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Civic Engagement Among Older Chinese Internet Users

University of Maryland, College Park, boxie{at}umd.edu

This study examines older Chinese Internet users' participation in voluntary associations, communities, and politics, focusing on members of a senior-oriented computer training organization based in Shanghai, China. The results show that the Internet can facilitate the civic engagement of these older Chinese, as illustrated by their active participation in Internet-promoting activities, devotion to starting new computer clubs in local communities, and efforts in persuading government officials to provide necessary resources for establishing and maintaining local computer clubs. The findings suggest the following: The Internet can be a useful concept (in contrast to its online informative and communicative functions per se) to facilitate civic engagement in the offline world, computer clubs might be a more attractive approach to civic engagement among older Chinese, and the Internet's impact is mediated by the historical and political contexts of older Chinese. These findings call for a broader understanding of the impact of the Internet on civic engagement.

Key Words: information and communication technologies (ICTs) • volunteering • activism

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