First, read the Introduction and Chapters 5 and 6 of Lik Sam Chan’s book The Politics of Dating Apps: Gender, Sexuality, and Emergent Publics in Urban China. After reading these selections from the book, write an essay (conforming to the rubrics above) that engages the following questions:
In her analysis of Chinese dating app culture, Chan employs the term ‘networked social publics’. What do you think that she means by this term and why do you think that it is important to her analysis of the political implications of emerging technology? In answering this, pay attention to the roles that gender, technology, and intimacy play in creating these new technological systems. Then, consider Chan’s analysis of the use of dating apps by queer Chinese women, and explain how and why ‘communal connectivity’ becomes a critical form of social engagement in the use of these apps. How are these networked forms of community important to the app users?