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Home , Internet meme, Meme, Methodology, Political satire

Journal of Content, Community & Communication Amity School of Communication Vol. 6 Year 3, June - 2017 [ISSN: 2395-7514 (Print)] Amity University, Madhya Pradesh [ISSN: 2456-9011 (Online)]

Internet and Political : A study on the impact of meme as a tool in communicating political

Dr. Anushka Kulkarni*

ABSTRACT

Humor has been used as a tool against oppression since ages. With the advent of digital technologies, internet have gained prominence. Memes are mediums that communicate through humor and satire. Today, internet memes have become a part of the political campaigning. This paper thus how internet memes have been used to communicate . The study deals with the impact of internet memes on digital natives and digital migrants in India. Parameters like political engagement, influence on political views and voting behaviour are used to analyse the impact of memes. Using questionnaire as a tool for data collection, the research concludes that internet memes are used as a tool of political discourse but does not have a major impact on audience although it improves political engagement of the digital natives.Elaboration likelihood model and Agenda setting is used as a theoretical base for the study. Keywords: Political Discourse, , Elaboration likelihood model, Agenda setting, Political Satire. INTRODUCTION back to the when were developed. The sideways smiley face which was created The 2016 internet consumption records mention using punctuation marks by Scott E. Fahlman in that there are 462,124,989 internet users in India 1982 was the first that was used in which constitute 34.8% of the population of India. online communication. Fahlman mentioned that The Cisco forecast which gave the Visual emoticons were required in online mode of Networking Index, forecasted a change in digital communication as they help in understanding consumption in India from 373 million (2016) to humor or sarcasm used in the language. 829 million (2021). Web 2.0 has given a way to participatory communication model where media Memes have played an important role in political consumers are not merely passive recipients of discourse. One of the recent most prominent content but they are active participant as they meme was the #ZodiacTed that was viral during understand and assess the content. One of the the elections in USA in 2016. These memes newer mediums of participatory communication portrayed as a zodiac killer. A research is ‘Internet Meme’. by ‘Public Policy Polling’ concluded that due to these memes about 40% of the voters in , a pioneer in the study of Florida thought that he was actually a zodiac , introduced the of ‘memes’ in killer and their voting decisions were influenced his book ‘The Selfish (1976). The term meme by these memes.The internet memes also led to comes from the Greek word ‘mimeme which political engagement of people. Memes have means ‘to imitate’(Dawkins, 1989). This concept played a major role in Indian too. It has then became a part of the popular . With been used as a medium to communicate views the advent of internet and digital technologies, about issues, people and political parties. Memes the term ‘Internet Meme’ gained popularity. were prominently used during the issue of Patrick Davisondefines internet meme as: demonetization, GST etc. It is also used widely by “A piece of culture, typically a joke which gains the opposition parties to comment on decisions of influence through online transmission”.(Buchel, the . (Buchel, 2012) 2012)(Dawkins, 1989) This research paper thus deals with the study to: Internet meme is considered as a medium of 1. Understand how internet meme is used promotion which can reach wider audience in a through social networking mediums to short span of time. The of meme dates communicate political issues. 2. Analyse the practice of internet meme and * Assistant Professor, Amity School of scrutinise its role in creating a shift Communication, Amity University Mumbai. in political discourse : [email protected] 3. Study the impact of internet meme in communicating political satire.

