本研究分别从传播的受者与传者两端出发,基于系统的实证数据,对跨度长达10年(2011年四季度至2021年三季度)的推特平台全球传播展开了历时性、全景式的描绘。受者在全球传播中付出注意力,是信息的进口方,受到来自国际信息传播效果的影响。从受者出发,本文关注世界各国(地区)的信息进口以及与之相关的信息(逆)全球化问题。研究发现,全球传播在2014年前呈现全球化特征,而在2015年后呈现逆全球化特征。为了探寻这一变化背后的结构性因素,本研究依照世界系统理论,分别研究了处于边缘、半边缘、核心三种位置的国家(地区)在信息进口结构与本土贸易差异。传者在全球传播中收获注意力,是信息的出口方,通过其输出信息的传播效果对外界施加影响。从传者出发,本文关注不同国家(地区)所获得的国际注意力及其平等问题。研究发现,尽管全球传播仍旧极不平等,但在十年间呈现出缓慢的平等化趋势。为了理解这一趋势,本研究同样参照世界系统理论,对世界信息贸易结构进行了分析。基于以上研究发现,本文最终描绘了过去十年推特平台上的全球传播图景:在2018年后推特平台国际信息需求增长停滞的大背景下,半边缘国家(地区)的本土信息贸易增长主导了推特平台全球信息贸易全球化程度的下降;同时,半边缘国家(地区)的信息出口强劲,是全球传播平等化的主要动力。核心国家(地区)仍在扩大其对外传播优势。边缘国家(地区)虽然对国际信息的依赖程度不断下降,但在其信息进口中,来自高位置国家(地区)的信息占比却不降反增。概括而言,过去十年推特全球传播秩序中确实存在着变革性的因素,但并不足以颠覆现存的宏观结构。此外,本研究还具有研究材料上的贡献。本研究提供了第一个系统的、全球规模的、历时性的社交媒体全球传播数据集,并为其搭建了可视化网站。数据集可以访问于:https://github.com/zeyu42/human_conversation_dynamics,可视化网站可以访问于:https://zzeyu42.shinyapps.io/human_conversation_dynamics。
This study investigates global communication on Twitter from Q4 2011 to Q3 2021 from both the recipients and senders‘ perspectives. Based on empirical data, it sketches a comprehensive and longitudinal landscape of global communication on Twitter.Recipients devote their attention to international information. They are the importers of information in global communication and are influenced by the communication effects of international information. From the recipients‘ perspective, this study examines the importation of information and the (de)globalization issues worldwide. The research reveals that global communication exhibited a globalization feature before 2014 but showed deglobalization tendency thereafter. To explore the structural factors behind this change, this study categorizes countries (regions) into three positions, namely, the periphery, semiperiphery, and core, according to the world-systems theory and investigates the differences in their structures of information importation and domestic trade.Senders, as the exporters of information, receive international attention and affect external audiences through the communication effects of their messages. From the senders‘ perspective, this study investigates the international attention obtained by different countries (regions) and the related equality issue. The results show that although global communication is still very unequal, slow equalization trends were observed in the decade. To understand this trend, this study analyzes the world information trade structure, again, based on the world-systems theory.Finally, this study depicts the global communication landscape on Twitter in the past decade based on the above findings. Against the backdrop of the stagnation in demand for international information on the Twitter platform after 2018, the growth of local information trade in semiperipheral countries (regions) was the main driver of the decline in the globalization level of global communication on Twitter. Meanwhile, semiperipheral countries (regions) are also strong in their information exports, which contributed to equalization of global communication. Core countries (regions) continue to expand their advantages in global communication. Although the dependence on international information of peripheral countries (regions) is decreasing, the proportion of information from higher-positioned countries (regions) in their information importation has increased. In summary, the findings suggest that there are transformative factors in the global communication order on Twitter in the past decade, but they are not sufficient to overturn the existing macro-structure.Additionally, this study makes a data contribution by providing the first systematic, global-scale, and temporal social media global communication dataset and creating a visualization website. The dataset can be accessed at https://github.com/zeyu42/human_conversation_dynamics, and the visualization website can be accessed at https://zzeyu42.shinyapps.io/human_conversation_dynamics.