Professor Zhu Hua demonstrated how Chinese social media platforms and Chinese digital culture, in a broader sense, offer new avenues for expressing opposition and conflict, with the potential to either unite or divide networked groups in a Graduate School seminar on November 28, 2024.

The seminar delved into the enregisterment of the cultural discursive practice of "dui" (怼) in Chinese social media. Professor Zhu explained that through an analysis of social media posts collected via systematic data scanning and observation, "dui" has evolved from a practice of friendly teasing, prevalent before the pandemic, to a more confrontational form of discourse characterized by verbal aggression and refutation.

Professor Zhu showcased research on Chinese conflict discourse and how it has enabled insights into strategies for communicating disagreement in face-to-face contexts and the socio-cultural motivations driving these strategies. The research underscores the interconnected nature of enregisterment of discursive practices and social relationships, emphasizing the importance of integrating discourse analysis and socio-cultural perspectives in research.

Zhu Hua is professor of Language Learning and Intercultural Communication and Director of the International Centre for Intercultural Studies at the Institute of Education, University College London.