The Worlding of St. Petersburg and Shanghai: Comparing Cultures of Communication in Two Cities Before and After Revolutions. (8th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meng, Bingchun; Rantanen, Terhi
• Is Part Of: Communication, culture, & critique. Volume 9:Number 3(2016:Sep.)
• Page Start: 323
• Page End: 340
• Publication Date: 2015-08-08
• Subjects: Cities as Texts -- Worlding -- Cultures of Communication -- Comparative Historical Communication Research -- Methodological Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism -- Shanghai -- St. Petersburg.; Communication -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals; Criticism -- Periodicals."com; 300.5
• DOI: 10.1111/cccr.12116
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1753-9129

Abstract

Abstract: In this article we propose an alternative model for comparative communication research. We first make the case for comparing cities, especially worlding cities outside what is traditionally called the "West." We then explicate what we mean by comparing cultures of communication and why this offers an opportunity to reevaluate methodological nationalism and the cultural dynamics of worlding. We go on to use Shanghai and St. Petersburg as two historical examples to demonstrate how worlding cities (a) compel us to see cultural hybridization as a historical process; (b) offer good opportunities to observe contested elements of cultures; (c) make it possible to analyze cities as texts that are always connected with, but not necessarily contained by the nation.