Challenging power through social media

Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. However, in recent years, he has faced serious resistance from ordinary citizens. This article examines subversive internet memes that were created by ordinary Zimbabweans and posted on social media in the aftermath of Robert Mugabe’s col...

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Main Authors: Rodwell Makombe, Grace Temiloluwa Agbede
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Johannesburg 2022-10-01
Series:Communicare
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1596
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author Rodwell Makombe
Grace Temiloluwa Agbede
author_facet Rodwell Makombe
Grace Temiloluwa Agbede
author_sort Rodwell Makombe
collection DOAJ
description Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. However, in recent years, he has faced serious resistance from ordinary citizens. This article examines subversive internet memes that were created by ordinary Zimbabweans and posted on social media in the aftermath of Robert Mugabe’s collapse at the Harare International airport on 4 February 2015. Firstly, the study reads internet memes of the Mugabe fall as forms of resistance to the regime. Secondly, it interrogates the methods that internet memes use to challenge official discourse. Thirdly, the study critically analyses the various ways in which internet meme creators imagine and represent Zimbabwe under the Mugabe regime. The article argues that internet memes of the “Mugabe fall” express subversive views that undermine the regime through humour, exaggeration, satire and other stylistic devices. Internet memes present an alternative discourse that counters the official narrative promoted by the regime.
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institution Kabale University
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language English
publishDate 2022-10-01
publisher University of Johannesburg
record_format Article
series Communicare
spelling doaj-art-7a67b2a5eb0b47f9aeebacc968af331f2025-01-20T08:55:44ZengUniversity of JohannesburgCommunicare0259-00692957-79502022-10-0135210.36615/jcsa.v35i2.1596Challenging power through social mediaRodwell Makombe0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3442-611XGrace Temiloluwa Agbede1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6734-5658University of the Free StateDurban University of Technology Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. However, in recent years, he has faced serious resistance from ordinary citizens. This article examines subversive internet memes that were created by ordinary Zimbabweans and posted on social media in the aftermath of Robert Mugabe’s collapse at the Harare International airport on 4 February 2015. Firstly, the study reads internet memes of the Mugabe fall as forms of resistance to the regime. Secondly, it interrogates the methods that internet memes use to challenge official discourse. Thirdly, the study critically analyses the various ways in which internet meme creators imagine and represent Zimbabwe under the Mugabe regime. The article argues that internet memes of the “Mugabe fall” express subversive views that undermine the regime through humour, exaggeration, satire and other stylistic devices. Internet memes present an alternative discourse that counters the official narrative promoted by the regime. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1596Robert MugabeZimbabweinternet memessocial mediaRobert Mugabe’s collapse“Mugabe fall”
spellingShingle Rodwell Makombe
Grace Temiloluwa Agbede
Challenging power through social media
Communicare
Robert Mugabe
Zimbabwe
internet memes
social media
Robert Mugabe’s collapse
“Mugabe fall”
title Challenging power through social media
title_full Challenging power through social media
title_fullStr Challenging power through social media
title_full_unstemmed Challenging power through social media
title_short Challenging power through social media
title_sort challenging power through social media
topic Robert Mugabe
Zimbabwe
internet memes
social media
Robert Mugabe’s collapse
“Mugabe fall”
url https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1596
work_keys_str_mv AT rodwellmakombe challengingpowerthroughsocialmedia
AT gracetemiloluwaagbede challengingpowerthroughsocialmedia