Chinese New Zealanders' Online Political Discussions and Lived Power Experience

This paper explores the relationship between Chinese New Zealanders’ online political discussions and participation. It also uses Mark Haugaard’s four dimensions of power theory to explore their power experiences during online political discussions. Based on an interpretive analysis of 38 Chinese New Zealanders’ in-depth interviews, I found that interviewees discussed domestic and international politics online. The relationships between their political discussions and participation were complex. Additionally, interviewees experienced diverse power dimensions simultaneously in online discussions, and their interpretations of power varied. This study deepens our understanding of how power operates in everyday life.