Social Media and Political Participation in Vietnam: Disrupting Journalism in the Virtual Public Sphere

Dr. Viet Tho Le is the Vice Dean of the School of Media and Applied Arts at the University of Management and Technology, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. He is also a research assistant in the School of Arts and Humanities at Edith Cowan University (ECU), Australia. With a Ph.D. in Communication Media Studies and Journalism from ECU and a master's in Professional and Organisational Communications from Victoria University, Dr. Le has an extensive background in both academia and media. His professional experience includes roles as a senior digital journalist with the BBC, managing editor at Binh Dinh Newspaper, and content creator for the SBS in Australia. Dr. Le’s research focuses on political communication, social media, digital citizenship, and cultural studies, with a particular interest in marginalized communities. His work has been published in leading journals and presented at international conferences.

Dr. Tuong-Minh Ly-Le is a distinguished academic and senior consultant in public relations and marketing, specializing in the Vietnam and ASEAN markets. With over a decade of experience, she leads EloQ Communications, a premier PR and marketing agency in Ho Chi Minh City. Dr. Ly-Le is dedicated to executing impactful PR campaigns, including crisis consulting, strategic planning, and media relations. Her academic pursuits are equally notable, with a focus on crisis communication, public relations, and new media. She integrates her extensive practical experience with academic research to drive innovation. Additionally, Dr. Ly-Le serves as the Dean of the School of Media and Applied Arts at the University of Management and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, where she continues to bridge the gap between academia and industry.

Lam Ha is a lecturer in Media and Communications at Swinburne Vietnam—an alliance between Swinburne University of Technology, Australia and FPT Education, Vietnam. His broad research interests include platform regulation, audience studies, media literacy, digital cultures and society, and communication for social change.