Conclusion

Abstract

This book has captured the era of Weibo when it was considered primarily to be a platform for journalism. To its credit, Weibo has significantly broadened the scope of journalism in China. It has provided many opportunities for journalists, media professionals, and some media outlets to establish their cultural authorities over emerging public events, which is mainly reflected in the way that collective memories of these events are formed and serve larger purposes in the social transition. The three axes of social tension (control–resistance, past–present, and global–local) provide an analytical framework for examining Weibo and other social media platforms in a global context. Taking these dimensions (institutional, temporal, and spatial) together, this book has examined how Weibo has become essential for the formation and preservation of collective memories at this transitional moment in China’s history.