As part of Pace University's commitment to invest in and encourage scholarly work, many of our faculty at are conducting essential research alongside their usual instructing. Marcella Szablewicz, PhD, a Communications Studies professor at Pace's NYC Campus, is one of them. Szablewicz has been studying a phenomenon since the early 2000s that may catch the attention of anyone who turns to the internet for relaxation or escapism. Her emphasis? The culture and stigma surrounding recreational internet usage in China.To get more art in the news 2021, you can visit shine news official website.

"What would the internet mean for China, being an authoritarian country and one that represses a lot of personal freedoms? Many people speculated that the internet would be a democratizing force in China" she says, "However, there was also a lot of emphasis placed upon how people were going to use the internet to resist the government or engage in politics." This generalized perspective about the Internet in China sparked Szablewicz' interest as an undergraduate, motivating her to move away from western bias and dive deeper into how Chinese youth were actually using the internet in everyday life.
As the creator of New Communication Technologies and Moral Panic, a communications course at Pace, Szablewicz is well-versed in the concerns that come with new forms of communication technology and the fact that these fears have been consistent throughout history. In this particular case, it's the Chinese government's strong concerns about digital gaming leading to internet addiction. Concerns that are strong enough for China's government to implement heavy internet restrictions for teenagers. Concerned parents have even resorted to sending their children to internet addiction "bootcamps," where young people participate in military style drills or electroshock treatment to cure their addiction.

Ever since her frequent travels to China for field work, Szablewicz has made insightful discoveries about the youths' reaction to the fear and stigma surrounding gaming.

"A lot of teenagers were rebelling against the pressure of intense schoolwork and academics, so they would escape to internet cafes to play digital games as a kind of pastime. It was a really interesting phenomenon." She laughs, "I liken it to American bar culture because it was illegal for these teenagers to be going into internet cafes, so they would have to use fake IDs. Once they got in, it was a social party with everyone playing digital games."Though Szablewicz set out to observe trends in recreational internet use, she has also noticed a correlation with the simultaneous rise of esports, a professional competitive form of digital gameplay. Though this trend of elevating video gaming from a casual hobby to a competitive sport is worldwide. In fact, Pace just announced their own esports program, making these digital competitors part of Pace's 15th varsity sport-China was actually one of the very first countries to deem esports a legitimate sport. What began as a form of escape for Chinese youth has now become a means of earning income. "Some teenagers were rising through the ranks of gaming to become competitive gamers and earning huge amounts of prize money from playing games," she says. "Now there's this tension between games as a source of rebellion and games as a potential career path."

She also noticed that many young people had to maneuver their way around the "internet gaming" stigma: "A lot of the college students were going out of their way to distance themselves from being identified as an internet gamer because they'd be labeled as an addict, so instead they would align themselves closely with esports," she recalls.

Throughout all her research, Szablewicz has discerned a societal significance to the stigmas and paradoxes surrounding gaming in China. "The thing that I find most significant is how ideas about what constitutes productive leisure tend to tell us a lot about a societies' values and where those values are placed," says Szablewicz.

"I'm really fascinated by ways in which youth leisure choices are often controlled by those in power, who are often older generations who don't necessarily understand the leisure choices of youth. The idea of high culture is seen as worthwhile, but when it comes to popular culture among young people, it is denigrated and seen as useless or time wasting," she says. "People who are in power are trying to keep young people from taking up their position in places of power and it's kind of a repetitive pattern."

However, Szablewicz's research reveals that no matter what barriers are placed, younger generations tend to find a way to innovate. Whether it is through sneaking into internet cafes after school, or carving out their own career paths, the focus on gaming in China reveals the resilience of these young gamers.

