Understanding the Chinese diaspora: The identity construction of diasporic Chinese in the age of digital media

This thesis investigates the formation of diasporic Chinese identity in the current media landscape. Through reviewing the history of Chinese emigration and the evolution of Chinese identity, this thesis proposes mediated social interaction as a new approach to the formation of Chinese identity. Following this proposal, this thesis explores how the social interactions and patterns of the Chinese diaspora in Australia have changed under the influences of media development. This research finds that transnational communications with family and friends in China via social media have become a significant part of Chinese diaspora's social life hence they are more socially and culturally connected with China than before. Simultaneously, diaspora Chinese use different social media platforms to maintain different social networks. They deliberately present different aspects of their national and parochial identity to adapt to different social settings