Media and Grassroots Activism for the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals: A Study of Postcolonial Macau From 2002 to 2021

Authors

  • Min Xu Donghua Univeriisty

Keywords:

grassroots activism, media, framing, sustainable development goals, Macau SAR

Abstract

In the background of increasing concerns over the various threats to sustainable development, grassroots movements for the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) are on the rise worldwide. Existing research has confirmed the positive co-relations between media attention and the success of activism as the former can bring along substantial mobilization resources to the activists. However, not much is known about how the news media frame the protests against threats to the achievement of SDGs. To fill the gap, this study has sampled and analyzed 810 news items on protests against threats to SDGs by news organizations in the postcolonial Macau of China over 19 years, from 2002 to 2021. In particular, the study investigates how the news framing of the protests evolved through the years. The findings show that the news media consider the protests less radical over the years with the protesters focused more on the political issues related to the 17 SDGs. Such findings suggest that the media stance was the driving force for the marginalization of the protests. 

Author Biography

Min Xu, Donghua Univeriisty

Min Xu is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Donghua University in Shanghai, China. She was selected as one of the “Pujiang Talent” of Shanghai. She received her Ph.D. degree in Communication from the University of Macau in the Macau Special Administrative Region, China.  Her research interests include political communication, media effect, and new media study. Xu Min has presided over the Chinese national research project. She has published several research articles in both international and Chinese academic journals.    

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Published

2022-09-13

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Section

Articles