title: Micro-blogs, online forums, and the birth-control policy: social media and the politics of reproduction in China.
abstract: In June 2012, the news of a Chinese woman's forced late-term abortion quickly spread across the internet in China. Graphic photos of the woman with the aborted fetus provoked public outrage and widespread condemnation on social media sites. In the aftermath, local authorities apologized, seven officials were given demerits, and the couple received monetary compensation. This case was put under the spotlight mainly because of the exposure of the story by family members of the woman through social media and the resulting public outcry in cyberspace. Following the disclosure of this story and public reactions online, this article explores the complex interplays among different layers of state power, the individual, and the public in reproductive politics, and discusses the ways in which social media has been utilized to resist state control of reproduction. By delving into the nuanced interactions among layers of state authorities, this article sheds light on the study of state-society relations in reproductive politics. It also calls attention to the role that social media plays in reproductive issues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University, 11220, Bellflower Road 238, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA, lihong.shi@case.edu.
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057218:Blogging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002681:China; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D011057:Politics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000941:ethics*; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*