ABOUT
My name is Hai Wang 王海 (published name: Tucker Wang-Hai), I am a PhD Candidate in the Dept of Communication at the University of Washington and a research fellow at the UW Center for Journalism, Media, and Democracy (CJMD).
My research focuses on international journalism, digital news production, Chinese foreign-aimed media, and Chinese soft power in Southeast Asia. As a qualitative scholar, I ground my research in rigorous ethnographic practices—immersive fieldwork, in-depth interviewing, and detailed observational techniques. My 2021 research in Beijing examined how Chinese journalists targeting foreign audiences navigate the algorithms, users, and geopolitics of US-owned social media platforms. I analyzed how the adoption of platforms reshape Chinese journalists' epistemologies, role perceptions, news production practices, and political messaging strategies.
My dissertation examines China's expatriate journalists based in Thailand. Drawing on a multisite fieldwork in both Thailand and China, I explore how these China-sent media professionals operate in a key country for Chinese soft power aspirations. My research analyzes journalists vocational expectations, everyday work, as well as their understanding of excellency. It examines how individual journalists' own values and motivations intersect with top-down soft power directives as they navigate their roles as media expats in a foreign context. My dissertation fieldwork in Thailand was fully funded by the Chester Fritz Fellowship and received support from the the Thai-Chinese Strategic Research Center at the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). My research proposal also won the 2023 Barbara Warnick Award.
Before starting my PhD, I worked for 5 years as a journalist, copywriter, host, video director and social media manager in a Chinese media which focused on Southeast Asian markets, especially Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. I gained diverse journalistic experience in roles tailored to Southeast Asian audiences.
RESEARCH
Peer-reviewed Journal Article
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Wang-Hai, T. (2024). Trustable News from China? How Chinese Journalists Negotiate Epistemic Authority in Transnational Digital News Production. In Digital Journalism. DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2024.2355475.
Available here.
Public Scholarship
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Wang-Hai, T. (2024 online first). Digital hope or digital trap? Understanding China’s “waixuan jizhe” (foreign-aimed journalists) in the internet age. Made In China Journal. Australian National University Press. https://madeinchinajournal.com/2024/11/05/digital-hope-or-digital-trap/.​
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Manuscripts in Progress
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Wang-Hai, T., Lin, B. (under review). Engagement or detachment? Negotiating US-owned platforms in China’s transnational news production.
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Wang-Hai, T. (under review). "Illusio" as National Soft Power Mechanism: Job Attractions of Chinese Media Expats in Thailand.
Reports
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Wang-Hai, T. (2021). Chinese Media in SE Asia: Report on Indonesia-directed News-making, presented on “2020 China-Asia Cooperation Seminar”. Beijing, China, December 2020.
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Conference Presentation
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Wang-Hai, T. (2024), "Illusio" as National Soft Power Mechanism: Job Attractions of Chinese Media Expats in Thailand. International Communication Division, AEJMC 2024, Philadelphia, U.S. (Top Student Paper, 2nd place).
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Wang-Hai, T., B. Lin (2023), “I Am Working on Conflicting Expectations”: Collapsing Journalistic Roles in China’s Transnational Digital News Production. Communication Technology Division, AEJMC 2023, Washington D.C. , U.S..
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Wang-Hai, T. (2022), Crafting the News or Cracking the Barriers? Understanding China’s Transnational News-making on Global Social Media. ICA 2022, Journalism Studies Division, Paris, France.
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Wang-Hai, T. (2022), Openness versus Control, Traffic versus Limit: Negotiating Social Media Technologies in China’s Transnational News Production. AEJMC 2022, International Communication Division, Detroit, U.S..
