Journalistic practices, news, and public health in China: local crisis, global implications

Abstract

This dissertation research examines, theoretically and empirically, the forms and contents of journalistic practices in contemporary China. By following Pierre Bourdieu, I define journalism as a "sub-field" of the three major fields of social activity¯the state, market, and society, all of which are related to, nested under, and affected by the field of power. Therefore journalistic practice is interpreted as competing for legitimacy, a form of power that struggles over symbolic capital. By focusing on media construction of four major public health crises from early 1980s to 2010, I present detailed descriptions and analyses of the complexity and dynamics surrounding news production of public health issues.