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Colin Alexander

Senior Lecturer

School of Arts & Humanities

Staff Group(s)
Journalism and Media

Role

Dr Colin Alexander is Senior Lecturer in Political Communications within the School of Arts and Humanities. He is the Course Leader for the Masters in Global Media and Communications, which is taught primarily at NTU's City Campus. His research interests include propaganda, public diplomacy, the role of charity and philanthropy in society, critical journalism studies, China and Taiwan, North Korea, colonialism and colonial India, He has supervised, and is currently supervising, PhD projects on several topics close to his research interests and welcomes inquiries.

Career overview

Dr. Alexander has a PhD in Communications Studies from the University of Leeds, UK. His thesis examined the role played by public diplomacy in China and Taiwan’s competition for diplomatic allies in the Global South. This research was guided by Prof. Gary Rawnsley, Prof. Philip Taylor and Dr. Robin Brown.

Before joining NTU in September 2013 Dr. Alexander had held posts at the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett University), and Sheffield Hallam University. During 2013 he spent eight months working in Taiwan as a Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Research Fellow based at National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei.

Prior to a career in academia, Dr. Alexander worked in corporate industry holding positions with Hewlett Packard (HP), Bell Micro Inc. and Yorkshire Building Society.

Research areas

Dr. Alexander's work on Coronavirus Propaganda:

Dr. Alexander’s research interests cover the following areas:

  • Political propaganda – particularly global trends in information flows
  • Diplomacy and Public diplomacy
  • Charity and philanthropy
  • East Asian and Asia-Pacific international relations – particularly China, Taiwan and North Korea)
  • North Korea, its politics, propaganda and global media coverage
  • Foreign aid and development assistance
  • Moral philosophy
  • Colonialism and North-South relations
  • Colonial India and the Indian Civil Service
  • World War II in Asia

PhD applications are welcome in any of the above.

PhD project opportunity

Dr Alexander has a PhD opportunity in "Coronavirus Propaganda: Encouraging Public Behaviour within Political Communications". Find out more.

Current PhD Students

  • Lucia Hubinska. Topic: Propaganda and manipulation in Slovakia during the Covid-19 pandemic
  • Karmanye Thadani. Topic: A critical study of Bollywood's role in India's soft power
  • Javed Sultan. Topic: Democratisation and photojournalism in post-colonial India
  • Jessica Wileman. Topic: Digital activism and the propaganda of immigration in UK politics

Publications

Books

Alexander, C., (2019), Administering Colonialism and War: The Political Life of Sir Andrew Clow of the Indian Civil Service. Oxford and New Delhi: Oxford University Press

Alexander, C., (2014), China and Taiwan in Central America: Engaging Foreign Publics in Diplomacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Edited Books

Alexander, C., (ed.) (2021), The Frontiers of Public Diplomacy: Hegemony, Morality and Power in the International Sphere. New York: Routledge.

Book Chapters

(forthcoming) Alexander, C., (2025), ‘Ethical Public Diplomacy? Dissent as Collective Momentum or Collective Consciousness’, Chap 4 in, A. Popkova (ed.), Dissent and Disruption in Public Diplomacy, New York: Palgrave Macmillan

Alexander, C., (2025), ‘Taiwan’s public diplomacy since 2016’, Chap 35 in, G. Schubert (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Taiwan (2nd ed.), London: Routledge

Alexander, C., (2021), ‘Hegemony, Morality and Power: A Gramscian Theoretical Framework for Public Diplomacy’, Chap 1 in, C. Alexander (ed.), The Frontiers of Public Diplomacy: Hegemony, Morality and Power in the International Sphere, New York: Routledge

Alexander, C., (2021), ‘Hegemonic Communications with Colonial Subjects: British Public Diplomacy in Colonial India’, Chap 4 in, C. Alexander (ed.), The Frontiers of Public Diplomacy: Hegemony, Morality and Power in the International Sphere, New York: Routledge

Alexander, C., (2021), ‘Public Diplomacy on the Frontiers of Madness: North Korea and the Hegemonic Coalition’, Chap 12 in, C. Alexander (ed.), The Frontiers of Public Diplomacy: Hegemony, Morality and Power in the International Sphere, New York: Routledge

Alexander, C., (2021), ‘The Compassion ‘Spectacle: The Propaganda of Piety, Virtuosity and Altruism within Neoliberal Politics’, In. G. Rawnsley, Y. Ma and K. Pothong (eds.), The Edward Elgar Handbook of Political Propaganda, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar

Alexander, C., (2018), ‘The Soft Power of Development: Aid and Assistance as Public Diplomacy Activities’. In, J. Servaes (ed.), The Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change. New York: Springer

Alexander, C., (2016), ‘Taiwan’s Public Diplomacy’. Chap 34 in, G. Schubert (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Taiwan. London: Routledge.

Refereed Journal Articles

Alexander, C., (2020), “The Recognition Imperative behind Taiwan's Public Diplomacy: A Critical Study of its efforts to join the World Health Assembly”, International Journal of Taiwan Studies, 3(1)

Alexander, C., and A. Royo i Marine, (2020), “Prohibited Sub-state Public Diplomacy: The Attempt to Dissolve Catalonia's DIPLOCAT”, Journal of Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 16(1)

Alexander, C., (2015), “’The Martyr’s Return’: A Poem Reflecting Relations within the All India Radio during the 1930s”, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, 35(3)

Alexander, C., (2015), “The Communication of International Development Assistance: The Case of the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF)”, Journal of Global Governance, 21(1).

