MASCULINITIES IN THE ONLINE GAMING CULTURE IN MAINLAND CHINA

YEO KAIQI (UID: 2012529058)CLIT2069: THE MAKING OF MODERN MASCULINITIES

FINAL COURSE PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION

INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

WHY ONLINE GAMING?

Have you ever wondered:

• Why do men (especially teenagers

and young adults) love gaming?

• Why are some of these men

addicted to gaming?

• Why is gaming a ‘boys’ thing’?

INTRODUCTION TO THE CULTURE

SITUATION IN MAINLAND CHINA

• Online gaming revenue takes up about 20% of mainland China’s

overall revenue

• 1 out of 10 people in China is an online gamer (10% of mainland

China’s population)

• 7 out of 10 gamers are men (7% of mainland China’s population)

• More than half of the gamers are between ages 19 - 25

INTRODUCTION TO THE CULTURE

POPULAR CHINESE ONLINE GAMES

THE ANALYSIS

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• What features are considered ‘masculine’ to these men?

• How do these men view the concept of masculinity and how does a

virtual world and identity help them realize this?

• How does the culture and society that these men live in shape and

influence their desire to be ‘masculine’, and more importantly, the way

they think about the concept of masculinity?

THE ANALYSIS

INTENTION OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS

With this analysis, we can better understand:

• Why men like and engage in gaming

• What is violence and why men

engage in virtual violence

• Virtual reality and its relationship to

the concept of masculinity

THE METHODOLOGY

PROPOSED APPROACH

PLURALITY OF MASCULINITIES AS MULTIPLE IDENTITIES

From the vantage point of these

multiple identities, we can thus understand

the escapism and expression of

masculinities that is in the form of gaming violence

and fantasy.

In today’s digital age, one is not just an

individual himself, but also a social creature, a market consumer, and

an entirely different person online in the world of cyberspace.

THE METHODOLOGY

PROPOSED APPROACH

From the vantage point of these

multiple identities, we can thus understand

the escapism and expression of

masculinities that is in the form of gaming violence

and fantasy.

Plurality of masculinities present in male online gamer’s identities:

• Virtual identity – the characters used in the online game

• Gamer identity – the social identity presented to the public

• Consumer identity – the market’s intended target audience

• Citizen identity – the identity of men and men’s image shaped by

the society

THE METHODOLOGY

PROPOSED APPROACH

HEGEMONIC DESIRES WITHIN MULTIPLE IDENTITIES

From the vantage point of the plurality of masculinities as

multiple identities, we can thus understand the hegemonic

desires that are presented in the form of online gaming.

THE METHODOLOGY

PROPOSED APPROACH

From the vantage point of these

multiple identities, we can thus understand

the escapism and expression of

masculinities that is in the form of gaming violence

and fantasy.

Hegemonic desires within multiple identities:

• Virtual desires – the desire for character development

• Gamer’s desires – the escapism (fantasy) and expression

(violence) through online gaming

• Market’s desires – the market’s intended creation of masculinity

• Society’s desires – the society’s version and vision of masculinity

THE BIBLIOGRAPHY

LIST OF REFERENCES

From the vantage point of these

multiple identities, we can thus understand

the escapism and expression of

masculinities that is in the form of gaming violence

and fantasy.

Millward, Steven. “Techinasia” Let’s take a look at China’s $13.5 billion online gaming

industry. Josh Horwitz, published on 21 January 2014. Accessed on 24 April 2014:

http://www.techinasia.com/china-online-gaming-industry-2013-2014-infographic/.

Sophia Abiom, Plural Masculinities: The Remaking of the Self in Private Life, Surrey: Ashgate,

2010, chp. 1, “From Dualism to Pluralism: The Power of Categories and the making

of Gender,” p.13-36 & chp 2, “Domination, Hegemony and Hybrid Selves: Rethinking

the Plural Dynamics of Masculinity,” p., 37-60.

Connell, R.W. & Messerschmidt, J.W. (2005) “Hegemonic Masculinity: Rethinking the

Concept,” Gender and Society, 9(6): 829-859.

MASCULINITIES IN THE ONLINE GAMING CULTURE IN MAINLAND CHINA

THANK YOU