Media Representation and Social Identity: A Study of Public Discourse Construction and the Empowerment of Marginalised Groups in the Digital Age

With the rapid development of digital media technology, the relationship between media representation and social identity has taken on new complexities in contemporary society. This study focuses on how marginalised groups in the digital age construct self-identity and strive for a voice through media participation practices. In the specific socio-cultural context of contemporary China, traditional power structures and discourse systems are undergoing profound changes brought about by digital technology. However, existing research is mostly limited to media empowerment theory in Western contexts, lacking a systematic exploration of the mechanisms of digital media empowerment in the specific cultural context of non-Western societies. This study aims to fill this theoretical gap. It uses a combination of multiple theoretical perspectives, such as critical discourse analysis, media representation theory, affective public theory and platform research, as well as mixed research methods such as digital ethnography, social network analysis and in-depth interviews, to explore in depth how the algorithmic governance of digital media platforms affects the media visibility of marginal groups, how marginal groups use strategic media practices to construct counter-hegemonic discourses, how the networked public sphere changes the process of collective identity formation, and how digital labour and cultural production in the context of platform capitalism reshapes the social identity of marginalised groups. The research will create a theoretically grounded framework with local adaptability, develop a mixed research method of computational-ethnography, propose a digital media literacy intervention model, construct an inclusive digital governance framework, and provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the construction of a more just digital media ecosystem.