TY - JOUR
T1 - Meme templates as expressive repertoires in a globalizing world
T2 - A cross-linguistic study
AU - Nissenbaum, Asaf
AU - Shifman, Limor
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2018.
PY - 2018/9/1
Y1 - 2018/9/1
N2 - This study uses meme templates as a lens for exploring cultural globalization. By conceptualizing such templates as expressive repertoires that simultaneously enable and limit expression, we examined global and local dimensions of mainstream meme culture. We traced the top 100 templates in meme generators in English, German, Spanish, and Chinese, using 10 examples to typify each (n = 4000). Combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, we examined the forms, social identities, and emotions embedded in these templates. Our findings demonstrated that whereas meme templates are dominated by American/Western pop culture, local templates are also evident, especially in Chinese. Overall, memes are socially conservative yet emotionally disruptive; while they align with hegemonic representation patterns, their emotional palette tilts toward the negative, with anger as a major anchor and happiness expressed ironically. Finally, our findings suggested an individualism–collectivism puzzle, wherein emotions in memes seem to contradict the existing literature on cultural values.
AB - This study uses meme templates as a lens for exploring cultural globalization. By conceptualizing such templates as expressive repertoires that simultaneously enable and limit expression, we examined global and local dimensions of mainstream meme culture. We traced the top 100 templates in meme generators in English, German, Spanish, and Chinese, using 10 examples to typify each (n = 4000). Combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, we examined the forms, social identities, and emotions embedded in these templates. Our findings demonstrated that whereas meme templates are dominated by American/Western pop culture, local templates are also evident, especially in Chinese. Overall, memes are socially conservative yet emotionally disruptive; while they align with hegemonic representation patterns, their emotional palette tilts toward the negative, with anger as a major anchor and happiness expressed ironically. Finally, our findings suggested an individualism–collectivism puzzle, wherein emotions in memes seem to contradict the existing literature on cultural values.
KW - Digital culture
KW - Emotions
KW - Globalization
KW - Internet memes
KW - Localization
KW - Meme generators
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85054755945&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jcmc/zmy016
DO - 10.1093/jcmc/zmy016
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AN - SCOPUS:85054755945
SN - 1083-6101
VL - 23
SP - 294
EP - 310
JO - Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
JF - Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
IS - 5
ER -