Policy as Discourse: An evolution Analysis of China’s Double Reduction Policy on TikTok

• In Event: Shadow Education in a Digital Age: Parental Choices and Policy Impacts

Proposal

This study examines “Policy as Discourse” and reconceptualizes policy as a discursive becoming process, highlighting the reconstruction of educational policy through discursive information on mass social media in contemporary society. This perspective is relevant to China’s Double Reduction policy as it enables researchers to analyze policy dissemination and the role of policies as more than just governance tools, but also as agents of meaning interpretation within the context of mainland China. TikTok, with its capacity to facilitate content creation, sharing, and social networking, has emerged as a powerful tool for framing public understanding of educational policies. Its real-time and interactive nature allows for dynamic analysis of evolving narratives of education policies and their effects on public perception.

This study examined TikTok content discussing the Double Reduction policy from July 2021 to July 2024, applying a methodology that integrates Foucauldian Discourse Analysis. The data selection process involved identifying critical topics related to the policy, searching for relevant posts using these topics and hashtags, and filtering the posts based on the number of likes. Selected posts were reordered chronologically and transcribed for further analysis. The archaeological approach of Foucauldian Discourse Analysis uncovered how discourses shaped the policy at different time points, while its genealogical approach traced the historical evolution of policy framing. This integrated approach uncovered the evolving process of the policy discourses on social media, considering both intentional choices and underlying power relations. It also enhanced our understanding of how online discourse can influence the public’s perception of the policy.

Major findings suggest that the Double Reduction Policy has undergone modifications since its introduction in July 2021, in response to public reaction to the policy. The online discourse has reinforced diverse understandings and awareness of the policy. The study identifies variations in the policy’s interpretation, demonstrating the impact of online discourse on public perception.

By examining this process in the context of China’s Double Reduction policy on the social media platform TikTok, this study offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between policy, discourse, and public perception. It underscores the importance of considering policy as a discursive becoming process, and contributes to our understanding of how social media platforms can influence, and be influenced by, policy discourses. This research, therefore, has significant implications for policymakers, educators, and researchers on shadow education policies in other contexts in the digital era.

Author

• Renxiang Tian, The University of Hong Kong