Rooted Cosmopolitanism And The Construction Of Chinese Identities In Transnational Spaces:Conversations With Journalists

Integrating concepts from transnationalism, cosmopolitanism, identity and cultural studies, this study presents a conceptual framework for examining how identity is constructed and construed in transnational spaces. Such a topic is currently significant in a time where increasing globalization and mediatization have led to the rise of a generation of’armchair travelers’. As a consequence an individual’s sense of place and belonging are simultaneously transformed. These processes form the basis for examining the conflicts and dilemmas of those working in China’s media system, which is said to be a transnational space in transformation and transition. Six in-depth interviews were conducted with Chinese journalists who work in English-language news media in China. The data confirms that there is little editorial independence from the political and ideological frameworks that control China’s media system. The data also offers a fresh perspective on how defining structures impact the cosmopolitan identity. In the analysis, theoretical implications are discussed, reconceptualizing the ways in which we understand the local, place, space, value orientations, and an individual’s sense of belonging.