This book is one of the most qualified, if not the only, discourses on East Asian studies, media studies, and international studies. It dexterously engages with political communication and Area Studies and provides fascinating discussions fully supported by examples, reading lists, and crystal-clear explanations. The book’s rich and empirical approaches, both theoretically and methodologically, provide new insights into the interplay of media and political-economic contexts, making it essential reading for undergraduate students and even graduate students.,- Dal Yong Jin, Distinguished SFU Professor, Simon Fraser University,

This textbook brilliantly transforms learning into an engaging, interactive, and playful journey. By integrating gamification principles―quests, experience points, and even boss fights―it turns teaching and learning into an immersive and mutually beneficial experience. Whether used in a structured course or as a self-directed challenge, the book equips learners with a versatile set of methods, theories, and tools to analyse complex ideas across diverse media and political contexts in East Asia. A must-read for anyone interested in how playful mechanics can reshape the educational journey, beyond learning about media and political communication in East Asia.,- Haiqing Yu, Professor of Media and Communication, RMIT University

Florian Schneider is Chair Professor of Modern China at the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies. He is managing editor of Asiascape: Digital Asia and author of numerous books and articles on political communication and media in China.