Dr Zizheng Yu

I am a Lecturer in Promotional Media (E&R). I am the Programme Director of the MA in Social Media and Digital Marketing. I am also the Admission Tutor for Communications. Before the appointment at Exeter, I taught at the University of Greenwich, Cardiff University, and King's College London. I taught a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate subjects in the fields of advertising, PR, media and communication and digital humanities.

Before entering academia, I worked for one of the biggest real estate companies in China as a Senior Brand Manager; as a Journalist for Chinese Southern Daily in Foshan, and UK Chinese Journal in London; and as a Research Associate for China Current Network. I am the vice-president of the UK-China Media and Cultural Studies Association (UCMeCSA), and also a member of IAMCR, ICA, ECREA and MeCCSA. My previous works can be found mainly in Social Media + Society, Chinese Journal of Communication, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Convergence, Media International Australia, Journal of Consumer Culture, Information, Communication and Society and other peer-reviewed journals.

Based on my recently published research on Chinese consumers - "Short Video Activism With and on Douyin: An Innovative Repertoire of Contention for Chinese Consumers", I wrote an article for The Conversation - "China: the rise of TikTok sister app Douyin as a powerful consumer tool", which received more than 20,000 views from different regions of the world. This article was also reprinted by different international news organizations like the Channel NewsAsia.

One of my latest research projects “The emergence of algorithmic solidarity: unveiling mutual aid practices and resistance among Chinese delivery workers” has sparked heated debate both inside and outside the academic circle. I was invited to present this research article at the Bonavero Institute for Human Rights at the University of Oxford in June 2023. This research was also reported by WIRED recently: “China’s Gig Workers Are Challenging Their Algorithmic Bosses”.

This research won the @MeCCSA2023 Journal Article of the Year.

I am currently working on the following project: 2024-2026: Disability Rights and In/Equalities in Higher Education - British Academy, Co-I  

This project reflects an Indonesia/England problem-focused partnership to address the inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education. We will explore how sociocultural public discourses about disability and inclusion in both countries influence expectations and practice, foregrounding the lived experiences of students with disabilities in both countries. We bring together an interdisciplinary team spanning education, critical disability studies and media/communications to provide novel insights for practice, policy and research communities. 

I am also working on two books: 1. A book on consumer video activism in China for Palgrave Macmillan (expected to be published by 2024/2025). 2. Translation project: Hybrid Media Activism: Ecologies, Imaginaries, Algorithms (Chinese edition), Author: Emiliano Treré. Contract signed with China University of Political Science and Law (expected to be published by 2024/2025).