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Performing Metaphoric Creativity across Modes and Contexts
Edited by Laura Hidalgo-Downing and Blanca Kraljevic Mujic
[Figurative Thought and Language 7] 2020
► pp. 153–173

Chapter 7
Metaphorical creativity in political cartoons

The migrant crisis in Europe

| Universidad Complutense de Madrid

This paper aims to explore the discursive construction of political meaning in cartoons on the present migrant crisis in Europe, and the potential of cartoon discourse for creativity in the use of metaphor and blending. Metaphors, blends and cultural models interact in the representation of events and social actors in cartoons, and the resulting synergistic effect may create meanings which both reflect and reinforce or reshape public opinion (Bergen, 2004; Marín-Arrese, 2008; Forceville, 2009; Schilperoord & Maes, 2009). From a Cognitive Linguistic approach to Critical Discourse Analysis (Charteris-Black, 2006; Hart, 2010; Musolff 2012a), the paper focuses on the use of metaphors and other cognitive mechanisms, and the ways in which political cartoons provide the ideal site for metaphorical creativity as recontextualization (Hidalgo Downing & Kraljevic Mujic, 2013).

Keywords: metaphor, blending, cultural models, creativity, recontextualization, political cartoons
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Metaphor and creativity in political cartooning
    • 2.1Humor in political cartooning
    • 2.2Cognitive mechanisms in cartoons
    • 2.3Creativity in political cartooning
  • 3.The migrant crisis in Europe: Some facts
  • 4.Methodology
    • 4.1Case studies: Data sources and data collection
    • 4.2Hypotheses and research objectives
    • 4.3Research design: Procedure
  • 5.Results and discussion
    • 5.1Metaphor in cartoons and in the language of politics and the media
    • 5.2Creativity in cartoons
  • 6.Conclusions
  • References
Published online: 29 May 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ftl.7.07mar
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