The making of a Chinese head of the who : a study of the media discourse on Margaret Chan’s contest for the who director-generalship and its implications for the collective memory of SARS

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

International Journal of Health Services

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Volume

39

Issue

3

First Page

587

Last Page

614

Abstract

In 2003, Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, former Director of Health of the Hong Kong government, was criticized for her unsatisfactory performance in handling the SARS outbreak. But three years later, she was celebrated for her success in the contest for the WHO director-generalship. How was she transformed from an incompetent official into an "honor winner" for China and Hong Kong? In what context was this made possible? How was the collective memory about Chan recalled and reconstructed? This article tackles these questions by reviewing relevant reportage and commentary in major local (Hong Kong), national (China), and international media. It maps the political context of the media discourse and explores the construction of a collective past to foster national cohesion in postcolonial Hong Kong.

DOI

10.2190/HS.39.3.i

Print ISSN

00207314

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2009, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Chan, W. Y., & Ma, S. Y. (2009). The making of a Chinese head of the who: A study of the media discourse on Margaret Chan’s contest for the who director-generalship and its implications for the collective memory of SARS. International Journal of Health Services, 39(3), 587-614. doi: 10.2190/HS.39.3.i

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