Hey James, apologies if this is a bit late - its been a while since I checked to see what you were up to. Nationalism isn’t really my area, but since when could I not pass comment?

There’s quite a bit of interesting literature around for this, including various explanations for Chinese nationalism which I’m guessing you’re aware of, but I figured I may as well try and outline some of the basics if you’ve not really started on the project yet. Actually I was about to do that, but then I came across some of my lecture slides on the topic, so I’m just copying and pasting the relevant bits. (Therefore sources courtesy of Dr Yiyi Lu, University of Nottingham)

Suisheng Zhao (1998), “A State-Led Nationalism: The Patriotic Education Campaign in Post-Tiananmen China” - Zhao’s argument: “a vigorous official propaganda campaign in patriotic education was behind the seemingly spontaneous rise of Chinese nationalism in the 1990s. It could not easily emerge without Communist state sponsorship.”

Peter Hays Gries (2004), China’s New Nationalism: Pride, Politics, and Diplomacy.
Gries’s argument: “The 1990s witnessed the emergence of a genuinely popular nationalism in China that should not be conflated with state or official nationalism.” “Because the anti-foreign tenor of popular nationalism is largely the same as that of state nationalism, Western analysts have too frequently dismissed popular nationalists as puppets in the hands of the Communist elite. This view is a grave mistake. In China today, popular networks are challenging the state’s hegemony over nationalism, threatening to rupture the Chinese nation-state.”

Tong Lam (2000), “Identity and Diversity: The Complexities and Contradictions of Chinese Nationalism”
Lam’s arguments: Chinese nationalism is not “an overarching notion shared by the state and the entire population.” Rather, it is “an agglomeration of political concerns, commercial interests, and consumer desires that may or may not be consonant with each other.”
Lam says that often commercial interests use nationalism to serve their purposes, e.g., fast-food restaurant using the slogan “Chinese should dine with chopsticks” to compete with the neighbouring McDonald’s.
Lam also thinks that consumerism and materialistic pursuit lead to a sense of the loss of cultural identity and tradition. The very meaning of Chineseness is being called into question. This cultural anxiety gives impetus to nationalism.

This next one might be pretty useful if you look to the “angry youth” angle and internet communications

Xu Wu (2007), Chinese Cyber Nationalism: Evolution, Characteristics, and Implications.
Wu defines Chinese cyber nationalism as “a non-government sponsored ideology and movement that has originated, existed, and developed in China’s online sphere over the past decade (1994-present)…It is different from both the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) official version of patriotism, and the traditional Chinese nationalism movement. Taking advantage of the online communication technology, Chinese cyber nationalists have been utilizing the Internet as a communication center, organizational platform, and execution channel to promote the nationalistic causes among Chinese people around the world. They focus primarily on those international issues involving China and strive to retain China’s historical status as a respectable power.”

There was also a poem I quite liked floating around a while back - theres a translated version over at CDT http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2008/04/my-friends-what-do-you-want-from-us/

Obviously there’s a bit of interpreting and arguing you can do both ways on that one, but I liked it, so I thought I’d throw it in.

Anyway, I hope the project goes well, I’d be quite interested in a read when its done and don’t mind proof reading if you need too.

Have a good Christmas if nothing else,
Alex