ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces non-governmental organization (NGO) 2.0, a super NGO in China that specializes in social media and information communication technology powered activism and discusses the concept and practice of “nonconfrontational activism”. NGO2.0 is cautious about falling into the trap of formulaic thinking. We incorporate into Future Village extensive and in-depth fieldwork conducted by teams of students, teachers and other experts who enter the village at regular intervals to explore the needs of individual villagers. The case studies of social media activism should make it clear that if we broaden the parameters of “social action” to include incremental nonconfrontational activism, the meaning of “social change” will also mutate. The resistance paradigm that prevails in Western liberal societies is largely shunned by Chinese NGOs as they are compelled to work within the system. The Philanthropy Law itself provides a convincing footnote on the state's intended shift from confrontational to nonconfrontational style of governance.
