This dissertation analyses the digitally mediated, expressive, and networked engagement of
Chinese publics with climate change discourse and politics. It examines the multifaceted role of
new media in fostering dialogic climate communication, public engagement with climate
discourse, and democratically inclusive digital public participation within China’s unique sociopolitical
landscape. Presented in a manuscript format, the dissertation consists of three research
papers, each focusing on different aspects of digitally networked public participation on China’s
premier microblogging platform, Weibo. These aspects include social interaction relationships
among actors, discursive associations among concepts, and the dynamic interplay between these
social and ideational relations over time. The research draws on multiple theoretical perspectives
from communication studies, political science, environmental sociology, and network science. A
network-oriented approach and computational data analysis techniques are employed to
investigate the relational structure of social and discursive interactions in climate change
communication. The findings extend our understanding of social media’s role in public
communication and the nuances of environmental discourse and climate politics in China—an
important yet understudied country case. The insights derived from this dissertation can help
climate policymakers, communication practitioners, and stakeholders develop more informed
climate communication strategies, fostering a more informed, involved, and proactive citizenry
critical to achieving a sustainable and resilient future
