Item Details

title

TWEETING ABOUT COVID-19: EXAMINING GENERAL USERS’ AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT’S CRISIS COMMUNICATION

author

Li, Lang

abstract

Based on the rhetorical arena theory and the networked social mediated crisis communication model (NSMCC), the current study sought to examine the Chinese government’s and general Twitter users’ communication networks and narratives surrounding the COVID-19 public health crisis. Specifically, this study used social network analysis to construct communication networks based on retweeting relations and operationalized influence as several centrality measures. Next, narb analysis, a computer-assisted method, was used to reveal crisis narratives and frames. The result showed that influential Twitter users were mainly international organizations, government institutions, political actors, experts, and news media. Regarding Chinese diplomats’ retweet network, Chinese state media, spokespersons, and WHO were the most influential actors. Narb analysis showed different narratives and frames used by general Twitter users, Chinese state media, and Chinese diplomats. Theoretical implications and practical implications for China’s further crisis communication targeting a foreign public were discussed.

subject

Crisis communication

Framing

Narratives

Rhetorical arena

Social media

Social network analysis

contributor

Hazen, Michael D. (committee chair)

Mitra, Ananda (committee member)

date

2020-05-29T08:35:54Z (accessioned)

2022-05-28T08:30:15Z (available)

2020 (issued)

degree

Communication (discipline)

embargo

2022-05-28 (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/96815 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

type

Thesis