Biography

Research

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:

Journal Articles

• Matthews, J., Zhao, X., Jackson, D., Thorsen, E., Mellado, C., Abuali, Y. and Glück, A., 2024. Sourcing UK COVID-19 News: An Analysis of Sourcing Patterns of 15 UK News Outlets Reporting on COVID-19 Across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Health Communication, 39 (1), 173-182.
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• Mellado, C., Zhao, X. et al., 2024. Does News Platform Matter? Comparing Online Journalistic Role Performance to Newspaper, Radio, and Television. Digital Journalism, 12 (3), 376-399.
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• Zhao, X., Feigenbaum, A. and Tønnesen, Ö.D., 2024. Between Comments and Collective Action: The Potential of TikTok in Endometriosis Advocacy. International Journal of Communication, 18, 3611-3633.
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• Zhao, X., 2023. Constructing the ‘us’ and ‘them’ dichotomy through the notion of responsibility: An integrated framework. Global Media and Communication, 19 (1), 119-138.
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• Zhao, X., Matthews, J., Jackson, D., Mellado, C., Abuali, Y., Thorsen, E. and Glück, A., 2023. Patterns of Journalistic Role Performance during Public Health Crises: Covering COVID-19 in the UK. Journalism Practice.
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• Zhao, X., Feigenbaum, A. and McDavitt, S., 2022. Feasibility of comics in health communication: Public responses to graphic medicine on Instagram during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Visual Political Communication, 9 (1), 9-28.
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• Saptorini, E., Zhao, X. and Jackson, D., 2022. Place, Power and the Pandemic: The Disrupted Material Settings of Television News Making During Covid-19 in an Indonesian Broadcaster. Journalism Studies, 23 (5-6), 611-628.
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• Zhao, X., Guan, M. and Liang, X., 2022. The Impact of Social Media Use on Online Collective Action During China’s COVID-19 Pandemic Mitigation: A Social Identity Model of Collective Action (SIMCA) Perspective. International Journal of Communication, 16, 85-106.
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• Zhao, X., Jackson, D. and Nguyen, A., 2022. The Psychological Empowerment Potential of Solutions Journalism: Perspectives from Pandemic News Users in the UK. Journalism Studies, 23 (3), 356-373.
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• Zhao, X., 2021. How “public” is communicated in China’s public diplomacy: Communicating environmental justice in the case of air pollution in China. Networking Knowledge, 14 (2), 65-94.
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• Zhao, X., 2021. Journalistic construction of congruence: Chinese media’s representation of common but differentiated responsibilities in environmental protection. Journalism: theory, practice and criticism, 22 (8), 2139-2157.
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• Zhao, X. and Guan, M., 2021. Can you secure a job through Twesume? Examining strategic communication for self-promotion on social media. Communication Teacher, 35 (1), 32-36.
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• Zhao, X., 2021. Auditing the “Me Inc.”: Teaching personal branding on LinkedIn through an experiential learning method. Communication Teacher, 35 (1), 37-42.
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• Zhao, X. and Xiang, Y., 2019. Does China's outward focused journalism engage a constructive approach? A qualitative content analysis of Xinhua News Agency's English news. Asian Journal of Communication, 29 (4), 346-362.
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• Zhao, X., 2018. Book Review: Keith J. Butterick Complacency and collusion: A critical introduction to business and financial journalism. Journalism: theory, practice and criticism, 19 (1), 123-125.
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• Zhao, X., 2016. A review on China’s soft power projection through its transnational media institutions: Conveying discourse of economic responsibilities in media ‘going-out’. for(e)dialogue, 1 (1), 27-39.
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Chapters

• Zhao, X. and Xiang, Y., 2022. Using disparagement humour to deal with health misinformation endorsers. In: McDougall, J. and Fowler-Watt, K., eds. The Palgrave Handbook of Media Misinformation. Palgrave Macmillan, 179-190.
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Reports