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LITERATURE REVIEW There has been a direct relationship between Humor and Satire as a tool for discourse politics and . This relationship has The main components of a meme are humor and been explored through various studies. A study satire. Since the advent of media, humor was used by Bayrm (2008) explains how has as an instrument to comment and criticize against been used as a medium to involve audiences in oppression. The history of humor used as a political issues and for helping them to tool dates back to the stories and pictures in the understand politics. Jones (2010) in his study anti-Nazi comics. Since then, till the recent explains how satirical as a form of movements like the Serbian Otpor movement or popular culture can result in informed, critically the in China, Zimbabwe, Syria, Egypt etc, sound and active citizens who have high political humor has been used as a tool for criticizing the engagement.(Plevriti, 2013)(Segev, 2015)(Reime, oppression with humor. (Hajizada, 2010) 2012) There have been records where humor as well as Role of Internet meme satire has been used as a form of political Internet meme has been an important part of the . It has been termed as a subculture social life as it helps in opinion formation. and used widely in different political campaigns. Amongst the various roles, a major one is that it A research by George (2012) mentions that this helps in conveying information. Most of the medium has been used for political engagements for digital natives it acts like a primary source of too.(Sreekumar, 2013) information too as they turn to read more of the news on the basis of the memes made on it. (Liisi Political Humor Lainesk, 2016) Political humor has been an important part of political discourse in a . It attracts not only Memes are used as a medium for persuading the people who are active in politics but also citizens to vote for a particular political party. helps in forming opinions for people who are not Shiftman in his book- ‘Memes in Digital Culture’, active participants in political issues and explains how this medium was efficiently used discussions. Various researchers’ mention that during the 2008 US elections. His research exposure to political humor increases political mentions that these memes are more of user attention and helps in learning about political generated content than information generated by issues especially in the digital natives. This also political elites. Even though they are user leads to an increase in the feeling of political generated these memes look professional. They efficacy and interest. Also political humor is a mix include videos and photos produced by of humor and user generated content. It thus professional artists. A lot of research goes into includes the opinion of the masses and hence has making of these content as a part of political a deeper impact on the audience. (Hajizada, 2010) campaigning. Shiftman mentions that these memes are a mode through which civic The concept of Internet memes has become participation is encouraged as the citizens can popular these days. There have been many express their political opinions and be a part of websites like knowyourmeme.com, debates and discussions which cannot be done memedump.com, or memebase.com who act as through traditional mediums. (Shiftman, 2013) an archival for the memes. Many like and have started Using memes used in Politics: using memes creatively to communicate their Political campaigners use memes as a medium for message and attract audiences. The information communicating with the netizens. Paid bloggers, that is passed through these memes is for creating micro bloggers and commenters are hired to a buzz and is for publicity purpose rather than for generate content. They thus create images and just giving information. Memes that are used in opinions in the of people. A recent report political campaigning are used for creating public mentions that in Azerbaijan, the production and opinion and as a tool for .(Bauckhage, circulation of internet memes were included as a 2011) part of their strategy. Memes are used for propaganda to reinforce , Meme and Popular Culture: identities and . Even during the World Dawkins mentions that memes are a small part of War One, these memes were used in the form of our culture.(Chick, 1999) This spreads from one satirical texts, images and artistic expressions. person to another by or copying. These Poets and artists were hired even during those memes are thus an important component while days to create and messages which could media from a political perspective. Memes be publicised through posters and newspapers. have become new form of civic participation too. (Leong, 2015) (Shiftman, 2013)(Nowak, 2013)

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Internet and Political Engagement: meme in political discourse whereas the survey if A Pew Research study mentions that there has digital natives assist in understanding the been an increase in the number of individuals effect of these internet memes from a behavioral who use internet, social media websites as well as economic perspective. the number of individuals who use social media Hypothesis websites for their political activities. (Nowak, H0: Internet meme is used as a tool for 2016). The main target of these netizens using communicating political satire but does not have new media for political discourse is the digital an impact on the audience. natives.(Heiskanen, 2017)The people who follow these social media websites are engaged in H1: Internet meme has brought a paradigm shift commenting and sharing this information further in the political discourse and it influences the to other audiences. They produce and distribute political engagement of digital natives in India. content too. These users are politically very active Research by liking and commenting on various issues Qualitative and Quantitative methodology is used which thus encourages political for the study. Structured questionnaire is used as engagement.(Brunello, 2012)(Chandler, 2008) a tool for conducting survey. A survey of Media Theoretical Framework consumers to understand the impact of these Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) of political on people and its influence on management explains how is used as political engagement is conducted. These media a tool to opinions. There are two ways of consumers (50 no’s) include digital migrants persuasion. One that focuses persuasion through (25 no’s) and digital natives (25 no’s). The cognitive way that elaborates what is presented samples are selected on the basis of simple and the second route where an is random sampling. formed to persuade a person and his/her opinion Variables is manipulated. This is the peripheral route of The internet memes are independent variables in persuasion. Memes are a tool of political the study where as political discourse, political discourse that uses the cognitive and the engagement and the paradigm shift in the peripheral route to communicate and to influence discourse are the dependent variables. Internet public opinions. This tool of discourse uses memes influence these dependent variables they humor and satire as elements for persuasion. affect the media consumers. (McClure, 2016) Data Analysis Agenda settingtheory is also applied to this Closed ended questions are analysed using SPSS research. The memes are used by the media where are thematic analysis is used for studying companies to form opinions. Through these the open ended questions. memes the media companies do propaganda and publicize their ideologies as they do not just give FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATION information to the people but analyses it critically and gives a view on it. In theoretical words, these Chart 1: Do you think internet media companies through the use of memes do memes can be used as a medium for not just tell people what to think but they tell communication? them what to think about. A sub theory of 8% Framing is applicable here where the is altered and the pictures in our heads are but the opinion that the media companies try to communicate. 25% Scope of the study This research studies the use of internet meme as a tool of discourse that communicates political satire. This work examines the internet meme 67% which are publicized through social networking mediums in India. The research studies the impact of political meme on digital natives in India and its influence on political engagements. Based on the of the usage of Yes No May be internet memes for two political issues in India, the researcher portrays the significance of internet

