The Glocalization of Shanghai Disneyland

Description

Focusing on Disney’s production of Shanghai Disneyland, this book examines how the Chinese state and the local market influence Disney’s ownership and production of the identities and the representations of Shanghai Disneyland. Qualitative methods are here applied to combine both primary and secondary data, including document analysis, participant observation, and in-depth interviews. Shanghai Disneyland is purposely created to be different from the other Disneylands, under the “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese” mandate. In order to survive and thrive in China, Disney carefully constructs Shanghai Disneyland as Disneyland with Chinese characteristics. Previous studies tend to link Disney with cultural imperialism; however, this book argues that it is not imperialism but glocalization that promotes a global company’s interests in China. In particular, the findings suggest state-capital-led glocalization: glocalization led by economic capital of the state (direct investment) and economic capital with the state (market potential). Furthermore, the four categories of glocalization with different conditions, considerations, and consequences illustrate various global–local dynamics in the process of a global formation of locality. The Glocalization of Shanghai Disneyland will appeal to students and scholars of sociology, communication studies, business studies, and Asian studies more broadly. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of figures List of tables Acknowledgments Author biography Chapter 1: Introduction Background Book structure Bibliography Chapter 2: Histories of Disney Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio and Walt Disney Studios The Walt Disney Company “The Chinese Walt Disney Company” Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland Hong Kong Disneyland Shanghai Disneyland Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland: complements or competitors? Bibliography Chapter 3: Ownership structure of Shanghai Disneyland Disney ’ s ownership in overseas Disneyland: Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai Tokyo Disneyland Disneyland Paris Hong Kong Disneyland Shanghai Disneyland Government relations Transforming the traditional central–peripheral roles Bibliography Chapter 4: Construction of local identities for Shanghai Disneyland Identities of overseas Disneyland: Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai Tokyo Disneyland Disneyland Paris Hong Kong Disneyland Shanghai Disneyland Localization of “The Chinese Walt Disney Company” Local partnership Stratified localization Reorientation of the cultural imperialism tradition Bibliography Chapter 5: “Distinctly Chinese” representations of Shanghai Disneyland Inclusion and exclusion at Shanghai Disneyland Mickey Avenue Gardens of Imagination Fantasyland Adventure Isle Tomorrowland Treasure Cove Walt Disney Grand Theater Dual-encoded “ Distinctly Chinese” discourse Chinese cultural references Contemporary Chinese preferences Disneyland with Chinese characteristics Bibliography Chapter 6: Implications of the differences of Shanghai Disneyland Beyond cultural imperialism Production and state: Ownership structure of Shanghai Disneyland Production and identity: Construction of local identities for Shanghai Disneyland Production and representation: “ Distinctly Chinese” representations of Shanghai Disneyland State-capital-led Glocalization Typology of glocalization Bibliography Index