
6 Why Are Chinese Media in Africa? Evidence from Three Decades of Xinhua’s News Coverage of Africa 86
7 Constructive Journalism: A New Journalistic Paradigm of Chinese Media in Africa 100
8 Chinese Perception of Soft Power: The Role of the Media in Shaping Chinese Views and Discourses on Foreign Aid to Africa 113
Section III Perceptions in Africa 126
9 Journalists’ and Public Perceptions of the Politics of China’s Soft Power in Kenya under the “Look East” Foreign Policy 127
10 Building Blocks and Themes in Chinese Soft Power toward Africa 139
11 Positive Portrayal of Sino–African Relations in the Ethiopian Press 153
12 Engaging with China’s Soft Power in Zimbabwe: Harare Citizens’ Perceptions of China–Zimbabwe Relations 166
13 China’s Soft Power in Sudan: Increasing Activity but How Effective? 184
Conclusion 196
14 Chinese Soft Power in Africa: Findings, Perspectives, and More Questions 197
Bibliography 206
Notes on Contributors 232
Index 236