The Discipline of Happiness: The Foucauldian Use of the “Positive Energy” Discourse in China’s Ideological Works

• Published in: Journal of current Chinese affairs Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 201 - 225
• Main Authors: Chen, Zifeng, Wang, Clyde Yicheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.08.2019; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Discourse analysis; Energy; Ethnography; Ideology; Internet; Popular culture; Power structure; China; propaganda; popular culture; China; Foucault

One important question about ideological works in China concerns the tension between mobilisation (encouraging public expression) and control (limiting public expression). Recently Xi Jinping’s administration has doubled down on both strategies. To study the rationale of this seemingly self-contradi...