• Zhao, X., 2021. Understanding the ‘Us Vs Them’ Division Through the Notion of Responsibility. E-International Relations. Available from: https://www.e-ir.info/2021/05/25/understanding-the-us-vs-them-division-through-the-notion-of-responsibility/?utm_content=buffer74dca&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR1MjgWyB-pP7K5lAf-00-OQ7qYmYAdXt6g0DcZyoCrv-ZUMG2MrP0LGHbQ.
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• Nguyen, A., Zhao, X., Lawson, B. and Jackson, D., 2021. Reporting from a Statistical Chaos: Journalistic Lessons from the First Year of Covid-19 Data and Science in the News. Bournemouth University, Royal Statistical Society and Association of British Science Writers.
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PhD Students

• Yasmin Alea Simanjuntak (first supervisor). The manosphere’s impact on gendered racism towards East and Southeast Asian women, (In progress)
• Endah Saptorini (second supervisor), 2024. News-making crisis in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: An ethnography study on a television in Indonesia, (Completed)

Profile of Teaching PG

• Media Diversity & Cross-Cultural Communication (unit leader)

Profile of Teaching UG

• Consumer and Stakeholder Insights
• Research Principles and Practice

Grants

• PI, Fight Against Racism Towards the East and Southeast Asian Community: Leveraging TikTok (BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants, 01 Nov 2024). In Progress
• PI, How Can Researchers Fight Against Racism Towards East and Southeast Asian Communities? (British Academy Development Fund, 09 Nov 2023). Completed
• PI, Building Stakeholder Relationships with UK-Based East and Southeast Asian Community Organisations (British Academy Seed Funding Award, 20 Oct 2023). Completed
• Co-I, Racism, Digital Discrimination and Mental Health During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A case study of East and Southeast Asians (ESEA) communities in the UK (Morgan Advanced Studies Institute, 01 Aug 2022). In Progress
• Co-I (first phase), COJO for COVID-19 Recovery: Constructive Solutions-Focused Journalism as a Pandemic Exit Strategy for the UK's Local/Regional Communities (UKRI/AHRC, 01 Mar 2021). Completed
• PI, Digital Media Use Among Chinese Public in the Context of COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak (Bournemouth University Quality-Related Research Funding, 01 Apr 2020). Completed
• PI, China’s Global Identity and Corresponding Responsibility: An Investigation of Chinese and Western Media Representations (Guangdong Province 2019 Innovation and Enhancement Project, 01 Sep 2019). Completed
• PI, Environmental Modernization or Justice? China’s Outbound Communication of China’s Involvement in Sustainable Environmental Development and Impact on Western Journalistic Discourses (United International College Research Grant, 01 Jan 2019). Completed

External Responsibilities

• UKRI/ESRC New Investigator Grant, Peer Reviewer (Nov 2023)
• Learned Society of Wales, Independent Assessor (Nov 2023)
• British Academy Talent Development Awards, Peer Reviewer (Nov 2024)

Internal Responsibilities

• Programme Leader (Jan 2021-Sep 2024), MA Media and Communication Programme
• Convenor (Dec 2020-Jun 2022), Speaker Series of Science, Health and Data Communication Research Centre

Journal Reviewing/Refereeing

• De Gruyter Handbook book proposal, Anonymous peer review, 10 Mar 2025
• Journalism Studies, Anonymous peer review, 13 Jan 2025
• International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, Anonymous peer review, 20 Oct 2022
• Journalism Practice, Anonymous peer review, 04 Oct 2022
• International Journal of Communication, Anonymous peer review, 16 May 2022
• Journal of Intercultural Studies, Anonymous peer review, 17 Jan 2022
• Journalism Studies, Anonymous peer review, 24 Mar 2021
• The Cambridge book proposal, Anonymous peer review, 18 Mar 2021
• Chinese Journal of Communication, Anonymous peer review, 18 Jan 2021
• Psychological Reports, Anonymous peer review, 03 Dec 2020
• Journal of Asian and African Studies, Anonymous peer review, 05 Oct 2020
• Routledge Media and Journalism Studies book proposal, Anonymous peer review, 16 Aug 2020
• The International Communication Gazette, Anonymous peer review, 13 Jul 2020

