By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Geopolist | Istanbul Center for GeopoliticsGeopolist | Istanbul Center for GeopoliticsGeopolist | Istanbul Center for Geopolitics
  • Home
  • Geopolitics
    Geopolitics
    Discover professional insights into international relations, regional conflicts, and global power dynamics by visiting Geopolist. Keep up on the ways in which these changes impact…
    Show More
    Top News
    Outrage is not a policy: Understanding Myanmar’s complex situation.
    April 13, 2025
    Late-stage Putinism: The war in Ukraine and Russia’s shifting ideology
    August 12, 2024
    UAE Investments in Russia: A Testament to Growing Bilateral Ties 
    August 11, 2024
    Latest News
    From Bibi to Business Zones: Trump’s Soft Power Mirage
    May 22, 2025
    From Ally to Afterthought: Netanyahu Faces Trump’s Cold Shoulder
    May 21, 2025
    Caught in the Middle: Why Middle Powers Still Struggle to Act Together
    May 13, 2025
    America’s Soft Power Isn’t Sleeping – It’s Dying
    May 13, 2025
  • Security
    SecurityShow More
    The Fracturing Nuclear Order and the Uneasy Dawn of a Third Nuclear Age
    April 25, 2025
    Indonesia Eyes Partnership in Turkey’s KAAN Fighter Jet Program Amid Deepening Defense Ties
    April 14, 2025
    Turkey vs. Israel in a Hypothetical War: The Myths and the Realities
    April 10, 2025
    IAEA Raises Fresh Alarm on Global Nuclear Security Amid Rise in Radioactive Incidents
    March 2, 2025
    Turkey Successfully Tests Tayfun Ballistic Missile, Doubling Strike Range
    February 5, 2025
  • Commentary
    CommentaryShow More
    From Bibi to Business Zones: Trump’s Soft Power Mirage
    May 22, 2025
    From Ally to Afterthought: Netanyahu Faces Trump’s Cold Shoulder
    May 21, 2025
    Caught in the Middle: Why Middle Powers Still Struggle to Act Together
    May 13, 2025
    America’s Soft Power Isn’t Sleeping – It’s Dying
    May 13, 2025
    From the West Bank to Columbia University: The Expanding Reach of Israel’s Terrorism Label
    May 13, 2025
  • Economy
    • Energy
  • Regions
    • Europe
    • Middle East & Africa
    • Eurasia
  • Jobs
Reading: The Impact of Emotional Contagion: How Social Media Dynamics Could Escalate Tensions with China
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Geopolist | Istanbul Center for GeopoliticsGeopolist | Istanbul Center for Geopolitics
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Geopolitics
  • Security
  • Commentary
  • Economy
  • Regions
  • Jobs
  • Home
  • Geopolitics
  • Security
  • Commentary
  • Economy
    • Energy
  • Regions
    • Europe
    • Middle East & Africa
    • Eurasia
  • Jobs
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Geopolist | Istanbul Center for Geopolitics > Blog > Regions > Southeast Asia > The Impact of Emotional Contagion: How Social Media Dynamics Could Escalate Tensions with China
CommentaryGeopoliticsSoutheast Asia

The Impact of Emotional Contagion: How Social Media Dynamics Could Escalate Tensions with China

Last updated: September 30, 2024 11:45 pm
By GEOPOLIST | Istanbul Center for Geopolitics Published September 30, 2024 266 Views 3 Min Read
Share
SHARE

Summary by Geopolist | Istanbul Center for Geopolitics:

The article investigates how emotions, particularly those related to nationalism and national identity, might exacerbate confrontations via social media, putting pressure on leaders to escalate crises. Public emotions, including humiliation and wrath, can be amplified by social media platforms like Weibo in the context of China. This phenomenon of emotional contagion, or the peer-to-peer spread of feelings, significantly impacts political behaviour, prompting leaders to react more aggressively to evade a potential backlash. Even in authoritarian regimes such as China, leaders risk losing legitimacy if they oppose nationalist sentiment, complicating de-escalation during crises.

Key Points
Emotional Contagion: Emotions circulate within social networks, shaping personal actions and collective reactions. The peer-to-peer sharing plays a vital role in catalyzing collective political action, particularly when a common national identity is at stake.

Nationalism as a Catalyst: Nationalist narratives, frequently grounded in historical grievances, may remain inactive and then suddenly surge in reaction to external influences. The dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands sparked extensive anti-Japan protests in China in 2012, demonstrating how a longstanding issue can quickly turn politically charged.

Social Media’s Role: Platforms such as Weibo enable swift emotional contagion, allowing feelings like anger or humiliation to spread rapidly among users. This process influences policy preferences, including a tendency to support assertive positions in international conflicts.

The influence on leaders: Even authoritarian figures in nations such as China cannot escape the pressures created by public sentiment. They might encounter significant pressures to align with nationalist sentiment, as not doing so could jeopardize their legitimacy and potentially their existence.

Perilous Intensification: In situations such as Taiwan, societal demands may constrain a leader’s capacity to reduce tensions. In times of crisis, heightened public sentiment can compel leaders to engage in confrontations they would typically seek to evade, complicating any attempts to retreat.

Propaganda Backfire: Although governments employ stories of national humiliation to garner support, these narratives have the potential to escalate uncontrollably. When the emotions of citizens run high, they may advocate for more forceful measures than the government had planned, leading to a conflict between escalating the situation or dealing with potential backlash.

In summary, it indicates that grasping the impact of emotion and social media on international relations is essential, as they can affect state behaviour in unforeseen and possibly perilous manners.

Read the full article here.

You Might Also Like

From Bibi to Business Zones: Trump’s Soft Power Mirage

From Ally to Afterthought: Netanyahu Faces Trump’s Cold Shoulder

Caught in the Middle: Why Middle Powers Still Struggle to Act Together

America’s Soft Power Isn’t Sleeping – It’s Dying

From the West Bank to Columbia University: The Expanding Reach of Israel’s Terrorism Label

Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article The GCC’s Emerging Role in African Security: UAE Leads with Arms Supplies and Strategic Engagement
Next Article Shifting Dynamics of Arms Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Trends, Suppliers, and Geopolitical Impacts
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

TwitterFollow
YoutubeSubscribe

Latest News

How Presidents Lose a Generation: Johnson in ’68, Biden in ’24, and the Politics of Bombs
Commentary Geopolitics Middle East & Africa
Potemkin Superpower: Exposing China’s Fragile Economic Rise
Commentary Economy Geopolitics
Not Bismarck, but Bonaparte: Trump’s Foreign Policy and the Risks of Great-Power Collusion
Commentary Geopolitics
U.S.–Israel Rift Widens: Trump Cuts Off Netanyahu as Senior Official Warns of ‘Heavy Price’ Over Gaza Stalemate
Geopolitics Middle East & Africa

Find Us on Socials

© GeoPolist. All Rights Reserved.
  • Submit an Op-Ed
  • Jobs
  • Post Jobs & Ads for Free
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?