Moving to and living in Shanghai doesn't have to be stressful. Read our top ten tips for a smooth move to Shanghai.To get more news about Shanghai travel tips, you can visit shine news official website.
Every foreigner arriving in China must immediately register with the local police. If you are staying in a hotel, they will take care of this for you. Otherwise, simply go to the nearest police station in your neighbourhood, present your passport, along with a photocopy of both your identification and visa pages, and report where you are staying and for how long. Once registered, you receive a form, which is your temporary residence permit. If you move into a housing compound, ask if your landlord will take care of this for foreign tenants. Always re-register whenever you change residence in Shanghai. Late registration usually results in a nominal fine. Failure to register at all could lead to major bureaucratic hassles. As with most things in daily Chinese life, it is now possible to register on your mobile phone using WeChat.

Shanghai is not a grid, and the sporadic maze of alleys, streets, boulevards and freeways is difficult to navigate, even for the city's seasoned veterans. Morning and evening rush-hour traffic is characterised by dense, aggressive traffic and frequent gridlock. Using map apps on your phone will make life much easier.

Despite the massive size of greater Shanghai, most of the central areas are grouped together and manageable in size. Once inside a neighbourhood, getting around on foot is relatively easy.
On a good day, shopping in Shanghai is a delightful and engaging experience, where one can revel in all of the city's sensations, discover hidden gems and feel fully immersed in the flow of China's thriving consumer culture. On a bad day, however, lines and crowds are spirit crushing, bargains are fleeting and it takes far too long to find something simple. Either way, it's an adventure. And as Shanghai's consumer infrastructure matures, the good days are becoming far more frequent for expat shoppers. You can find anything in Shanghai!

There are several branches of each of the Chinese domestic banks in almost every district of Shanghai, all of which allow foreigners to open either yuan or US dollar accounts. The most common are Bank of China, ICBC, China Merchant's Bank, Agricultural Bank of China and China Construction Bank. They all offer debit cards, Internet banking and currency exchange services. Many expats choose banks with an international focus, such as Bank of China and ICBC, which both accept the transfer of money to and from your home country. For credit card services and access to funds back home, it is best to keep an international bank account. Banks are generally open from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, and Saturday mornings.

Expect long lines at banks. If you want to spend less than 30 minutes for any visit, take a spot near the door before it opens and make a run for the ticket terminal to collect your number. There will be others - particularly on Mondays when weekend earnings are deposited.
The mobile phone market in Shanghai is thriving. Everybody from ages 8 to 80 has a mobile phone. They buzz, sing and ring constantly wherever you are in the city - a testament to a clear, functioning network and affordable pay-as-you-go calls. Most mobile phones that are supported by GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) work throughout China, and you might find that Chinese SIM cards will work in your phone. However, if you are moving to Shanghai, it is far more affordable to pick up a local plan as soon as you move here. China Mobile, the nation's biggest telecommunication service provider, as well as China Unicom have extensive 4G coverage and are developing their 5G capacity all the time.

Food

In a vast country with varying standards of sanitation and enforcement, Shanghai is known throughout China for serving the cleanest food. Most restaurants and supermarkets, especially those that cater to expats, look and feel sanitary. The longer you are in Shanghai, the more adventurous you can be with eating out. Local inspectors increasingly visit popular restaurants to ensure they are up to standard. Nonetheless, you may have minor digestion problems during the first few weeks. This is normally no cause for alarm, as the body has to adjust to foreign bacteria.

Finding Housing

Choose your housing carefully. In a city this big, and this sprawling, where you live will dictate your lifestyle. The best way to get a feel for Shanghai's varied residential worlds before signing a lease is to explore the different neighbourhoods. While you're at it, give potential daily journeys to work or school a trial run. Collect information and perspectives by speaking to property agents that specialise in expatriate housing while asking colleagues and friends about the advantages and disadvantages of their areas.

Finding appropriate housing in Shanghai can be frustrating, as there are pros and cons to every option. The converted lane house in the former French Concession may be close to the action, but it may also be noisy and prone to running out of hot water. Conversely, the expansive suburban villa may leave you and your family feeling isolated from city life.