Conference Presentations

• Zhao, X., Feigenbaum, A., & Demirkol Tönnesen, Ö. 74th International Communication Association annual conference, Disclosing endometriosis on TikTok: What can sharing experiences of medical gaslighting do?, 20 Jun 2024, Gold Coast
• Zhao, X., Feigenbaum, A., and McDavitt, S. 73rd International Communication Association annual conference, “Thank you for your beautiful vulnerability”: Public responses to graphic medicine on Instagram during the Covid-19, 25 May 2023, Toronto
• Zhao, X., Matthews, J., Jackson, D., Mellado, C., Abuali, Y., Thorsen, E., and Glück, A. 73rd International Communication Association annual conference, Patterns of journalistic role performance during public health crises: Covering the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, 25 May 2023, Toronto
• Jackson, D., Abuali, Y., Matthews, J., Mellado, C., Nolan, D., Quinn, F., and Zhao, X. 73rd International Communication Association annual conference, Towards a model of sports journalistic role performance? Comparing the materialization of journalistic roles in 37 countries, 25 May 2023, Toronto
• Zhao, X., Jackson, D., Nguyen, A. & Glück, A. The 2021 conference of The International Journal of Press/Politics, The Psychological Empowerment of Solutions Journalism: Perspectives from Pandemic News Users in the UK, 13 Sep 2021, Virtual
• Saptorini, E., Zhao, X., & Jackson, D. 71st Annual International Communication Association Conference, Place, power and the pandemic: The disrupted material settings of television news making during COVID-19 in an Indonesian broadcaster, 27 May 2021, Online
• Zhao, X., Guan, M., & Liang, X. Sixth International Conference of the International Journal of Press/Politics, Digital media use and collective action: Detailing the mediating role of injustice in the social identity model of collective action in China’s coronavirus pandemic mitigation, 21 Sep 2020, Loughborough University
• Zhao, X. Fifth International Conference of the International Journal of Press/Politics, A Re-Examination of Media Representations of “Us” and “Them” Opposition through the Lens of National Responsibility in China-U.S. Trade Interactions, 15 Sep 2019, Loughborough University, UK
• Zhao, X. & Guan, M. 69th Annual International Communication Association Conference, GIFTS: Securing a Job through Twesume: Examining Strategic Self-Promotion on Social Media, 24 May 2019, Washington DC, U.S.
• Zhao, X. The English Language & Linguistics Group Colloquium: Discourse: Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Message of China-related economic responsibilities: China’s soft power projection through media institutions, 18 Nov 2016, University of Sussex, UK
• Zhao, X. New Directions in Media Research Annual Postgraduate Conference, China’s political articulation of its economic responsibilities during the media ‘going-out’ project: A discursive approach, 03 Jun 2016, University of Leicester, UK
• Zhao, X. Political Studies Association Media and Politics Group Annual Conference: Mediating Democracy, China’s soft power projection through its transnational media institutions: Conveying discourse of economic responsibilities during media ‘going-out’, 05 Nov 2015, University of Chester, UK
• Zhao, X. New Directions in Media Research Annual Postgraduate Conference, A review on China’s soft power projection through its transnational media institutions: Conveying discourse of economic responsibilities in media ‘going-out’, 12 Jun 2015, University of Leicester, UK

Attended Training

• Supervisory Development Training for Established Supervisors, 13 Mar 2025, Established Supervisors
• Research Council Development Scheme, 06 Mar 2024

Honours

• Recognised Associate Supervisor Award (UK Council for Graduate Education, 2023)

External Media and Press

• British Academy Southwest Seed Funding Showcase, British Academy, 14 Oct 2024. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/earlycareerresearchernetwork/1351941?
• Anti-Discrimination Special, BU BUzz, 25 Jan 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcc-8Le-ElE
• Fighting racism against Asian communities event, BU BUzz, 25 Jan 2024. https://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/2024/01/fighting-racism-against-asian-communities/
• British Academy Early Career Researcher Network – South West: GW4 awards 9 new seed funding projects, British Academy, 07 Nov 2023. https://gw4.ac.uk/news/british-academy-early-career-researcher-network-south-west-gw4-awards-9-new-seed-funding-projects/
• International Open Access Week feature post – Exploration of the concept of environmental justice, BU Research Blog, 25 Oct 2022. https://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2022/10/25/international-open-access-week-feature-post-exploration-of-the-concept-of-environmental-justice/