Understanding the Impact of WeChat Use on Chinese International Students’ Social and Cultural Capital in Australia

Abstract

In this study we explore how Chinese international students’ (CISs) use of WeChat influences their ability to acquire and use different forms of capital – particularly cultural and social capital – while studying at an Australian higher education institution. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of practice, we examine how these forms of capital shape and are shaped by students’ experiences. We drew key findings from semistructured interviews and the scroll-back method with 15 CISs. We made three findings. First, WeChat helps many CISs overcome language barriers, which are an immediate and prominent marker of the cultural capital they often lack but need to navigate the Australian higher education field. Second, WeChat supports the development of social capital by enabling CISs to maintain and form new social networks. Third, while CISs show agency in identifying and acquiring capital, the ongoing interaction between field (the university context) and habitus (their internalised dispositions) also shapes their success. The findings underscore the importance of helping CISs position themselves to build relevant forms of capital as they adapt to Australian academic life. The study offers recommendations for higher education decision-makers on how to support CISs’ WeChat use, inform policymaking and strengthen the university’s reputation both nationally and globally.