Becoming Dr Dad in the Digital Spotlight: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of PhDad Influencers in China

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 9:45 am
  In Poster Session: Inquiry in the Social Contexts of Education

Abstract

This study investigates the emergence of “PhDad” influencers on Chinese digital platforms, a phenomenon that contrasts sharply with traditional fatherhood and norms. We present a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis to examine the 1,434 posts by 20 dad influencers across 10 cities. We explore how these PhDads constructed identities as professional and highly involved fathers. Adopting a historical and sociological perspective, we also situate PhDad influencers within global contexts of differentiated childcare policies. The commercialization of these influencers also became a form of persona consumption that attracts large audiences, particularly female viewers. However, this trend also contributes to new fatherhood, emphasizing empathy and allyship, providing models and toolkits for males to engage in more equitable and involved parenting in the digital age.

Author

• Junyi Luo, East China Normal University