Alexander, C., (2014), “The Public Diplomacy of sub-State Actors: The Case of the Scottish Government with Malawi”, Palgrave Journal of Public Diplomacy and Place Branding, 10(1).

Alexander C., (2011), “Public Diplomacy and the Diplomatic Truce: the PRC and Taiwan in El Salvador”, Palgrave Journal of Public Diplomacy and Place Branding, 7(1).

See all of Colin Alexander (Dr)'s publications...

Press expertise

Dr. Alexander is a committed public academic who has been interviewed many times by journalists on topics related to his research and expertise.

He was a regular commentator on the North Korea crisis between 2017 – 2019 and appeared across BBC broadcasting services discussing the dynamics of the situation. This included the BBC television national news, World Service News and the Victoria Derbyshire current affairs programme.

Dr. Alexander is available for media work on any of the following topics:

  • War, peace, and its role in the international system
  • Propaganda and its role in society
  • Diplomacy
  • North Korea, China, Taiwan, East Asian and Asia-Pacific international relations
  • Foreign aid and development assistance
  • The role of charity, philanthropy and altruism within society
  • India and Colonial India
  • The Indian Civil Service
  • The civil wars of Central America - particularly Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador

Dr Alexander's Television Work

40 Years of Band Aid: From Charity Anthem to Controversy (Dec 2024)

Are we heading towards World War 3? (April 2024)

Are we heading towards World War III? (5th Mar 2024, TRT World)

What are the consequences of Russia's Wagner mutiny? (14th July 2023, TRT World)

Has the US intelligence leak damaged relations in Europe? (26th April 2023, TRT World)

Colin Discussing the Information War in the Ukraine Crisis (18th March 2022, CBS News (Canada))

Colin Discussing President Zelensky's Communications Strategy in the Ukraine Crisis (22nd March 2022, ITV News (UK))

Colin Discussing the North Korea Nuclear Crisis (29th July 2017, BBC News (UK and Worldwide))

The following is a selection of press work that Dr. Alexander has participated in or authored:

(including response from Bob Geldof) Alexander, C., (2024), “Band Aid at 40: how the problematic Christmas hit changed the charity sector” (14th Nov 2024) Available online

Alexander, C., (2024), “Why I’m right to criticise Band Aid hit song”(3rd Dec 2024) Available online

Alexander, C., (2024), "Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s departing first minister, and the art of the resignation speech" (29th April 2024) Available Online

Alexander, C. and L. Hubinska, (2024), "Understanding Aaron Bushnell’s Suicide Outside the Israeli Embassy" (11th March 2024) Available Online

Alexander, C., (2024), "How policy in North Korea is affected by politics in South Korea – and vice versa" (14th Feb 2024) Available Online

Alexander, C., (2024), "The Israel Lobby and its influence over British political decision-making" (29th Jan 2024) Available Online

Alexander, C., (2023), "Obituary. Henry Kissinger - revered statesman or diplomatic rogue? (30th Nov 2023) Available Online

Alexander, C., (2023), "Understanding the Growing Role of Drones in Warfare" (21st Feb 2023) Available Online

Alexander, C., (2023), "Scotland is not immune from the dangers of identity politics" (23rd Jan 2023) Available Online

Alexander, C., (2022), "Understanding Russia Today’s possible withdrawal from the International Airwaves" (28th Feb 2022) Available Online

Alexander, C., (2022), "President Volodymyr Zelensky is a hero to the world but who is the man behind the Ukrainian resistance?" (21st April 2022)  Available online

Alexander, C., (2022), "Ukraine is well ahead in the global battle for hearts and minds – but Russia knew this would happen " (11th March 2022)  Available online

Alexander, C., (2021), "North Korea, nuclear proliferation and why the ‘madman theory’ is wrong about Kim Jong-un" (15th September 2021)  Available online

Alexander, C., (2021), "Why ‘freedom day’ is the latest example of COVID propaganda" (18th July 2021)  Available online

Alexander, C., (2019), “Foreign aid: less about helping poor countries than maintaining a power imbalance” (13th Feb 2019) Available online

Alexander, C., (2018), “Trump's cancelled summit with Kim Jong-un has more to do with greedy capitalism than ballistic missiles”, (25th May 2018) Available online

Alexander, C., (2017), “Now North Korea is a nuclear power, the capitalist societies which would love to exploit it will have to start respecting it instead”, (29th December 2017) Available online:

Alexander, C., (2017), “A visit to Pyongyang: the Kim dynasty’s homage to Stalinism”, (21st September 2017) Available online. This article was also used by The Conversation to launch their podcast service in early 2018.

Alexander, C., (2017), “Colonialism in India was traumatic – including for some of the British officials who ruled the Raj”, (11th August 2017) Available online

Alexander, C., (2017), BBC News Appearance, (29th July 2017), Available online

Alexander, C., (2013), “Past with Guatemala must be probed”, Taipei Times (13th May 2013), Available online

Course(s) I teach on