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You Tube, We Comment: I Am a Singer and Geopolitical Encounters of Sinophone Communities

This essay examines the reception of a top-rated reality show I Am a Singer among Sinophone communities on YouTube. Existing studies of YouTube focus on the burgeoning of participatory culture, the rise of microcelebrities, and fan labor. However, to date, little critical attention has been devoted to how YouTube constitutes a premium platform for the consumption of Chinese-language audiovisual content. Engaging in a close reading of user comments on YouTube, I analyze the ways in which Sinophone Internet users of divergent political stances defend their respective positions. While the exchange of viewpoints rarely fosters a change in political views, this process has nevertheless catalyzed productive conversations pertaining to issues about historical legacies and their relevance to contemporary society. The comment section thereby not only catalyzes public deliberation on a wide range of societal issues, but also exemplifies the role that popular culture plays in inspiring geopolitical imaginations beyond geographical boundaries.