Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Year 11 China Coursework
China is hosting the 2008 Olympic games and your coursework will examine the subsequent reaction of the western media.
Watch the video clips above from Channel 4 and comment on the following;
- The problems highlighted on this clip?
- What does it show us about how China is represented in the media?
- Do you think this media attention is linked to the 2008 Olympics?
- Do you think these problems are linked to China’s communist past in anyway?
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7 comments:
The problems highlighted on this clip?
The clip highlights the problem in China with children being kidnapped and then sold to new parents.
What does it show us about how China is represented in the media?
It shows that China is represented as quite a dangerous place where children get kidnapped and are sold and where children are abused.
Do you think this media attention is linked to the 2008 Olympics?
Yes, because the kidnapping problem was around before China was given the Olympics so the fact that China now has the Olympics means that the media has chosen to highlight the kidnapping problem.
Do you think these problems are linked to China’s communist past in anyway?
Yes, because China's government made a law so that Chinese families could only have 1 child per family. This meant that families wanted a boy so some families would be so desperate for a boy that they would pay someone to take a boy from another family.
From, Anders Whitford-Bartle 11X
- The problems highlighted on this clip?
The clip highlights problems concerning child kidnapping in China, where approximately 70,000 a year are kidnapped. Not only this, but also the difficulties existing in regaining children, mainly based around the government.
- What does it show us about how China is represented in the media?
These clips were created by the media, and show us that the media believes that the Chinese government and police aren’t doing enough to find missing children. The media then believes and implies that the government doesn’t care very much about the problem as it emphasises that parents form their own societies, pay private detectives and form protests in order to regain their children rather than trust the government.
- Do you think this media attention is linked to the 2008 Olympics?
It’s quite probable that this media attention is linked to the Olympics as this problem which has apparently been occurring for several years has only been portrayed by the media after China became a popular object of interest due to it’s gaining of the Olympics. However, as the Chinese government is infamous for being secretive, it may be that this problem has only come to media attention recently because it’s only been disclosed recently. Then again, as Channel 4 is often a “controversial” channel, it’s use of this information could likely be linked to an argument against China hosting the Olympics.
- Do you think these problems are linked to China’s communist past in anyway?
During Communist reign, it was made law that a family could only have one child; an order to fight the escalating population growth. As the Chinese favour male children, a family with a female child would likely be tempted to buy a male child off a trafficker. This law would also increase the tragedy of losing a child as you’d be unable to have any more.
Equally, the present government still holds many communistic beliefs and the watch on the parents who held a protest to find their children is reminiscent of the secret police and control of old.
Hannah Strachan 11X
- The problems highlighted on this clip?
The problem in China, that is highlighted in this clip, is about children in China that are being kidnapped and sold without warning. It also shows ho difficult it is to find these children again and how there is a special detective who looks at these cases.
- What does it show us about how China is represented in the media?
It shows China is a very dangerous place to be, however it also shows us how the Chinese people don't trust there own government much, as they have to pay private detectives to find their children and form protests to make the government more aware of their cause.
- Do you think this media attention is linked to the 2008 Olympics?
yes, i think it is because as the Olympics are a major event there is an increase in popularity in the country and its culture. The problem of kidnapped children was around before, but it has only gained more attention now that the media has taken an interest in China.
- Do you think these problems are linked to China’s communist past in anyway?
yes i think they are possibly because when China was communist, a law was passed that the Chinese people could only have one child. (in response to the growing population of China)Boys were favored a lot more than girls, and i think that some families may go to desperate lengths to get a son instead of a daughter, therefore they would resort to asking a trafficker to find them one.
-The problems highlighted on this clip?
The problem that is highlighted in this clip is about child kidnapping and trafficking. It also shows us the difficulty and problems the Chinese people have in trusting the government to find their children, as they would prefer to go to a private detective than to the police.
-What does it show us about how China is represented in the media?
It shows us that China is a dangerous place to be, but because it is created by the media it could shows the 'media's' viewpoint that the government, in their opinion, don't place child trafficking as a major problem, and it doesn't have a high priority. It also shows that the government don't do a lot to help the parents of the missing children.
- Do you think this media attention is linked to the 2008 Olympics?
The Olympics are a major event and naturally it will spark a greater interest in the countries (China's) culture and society.For the media to gain more attention on China,they will focus on the more striking issues of China, even though the problem of Child trafficking has been around in china for many years.
-Do you think these problems are linked to China’s communist past in anyway?
During Chinas communist rule, a law was passed that Chinese families could only have one child. As boys were favored over girls, it could have made families resort to desperate measures to have a son. In order for them to get a son (if they had a daughter)they could easily ask traffickers to find them a boy from another family.
Aysha! 11Y
Jessica Iveson 11y
The Problems Highlighted On This Clip?
The clip highlight the fact that child trafficking is a big issue in China. It also raises the issue that the Chinese government wants to keep tabs on everyone as a parent got punished for staging an "unauthorized protest".
What does it show use about how China is represented in the media?
It shows that China is represented in a negative light that isn't safe. It also represents the government as turning a blind eye to some things that would be high priority in other countries.
Do you think this media attention is linked to the 2008 Olympics?
Yes because by highlighting this major issue it starts a domino effect and new things come to light about the government and the media is trying to spark controversy.
Do you think these problems are linked to China's communist past in anyway?
Yes because it has a link to the law made to control the people from having more than one child. This means that people would pay money to have a son so that their family name and honor would live on and some people will go to desperate lengths such as paying a trafficker to steal a child.
The problems highlighted are that some children are not safe in china as they are being kidnapped and sold onto different people.
This shows that China is not represented well in the media and is shown to be an unsafe place and quite dangerous as it allows children to be taken.
I do think the attention is linked as this is showing people where they will be going and can act as a warning for them to be careful and maybe to take into consideration if an event like the olympics should be helpd there
Yes beucae the law on onyl haing one child may be a reason why they all kept getting stolen
megan
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