From Time immemorial politics has always garnered the attention of people. Political content in the form of ‘Meme’s’ has become a crucial element in influencing emotional, attitudinal and behavioural outcomes. The Recent Attacks of Pakistan on India was emotionally driven by excessive online content, one such content classification being meme’s. This study examines the role of memes on social media platforms like Instagram through content analysis and Interviews, focusing on the representation of nationalistic ideas on young minds through these memes. The Content analysis will investigate the recurring ideas of nationalism, explore how these ideas can reinforce unity in times of crisis, break the stereotypes and explore how these messages will reinforce or challenge the larger notion of nation and politics. The Findings highlight the persistent idea of the relationship that the two countries have shared over their seventy years of Independence. To compliment the content analysis interviews were conducted on young people between the age of 18-35 to explore their understanding of the crisis on hand and their idea of nationalism in this scenario. The Interviews reveal a growing consciousness in politics over the India-Pakistan conflict with many expressing their preference for peace over conflict. This research signifies the shifting of mindsets and understanding the political histories of these two nations. This demography reveals the growing interest of Indo-Pak relations and geo-politics from a Indian perspective. This paper discusses the ever evolving political scenario, Highlighting the need for more diverse and equitable representations of Nationalism among young Indians.

Authors:
Vasundara Priyadarshini Mahadev, Bangalore University, India

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Vasundara Priyadarshini Mahadev, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Bangalore University, Jananabharathi Campus, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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