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Memes at the round table of societal discourse : an investigation on the role of memes in transgender related discourse on Reddit and Instagram

Kalia, V. (2022) Memes at the round table of societal discourse : an investigation on the role of memes in transgender related discourse on Reddit and Instagram.

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Abstract:Trans people have been scrutinised in mainstream and social media. While there have been positive developments in the formal acceptance of trans people. The broader informal, societal acceptance remains a barrier. Memes have emerged as a way to present critiques of societal issues. While memes may seem to be frivolous, they may play a key role in shaping views and perpetuating stigma. Based on the analytical approach of Shifman (2013), this study assesses how memes serve the discursive goal of framing trans people as the ‘other’. Purposive sampling was used to collect 150 memes from Reddit and Instagram. Purposive sampling was used to build a corpus reflecting a range of views on transgenderism. Hashtags and dedicated subreddits were used to find memes. The memes were analysed using Visual Semiotic analysis, inductive and deductive coding. Implicitness was used to express attitudes covertly. Metaphor emerged as a tool to mock and derogate trans people and issues. Interestingly, these elements also served the function of self validation and self victimisation of the creators. Thus, memes function as expression of targeted hate and validation of such views. Understanding how memes surpass their common view as ‘harmless’ is crucial to prevent being deceived by them.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies, 70 social sciences in general
Programme:Communication Studies BSc (56615)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/91403
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