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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Polit. Sci.
Sec. Comparative Governance
Volume 6 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpos.2024.1501363
This article is part of the Research Topic Populism and the Border: Theoretically and Empirically Dissecting Strategies of Exclusion and the Recreation of Identities View all 3 articles

Borders of Belonging: How Chinese Nationalism Constructs Exclusion in the Age of Populism

Provisionally accepted
Jeremy Ko Jeremy Ko 1Chun Kai Leung Chun Kai Leung 2*Anthony Cheung Anthony Cheung 3Boris Lok-fai Pun Boris Lok-fai Pun 3Wai Kit Ming Wai Kit Ming 4
  • 1 ETH Zürich, Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
  • 2 The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR China
  • 3 The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Region, China
  • 4 City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This paper investigates how state-led and popular nationalism in China construct borders as tools of exclusion, reinforcing national identity amidst global populist movements. Using the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a case study, the analysis examines Global Times articles and corresponding user-generated content to reveal how geopolitical, ideological, and emotional borders are created and maintained through nationalist discourse. State-led nationalism emphasizes cooperation and diplomacy, framing borders to position China as a global leader promoting shared prosperity. In contrast, popular nationalism-expressed through user-generated comments-manifests in a confrontational, exclusionary discourse that delineates China from external adversaries, particularly Western powers. Through a mixed-methods approach-combining word frequency, sentiment, and emotional categorization using the NRC Emotion Lexicon-this study uncovers key differences between the two forms of nationalism. State narratives construct inclusive borders that foster international engagement, aligning with China's diplomatic ambitions. Meanwhile, popular nationalism reflects heightened emotional intensity, especially through expressions of fear, anger, and opposition, creating rigid borders that emphasize ideological conflict and national pride. The research contributes to the literature on populism and border studies by demonstrating how Chinese nationalism functions as both a state strategy and a grassroots expression, delineating "the people" from "the other." It highlights the critical role of media-both state-controlled outlets and user-generated platforms-in constructing and reinforcing these boundaries. As populism continues to shape political discourse globally, the study offers valuable insights into how nationalism in non-Western contexts mirrors broader populist strategies of identity formation through the construction of symbolic and emotional borders.

    Keywords: populism, nationalism, Borders, Chinese media, Digital Identity, Belt and Road

    Received: 24 Sep 2024; Accepted: 11 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ko, Leung, Cheung, Pun and Ming. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Chun Kai Leung, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.