Perceiving Protest Through Memes: Multidimensional Influence of Memes in the Dynamic of Student Protest in Bangladeshi Context: A Thematic Analysis and Survey
Abstract
This study examines the influence of memes on the dynamic of the 2024 student protest in Bangladesh. This research aims to understand how themes of memes can contribute to large-scale participation and sustained involvement in a movement. An inductive thematic analysis was utilized using 30 pro-movement memes circulated on Facebook during the protest timeline, which was complemented by survey data from 80 participants who were actively involved in the protest. It was found that the memes had five key themes that were pivotal in mobilizing and sustaining student participation. This study concludes that the memes demonstrated their effectiveness in the dynamic of this social movement.
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