TEACHING
Independent Instructor
Department of Communication, University of Washington
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Social Effects of Technology and Social Media, Autumn 2023
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Social Effects of Technology and Social Media, Summer 2023 (Online/Synchronous)
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Qualitative Communication Research Methods, Autumn 2022
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Social Effects of Technology and Social Media, Summer 2022
Communication Leadership Master Program, University of Washington
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Qualitative Research for Social Media Marketing, Winter 2025
Teaching Assistant
Department of Communication, University of Washington
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Media Ethnics (Spring 2024)
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Public Relations and Society (Winter 2023)
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Journalism and Public Interests Communication Foundations (Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Winter 2024)
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News Lab (Winter 2022)
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Journalism Portfolio (Spring 2022)
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Introduction to Communication (Autumn 2021)
Communication Leadership Master Program, University of Washington
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Leadership and Communities (Autumn 2024)
Journalism Coaching
University of Washington
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Journalism and Trauma Training, Spring 2024 (In-person, Coach)
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Journalism and Trauma Training, Winter 2024 (In-person, Coach)
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Journalism and Trauma Training, Autumn 2022 (In-person, Coach)
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Journalism and Trauma Training, Spring 2022 (Online, Coach Assistant)
Guest Lecturer
Peking University (Online), Autumn 2022
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Graduate Seminars on Communication Research, Topic: “Interviewing as a Research Method”
University of Miami (Online), Spring 2022
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Social Media Messaging and Strategies, Topic: “Metrics in the Newsroom: Transnational News-making and marketing on Facebook”
"I was incredibly surprised to receive this kind of feedback from him but I really appreciated it because not only did it help me but I definitely felt like Hai supported/cared about each of us to give such in depth feedback."
—Student eval for Qual Methods class
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"I felt like the information we learned in lecture and through the readings went hand-in-hand with the weekly work we had to do. This really helped me put into practice what I was learning and really feel like I was participating in the qualitative work that I was learning about."
—Student eval for Qual Methods class
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"The simulation where we were running an online newsroom and I became aware of the slippery slope between a publishing brands professional brand and its need to drive click throughs through sensationalizing headlines. Wow!"
—Student eval for Social Effects of Tech class
Teaching Philosophy
During my time at the University of Washington, I have received advanced pedagogical training and am offered valuable teaching opportunities not only as a TA, but also many times as independent Instructor of Record at UW. My teaching mainly focuses on undergrad advanced courses such as qualitative research methods as well as technology and society. I have also served as UW Journalism and Trauma Training coach.
I value critical thinking in course design. I encourage students to examine institutionalized power structures and how they manifest in discourse on media culture, technology, education, and research. As a journalist-turned-scholar, I understand the gap between academia and the real world of communication practitioners. I thus believe educators should bridge this gap. My student-centered, learn-by-doing philosophy integrates interdisciplinary resources, multimodal teaching, and student workshops. The goal is for students to gain intellectual and practical skills to succeed as journalists and communication professionals. This prepares students for an era of seismic societal shifts, where human communication grows more enmeshed with politics, rapidly changing technologies, and complex global networks.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
Scholarships & Rewards
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James Markham Top Student Paper (2nd), AEJMC International Communication Division, 2024
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Barbara Warnick Dissertation Proposal Award ($ 2000), 2023
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Chester Fritz International Research and Study Fellowship ($ 9000), 2023
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UW Communication Graduate Research Fund, 2021,2023
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Chinese National Scholarship for Graduates, 2014
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Chinese National Scholarship for Undergraduates, 2011, 2012
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Professional Services
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Manuscript Peer Reviewer
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2023 Special issue of Digital Journalism, Manuscript Reviewer
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2023 Western States Communication Association Convention, Reviewer
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2022 International Communication Association, Journalism Studies Division, Reviewer
Roundtables & Webinars Organizer
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“Webinar: Reading Global China as Method”, Host/ Facilitator, October 2022.
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“What makes qualitative methods viable? Online methodology roundtable for social sciences PhD students”, Host/ Organizer, March 2022
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“Qualitative approaches in media studies”, online workshop hosted by @COMputation, August 2021
Panel Organizing
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“Studying Chinese Media with Global Perspectives”, Conference Panel, 2024 Conference Association for Asian Studies (AAS) (under application)