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Digital Rhetoric of Cosmopolitanism: a Case Study of Thai Students at Michigan Technological University

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Digital Rhetoric of Cosmopolitanism: a Case Study of Thai Students at Michigan Technological University Michigan Technological University Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports 2019 Digital Rhetoric of Cosmopolitanism: A Case Study of Thai Students at Michigan Technological University Aranya Srijongjai Michigan Technological University, [email protected] Copyright 2019 Aranya Srijongjai Recommended Citation Srijongjai, Aranya, "Digital Rhetoric of Cosmopolitanism: A Case Study of Thai Students at Michigan Technological University", Open Access Dissertation, Michigan Technological University, 2019. https://doi.org/10.37099/mtu.dc.etdr/833 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/etdr Part of the Rhetoric Commons DIGITAL RHETORIC OF COSMOPOLITANISM: A CASE STUDY OF THAI STUDENTS AT MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY By Aranya Srijongjai A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In Rhetoric, Theory and Culture MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2019 © 2019 Aranya Srijongjai This dissertation has been approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Rhetoric, Theory and Culture. Department of Humanities Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Karla Kitalong Committee Member: Dr. Ronald Strickland Committee Member: Dr. Marika Seigel Committee Member: Dr. Beatrice Smith Committee Member: Dr. Chanon Adsanatham Department Chair: Dr. Ronald Strickland Table of Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................x Definitions.......................................................................................................................... xi Abstract ............................................................................................................................ xiv 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background of the Study ..................................................................................1 1.2 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................2 1.3 This Research ...................................................................................................3 1.4 Related Concepts and Theories ........................................................................4 1.4.1 Digital Rhetoric ...................................................................................4 1.4.2 New Cosmopolitanism ........................................................................5 1.4.3 Theories Related to Technologies and Subject Formation .................6 1.5 The Context and Rationale for the Study .........................................................7 1.6 Research Questions ..........................................................................................9 1.7 Overview of Methodology and Methods ........................................................10 1.7.1 Methodology .....................................................................................10 1.7.2 Methods and Procedures ...................................................................12 1.8 Scope of the Study ..........................................................................................14 1.9 Significance of Study .....................................................................................14 1.10 Organization of the Study and Chapter Overview .........................................16 2 Literature Review......................................................................................................18 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................18 2.2 The Related Concepts and Theories ...............................................................18 2.2.1 Digital Rhetoric .................................................................................18 2.2.1.1 Background of Digital Rhetoric ......................................19 2.2.1.2 Definition of Digital Rhetoric .........................................20 2.2.1.3 Contemporary Theory and Method of Digital Rhetoric .23 2.2.1.3.1 The Ecological Approach ..........................24 2.2.1.3.2 Toward the Ecological Perspective ............27 2.2.1.4 Digital Rhetoric: From Digital Literacy to Digital Practices and Digital Self ..................................................................27 iii 2.2.2 New Cosmopolitanism ......................................................................31 2.2.2.1 Background of Cosmopolitanism ...................................31 2.2.2.1.1 Ancient/Classical Cosmopolitanism ..........32 2.2.2.1.2 Modern/Enlightenment Cosmopolitanism ............................................................32 2.2.2.1.3 New Cosmopolitanism ...............................33 2.2.2.2 New Cosmopolitanism: Toward a Critical Perspective of Globalization .....................................................................................36 2.2.2.2.1 Performing Cosmopolitanism ....................38 2.2.2.2.2 Critical Cosmopolitanism ..........................39 2.2.2.2.3 Cosmopolitanism from Below ...................41 2.2.3 Theories Related to Technologies and Subject Formation ...............43 2.2.3.1 Foucault's Power .............................................................43 2.2.3.2 Butler's Performativity ....................................................44 2.2.3.3 Haraway's Cyborg ...........................................................45 2.3 Background of Social Media ..........................................................................46 2.3.1 Definition of Social Media ................................................................46 2.3.2 History and Types of Social Media ..................................................48 2.3.3 Overview of the Global Social Media Usage ...................................50 2.4 Digital Communication Technology and Digital Education in Thailand .......51 2.5 Social Media Use in Thailand ........................................................................54 2.6 Summary ........................................................................................................56 3 Methodology .............................................................................................................57 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................57 3.2 Research Design .............................................................................................57 3.3 Methodology ..................................................................................................57 3.3.1 Methodological Framework ..............................................................58 3.3.1.1 New Cosmopolitanism Perspective ................................58 3.3.1.2 Digital Rhetoric Perspective ...........................................60 3.3.1.3 Postmodernist Lens .........................................................61 3.4 Pilot Study ......................................................................................................61 3.5 Methods ..........................................................................................................62 3.5.1 Semi-Structured Interviews ..............................................................62 3.5.2 Participant and Online Observations ................................................63 3.5.3 Rhetorical Analysis ...........................................................................63 3.6 Participants .....................................................................................................66 3.7 Data Collection and Data Analysis ................................................................66 3.7.1 Semi-Structured Interviews ..............................................................67 3.7.2 Participant and Online Observations ................................................67 iv 3.7.3 Semi-Structured Interviews and Observations: Data Analysis .........67 3.7.4 Rhetorical Analysis ...........................................................................69 3.7.5 Timeline ............................................................................................71 3.8 Privacy, Confidentiality, and Ethical Considerations ....................................71 3.9 Researcher Positionality .................................................................................72 3.10 Limitations of Methods Used in This Study ..................................................75 3.11 Summary ........................................................................................................75 4 Results and Discussion .............................................................................................76 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................76 4.2 Demographic Information and Digital Literacy Narratives ...........................76 4.3 Digital Practices of Cosmopolitanism on Social Media .................................85 4.3.1 Manifestation of Cosmopolitanism through Digital Practices ..........85 4.3.2 Digital
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