Political Memes and Perception: Exploring Memes as a Tool for Political Communication in India

Abstract

Abstract

The word meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book “The Selfish Gene” as an attempt to explain the way cultural information spreads. In the current world of digital accelerated life, memes stand in for the dominant concept of online participation. They distill complex information and clearly convey the message. They are now playing an active role in online political discussions and cultivating politically engaged and informed internet users.

This paper seeks to determine the role of political themed memes on digital media in criticizing political policies and faces in India. It aims to look into how exposure to political memes affects people's political segregation, political knowledge, and online political participation. Parameters like political engagement, influence on political views and voting behavior are used to analyse the impact of memes. The research paper includes a primary survey of GenZ (18–25 year) age groups who are active on digital media and also play a vital role in the Indian political discourse. The survey will focus on how frequently the respondents encounter political memes, the types of memes they encounter, and their response to them. The paper will also investigate whether political memes influence the respondents' political views and voting behavior.

In conclusion, this research paper will provide valuable insights into the role of political memes in shaping the Indian political discourse. The findings of this study will be relevant not only for researchers but also for political parties and social media platforms that are increasingly becoming an integral part of modern-day election campaigns.

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