| This dissertation studies the social and environmental campaigns of China since the Communist Party took control in 1949. As China has experienced different stages of development during these years, the mistakes and lessons of various major campaigns were analyzed. During Mao Zedong's reign from 1949 to 1976, the country was preoccupied by ideological issues and class struggles, which could be reflected by such campaigns as "Great Leap Forward", "Educated Youth Up to The Mountain and Down to the Countryside", etc. These campaigns had been disastrous to the natural and human environment of China. After Mao Zedong died in 1976, Deng Xiaoping led the country into a path of reform and opening to the outside world. Economy revived. But certain social and environmental programs occur along with the progress. For example, foreign toxic garbage has been imported and poisoned the land; rapid population growth has been pushing the limits of the sustainability of natural resources; etc. To solve these problems, the Chinese media must play the critical role of monitoring corruptions and abuses of powers by the officials and reflecting the people's will.; To illustrate this, the dissertation focuses on five cases: Mao's campaign to change nature, e-waste, population control, hinterland development and Three-Gorges project; and is based on researches over Chinese newspapers, broadcasting, the Internet, government propaganda & public relations, and public opinion in urban & rural China. |
