Lei Zhang

Lei Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Their research focuses on rhetorical theory, comparative rhetoric, journalism, and new media studies. Zhang holds a Ph.D. in Rhetoric from Texas Woman’s University (2011), an M.A. in Journalism from the University of North Texas (2001), and a B.A. in English Literature from Sichuan University, China (1996).

• Education:
• Ph.D. Rhetoric, Texas Woman’s University (2011)
• M.A. Journalism, University of North Texas (2001)
• B.A. English Literature, Sichuan University (1996)

Research interests include analyzing political rhetoric, digital media dynamics, and cross-cultural communication strategies. Recent work examines rhetorical strategies in Chinese media coverage of political figures and digital protests. Zhang has co-edited Affect, Emotion, and Rhetorical Persuasion in Mass Communication (Routledge, 2019) and published articles on topics such as internet censorship in China and Sino-American media disputes.

Presentation highlights include discussions on anti-zero-Covid demonstrations and rhetorical analysis of Chinese media narratives at international conferences (2024).