Wendy Zhou, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the East Asia Center & Miller Center at the University of Virginia, and a Lecturer at the Department of Media Studies, will be presenting work on her book manuscript, during the talk "Important yet Marginalized? Tales of Roles and Labor of Chinese Journalists in Western Newsrooms."

As US-China geopolitical tensions intensify and political trust and cultural interactions reach unprecedented lows, one group of people continues to bridge the gaps of mutual understanding: Chinese transnational journalists working for Western media. Who are these individuals? What roles do they play in the Western-dominated, international-facing media system and the broader transnational flows of information and labor? Where are they positioned at the political, social, and cultural crossroads of US-China relations?

Drawing on interviews, ethnographic observations, and textual analysis, Zhou's ongoing book project reveals that Chinese journalists are increasingly vital in sustaining Western media’s presence in China and crafting nuanced narratives about this vast yet often misunderstood country for a global audience. However, as minority workers and immigrants, they continue to ascend the professional ladder under the enduring shadows of Western media’s post-colonial hierarchies, authoritarian control, and ongoing geopolitical turbulence.

Join us on Thursday, March 6, from 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. in Wilson 142 for the talk, with lunch provided.