Xu Wu, Associate Professor

[[XU WU]] 吴 旭

Xu Wu’s first name “Xu” means “the rising sun” in Chinese. He joined the Cronkite School in August 2005 as assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2010.

Dr. Wu received both his doctoral (2005) and master’s degrees (2002) from the University of Florida, with specializations in political communication and international public relations. His dissertation “Chinese Cyber Nationalism: Evolution, Characteristics, and Political Implication” was published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group in April 2007 (http://www.lexingtonbooks.com/ISBN/073911817X). Xinhua Publishing House, a leading press in China, published in 2009 a collection of Dr. Wu’s writings in Chinese, with the title of “Crafting the Chinese Dream: On how to solve China’s soft power deficit” (《为世界打造中国梦》).

Wu’s research interests center on China’s online media order, international public relations, crisis management, public diplomacy, political communication and mass communication theories. His work has been published by Journal of Communication, Public Relations Quarterly, Public Relations Review, International Communication Gazette, Journal of International Communication, Asian Journal of Communication, Journal of Public Relations Research, China Media Report, Media Asia, Perspectives and others. As an active member of AEJMC, ICA and NCA, Wu has presented over two dozen research papers at national and international conferences. In July 2007, Professor Wu received the prestigious CCK Foundation Junior Scholar Grant ($18,000) for a one-year follow-up study on China’s nationalistic activities online.

As an expert on Chinese nationalism and crisis communication, Wu has been interviewed and quoted widely by world media, including

• Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSPEK492820080429)
• The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/07/fairbrother.china)
• The Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-080809-china-olympics...)
• International Herald Tribune (http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/04/asia/quake.php)
• Al Jazeera (http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/beijing08/2008/08/20088255274440438.html)
• Financial Times (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/bc7b7c04-64e0-11dd-af61-0000779fd18c,Authorised=...)
• The Wall Street Journal
• Los Angeles Times
• AFP (http://www.bt.com.bn/en/analysis/2008/08/27/china_rulers_get_more_popula...)
• The National (http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081128/REVIEW/843636163/1008/rss)
• The Associated Press (http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/WireHeadlines/2008/12/03/big-3-grou...)
• The Strait Times (http://app.mfa.gov.sg/pr/read_content.asp?View,9909,)
• Chinese Central Television (CCTV) “Dialogue”
• International Herald Leader (http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2010-04/22/content_13402419.htm)
• Oriental Outlook Weekly (http://www.lwdf.cn/oriental/pastterm/20090820185519193.htm)

While an undergraduate student, Wu published his first book titled “Student Times of 50 Chinese Intellectuals” (in Chinese, 1992; Shanghai Literature & Arts Publishing House), a collection of interviews and historical documents about 50 contemporary Chinese intellectuals. In the same year, Wu was awarded the People’s Daily Scholarship, the highest national award to journalism students in China.

Born in Beijing, Wu spent more than 26 years in that city and traveled extensively across China. After graduating from People’s University of China in 1992, Wu worked as a national correspondent and domestic news editor at Xinhua (New China) News Agency’s headquarters in Beijing. He participated in the founding of the Xinhua Daily Telegraph, one of the leading national newspapers in China. From 1997 to 2000, Wu and his partner operated a media consulting agency – Unicorn Culture – in Beijing.

Upon his arrival in the United States, Wu quickly converted himself from a big soccer fan to a bigger football fan. In his leisure time, Wu enjoys swimming, traveling and reading. Wu and his wife Liu Xingyu live in Tempe.

Links to recent research & publications:

Wu, Xu (May 1, 2008). “The Real U.S. Deficit with China—Knowledge.” Christian Science Monitor, op-ed section, pg. 9. http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0501/p09s02-coop.html

Wu, Xu (2007). Stakeholder Identifying & Positioning (SIP) models: From Google’s operation in China to a general PR case-analysis framework. Public Relations Review 33(4): 415-425.

Kiousis, S., & Wu, Xu (2007). International agenda-building and agenda-setting: Exploring the influence of PR counsel on U.S. news media and public perceptions of foreign nations. International Communication Gazette 70(1): 61-78.

Wu Xu. Featured column at www.aisixiang.com, one of the most respected think-tank websites for Chinese scholars and thinkers (http://www.aisixiang.com/thinktank/author.php?id=73)