Chapter published in:
The Pragmatics of Internet Memes
Edited by Chaoqun Xie
[Benjamins Current Topics 120] 2022
► pp. 64–84

Memes and the media narrative

| Webster Vienna Private University

This article presents the results of a critical discourse analysis of internet memes. This analysis considers the highly visual nature of internet memes situated in a context of meme-as-utterance prompting other remixed versions as memes-as-responses. Prior to the analysis an orientation to pragmatics as related to internet memes is presented. Following this is an overview of memes research and a necessary discussion of the role of media narratives in the construction and dissemination of internet memes. Finally, a series of memes tweeted in response to Nike’s inclusion of former National Football League player, Colin Kaepernick, in its Just Do It anniversary campaign, serves as the corpus of analysis.

Keywords: internet memes, media narrative, Colin Kaepernick, Nike
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Internet memes and pragmatics
  • 3.Unpacking a slippery term: Internet meme
  • 4. Just Do It: The Nike-Kaepernick controversy
  • 5.Media narratives and the framing of reality
  • 6.Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 03 May 2022
https://doi.org/10.1075/bct.120.04wig
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