MEMES AS CULTURAL TEXTS: COLLECTIVE IDENTITY AND IDEOLOGY IN VISUAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

This article examines memes as cultural texts embedded in the
social, political, and ideological dynamics of digital communication. Moving beyond
their humorous surface, memes are positioned as semiotic artifacts that perform
identity work, negotiate cultural power, and structure collective meaning-making
within online communities. By drawing on multimodal discourse analysis,
ethnography of communication, and cultural theory, the study analyzes memes as
instruments of symbolic representation, ideological reproduction, and digital folk
creativity. It highlights how visual discourse enables communities to co-create
cultural narratives, contest dominant ideologies, and sustain evolving digital identities
through shared symbols and visual metaphors