Derailing the belt and road Film, social media screen culture, and globalization from China

This dissertation examines the cultural dimensions of China’s most significant geopolitical project—the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Rather than offering a comprehensive account of a meticulously planned BRI, the focus lies on how the initiative is continually derailed, particularly through its negotiation and contestation within the cinematic sector.
To trace these derailments, the dissertation begins by positioning the BRI within China’s broader globalization strategy from a cultural perspective. By exploring why the initiative is named after the ancient Silk Road, it reveals how the BRI embodies China’s new globalization imagination. Building on this premise, the dissertation investigates why such an alternative vision is so strongly desired. It argues that the failure of Hollywood in China proves that nationalism and cultural confidence play a critical role. The key transformation, it suggests, lies in a shift of cultural confidence—from how China is seen by others to who is authorized to represent China globally.
In this context, although China’s imagined globalization may appear coherent in official discourse, the dissertation shows how it becomes fragmented in practice. For instance, at events such as the Silk Road International Film Festival, state narratives encounter competing actors pursuing their own agendas. The dissertation concludes that such derailment is not only common but inevitable. In today’s globalized world, China’s state power is not absolute; it must frequently negotiate and compromise—even with less powerful actors. It is precisely these moments of negotiation, contestation, and creative resistance that form the heart of this study.