Platformisation Practice for Emancipation or Subordination? : A Multimodal Critical Discourse Study of Self-presentations of African-Chinese Families on Douyin

Li, Run (2024) Platformisation Practice for Emancipation or Subordination? : A Multimodal Critical Discourse Study of Self-presentations of African-Chinese Families on Douyin. Critical Arts. ISSN 0256-0046

Abstract

In China, the rise in popularity of African-Chinese families is largely driven by the influence of new media, with many African women turning to Chinese social media platforms to document their daily lives and explore economic opportunities through increased online visibility. However, scholarly attention to the self-presentation of African-Chinese families on these platforms remains minimal. Addressing this gap, this study, through analysing 26 selected short videos posted on Douyin (Chinese Tiktok), employs multimodal critical discourse analysis to investigate how African women in African-Chinese families conduct self-presentations on Douyin. The study found that African women in African-Chinese families, when engaging in digital practices, employ certain discursive strategies to conduct self-presentations in alignment with the Chinese context and national conditions. In videos, they identify with and construct patriarchal norms within heteronormative families, align with China’s political agenda, and perform ambiguous feminism. It is argued that African women’s digital practices represent an acceptance and response to the platformisation of Chinese social media. This study sheds light on the complex ways in which marginalised groups navigate digital platforms to gain visibility, while also revealing the potential of such practices to reinforce gender inequalities in the Chinese context. By highlighting these factors, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersection between digital media, cultural integration, and gender politics in the context of contemporary China.