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Chart 2: Can internet memes be used Even though internet memes are accepted as a as a tool for political discourse? medium for communication it does not influence the political decisions of the majority and also majorly does not influence people to support of oppose a particular political party. Memes are 26% produced and distributedby political parties as a part of their campaigning. There are used as a tool for propaganda too. Campaigning through social media and using memes have increased the engagement of people. The digital natives not are involved more in political issues as they can easily express their opinions through new media 56% but it is not the new media or the memes that influence their decisions. 18% Chart 4: Do internet memes influence you to support/oppose a political party

8% 7% Yes No Maybe

Amongst the people who were surveyed most of them express an opinion that internet meme can be used as a medium for communication as well as a tool for political discourse The mediums that influence their political decisions include the traditional mediums especially newspapers and television, political speeches, editorials, debate shows etc. The factors that influence individuals to vote for a particular political party include: The party’s agenda, their manifesto, the leaders of the party, their functioning, campaigns, the image of 85% the party in the public mind and the work that the party has done earlier. Apart from that, how Yes No Sometimes media portrays a particular political party also influences the public decision. CONCLUSION Internet memes have been used as a tool in Chart 3: Do Internent memes political discourse. But there is not paradigm shift influence your political decisions? in the tools used due to the coming of new media. Traditional mediums are still preferred as a 15% medium for communication with the digital 21% migrants. Traditional as well as new mediums are used for communicating with the digital natives. Memes are produced and distributed. These memes are accepted by people for communicating their but it does not have an impact on the voting behavior or political views. Usage of internet memes through social networking mediums to communicate political issues. Political parties use memes to oppose or criticize certain issues. These memes are used through 64% social networking platforms to communicate the ideas to a larger audience. Internet memes are Yes No Sometimes mostly user generated but there are also the ones that are developed by political parties as a tool for propaganda.

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Internet meme and paradigm shift in political Authoritarian Azerbaijan. No laughing discourse . Memes are considered as humor, to comment on Heiskanen, B. (2017). Meme-ing Electoral a person, , in a sarcastic manner. Participation. European journal of American They are still not given importance as the content studies. generated by traditional media as the audiences Leong, P. (2015). Political Communication in know it is used to comment negatively. Thus, Malaysia: A study on use of new media in though there has been a shift in the mediums politics. Journal of Democracy- Creative used for political discourse, internet meme is just commons. a part of it. It does not cause a paradigm shift. Liisi Lainesk, P. V. (2016). Laughing across Impact of internet meme in communicating borders: of Internet political satire. memes. European Journal of Humour Internet meme does help in communicating Research . political satire but it does not have an impact on the change in voting behavior, political opinions McClure, B. (2016). Discovering the Discourse of Internet Political Memes. Adult and ideologies of people. Memes are considered Research Conference. just as a source of entertainment. Also, internet meme by media organizations helps in framing Nowak. (2016). Internet meme as meaningful issues in the mind of audiences. discourse: Towards theory of Thus the null hypothesis –‘Internet meme is used multiparticipant popular online content. Central European Joural of Communication. as a tool for communicating political satire but does not have an impact on the audience’ proves Nowak, J. (2013). Political Communication, Social correct. Media and Popular Culture. Political REFERENCES Communication in the Era of New Technologies. Bauckhage, C. (2011). Insights into internet memes. Association of Advancement in Plevriti, V. (2013). Satirical User-Generated Artificial . Memes as an Effective Source of Political Criticism, Extending Debate and Brunello, J. (2012). Internet memes and everyday Enhancing Civic Engagement. Centre for . Erasmus School of History, Policy Studies. Culture and Communication. Reime, T. (2012). Memes as Visual tools for Buchel, B. (2012). Internet memes as means of precise message conveying . Norwegian communication. Masaryk University. University of Science and Technology. Chandler, R. (2008). Meme World Syndrome: A Segev, E. (2015). and Networks of critical of the third Internet Memes: The Relationship world problems and third world success Between Cohesiveness, Uniqueness, and internet memes . University of Central Quiddity Concreteness. Journal of Florida. Computer-Mediated Communication. Chick, G. (1999). What’s in a Meme? The Shiftman, L. (2013). Memes in Digital Culture. MIT Development of the Meme as a Unit of Press. Culture. Today. Sreekumar, T. (2013). Online Political memes and Dawkins, R. (1989). . Oxford youth political engagement in Singapore. Landmark Science. Internt Research 14.0. Hajizada, K. P. (2010). Humor as a means of in the digital era: The case of

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