Directed Digital Dissidence in Autocracies: How China Wins Online (Oxford Studies in Digital Politics)

Does the Internet fundamentally change the flow of politically relevant information, even in authoritarian regimes?If so, does it alter the attitudes and behavior of citizens?While there is a fair amount of research exploring how social media has empowered social actors to challenge authoritarian regimes, there is much less addressing whether and how the state can actively shape the flow of information to its advantage.In China, for instance, citizens often resort to "rightful resistance" to lodge complaints and defend rights.By using the rhetoric of the central government, powerless citizens may exploit the slim political opportunity structure and negotiate with the state for better governance.But this tactic also reinforces the legitimacy of authoritarian states; citizens engage rightful resistance precisely because they trust the state, at least the central government, to some degree.Drawing on original survey data and rich qualitative sources, Directed Digital Dissidence in Autocra