Abstract Illustrations Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Aim, objectives, and rationale of the research1.3 Research background1.4 Limitations of existing literature1.5 The structure of the thesis Chapter 2: Literature review2.1 Introduction2.2 Democracy and democratisation2.2.1 Democratisation and favourable conditions2.2.2 Democracy and its people2.2.3 Political culture2.2.4 Free markets, capitalism, and economic growth2.2.5 Strong civil society and public sphere2.2.6 Political participation and disengagement2.2.7 The role of mass media2.3 China's political tradition2.3.1 Dominant political ideas2.3.2 Persistence of authoritarian regimes2.4 Contemporary China in the process of democratisation2.4.1 Economic reform and opening-up policy2.4.2 Political reform2.4.3 Standard of living, urbanisation, education and media exposure2.5 The development of the Internet in China Chapter 3: Participants' Internet use3.1 Introduction3.2 Internet use habit and online activities3.3 Online news reading, information search, and lecture3.3.1 Online news reading3.3.2 Online information search3.3.3 Online lecture3.4 Between acquaintances and strangers3.4.1 QQ3.4.2 Renren3.4.3 Weibo (Microblog)3.4.4 Between acquaintances and strangers3.5 University intranet and online forums3.5.1 University Intranet3.5.2 Online forums3.6 Online and offline political participation, participation,and volunteering3.7 Online travelling and movies3.7,1 Online travelling3.7.2 Online movies3.8 Participant as a communicator3.9 Civic talk Chapter 4: Participants' perceptions of the Internet4 1 Introduction4.2 Belief in the Internet's effect4.2.1 The Internet's effect on Chinese society4.2.2 Individual's effect through the Internet4.2.3 The Internet's effect on individuals4.3 Understanding of online comments and user-generated content.....4.4 Disbelief in relevance of social problems4.5 Attitude toward government corruption Chapter 5: Discussion5.1 Introduction5.2 Political disengagement and why5.2.1 Introduction5.2.2 Political disengagement5.2.3 Political socialisation and irrelevance5.2.4 Belief in a shock therapy and low political efficacy5.2.5 Lack of civic organisations aRd activities5.3 The power of disengagement and mass entertainment5.3.1 Introduction5.3.2 Who communicates to the participants online5.3.3 The power of political disengagement and mass entertainment5.3.4 Control or liberation: Huxley vs. the gadget theory5.4 How do participants understand the influence of Intemet useon them?5.4.1 Introduction5.4.2 Why Internet users? .5.4.3 The Intemet and better-informed citizens5.4.4 Strangers and internal political efficacy5.4.5 Belief in 'We' effect and external political efficacy5.4.6 Summary5.5 Beyond the lntemet and beyond politics: civic talk and civil society?5.5.1 Introduction5.5.2 Civic talk beyond the Internet5.5.3 The rise of online civil society Chapter 6: Conclusions6.1 Introduction6.2 Reflective summaries6.3 Scope and limitations of the research6.4 Contributions of the research6.5 Further research AppendicesAppendix I: Interview Guide for In-Depth InterviewAppendix II: Informed Consent Form Template for In-Depth InterviewsAppendix III: An interview invitation letterAppendix IV: Informed Consent Form Template for Focus GroupAppendix V:The researcher as an instrumentAppendix VI: Youg's Internet Addiction TestAppendix VII: Other Internet use Bibliography