Jessy is an alumna of CCIR’s 1-on-1 Research Mentorship programme. She conducted her research under the guidance of Dr McClelland from the Philosophy Department at the University of Cambridge.
Her paper, “China’s Use of a National War-Narrative and the Justification of Individual Sacrifice,” has been accepted for presentation at the conference Society Must Be Inoculated: Covid-19, Governance, Propaganda.
About the Conference
The conference brings together researchers to discuss the social and political issues surrounding COVID-19. Topics include governmentality, propaganda, media, and COVID-19 misinformation.
Researchers also examine immunisation, biopolitics, and other related subjects. These discussions help explore how governments and societies respond to public health crises.
Jessy’s Research on China’s COVID-19 Narrative
Jessy’s paper examines how the idea of a “national war” shaped COVID-19 discourse in China.
To investigate this topic, she used a Python web crawler to collect data from Weibo. She then analysed the data through the theory of imagined communities.
Her findings support an argument about the role of national war narratives. Specifically, Jessy argues that this narrative helped justify individual sacrifice during China’s COVID-19 response.
Her research connects political messaging, public discourse, and the ways societies respond to major crises.
Explore Your Research Interests
Are you interested in philosophy, politics, or social science? An original research project can help you investigate important questions with guidance from experienced professor mentors.
Download the CCIR Research Programme Prospectus to explore our 170+ research areas, learn about the Cambridge Future Scholar and 1-on-1 Research Mentorship programmes, and discover professor mentors, student outcomes, scholarships, and the application process.
