Memes as Resistance: A Discourse Analysis of Political and Cultural Memes in Pakistan

Abstract

This study analyses memes as culturally and politically resistant phenomena in Pakistan using discourse analysis of their language, imagery, and multimodal features. In the current digital era, memes are easily accessible and serve as major outlets of satire with humor that Pakistani netizens use to critique power, ridicule politicians, and go against dominant narratives. This research captures the use of interplay between linguistics, satire, and visual symbols through memes posted on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram from 2022 to 2024, showcasing how these memes convey dissent. The results demonstrate that memes operate as subversive discourse, affording the opportunity for marginalized populations such as youth and digital activists to engage in political commentary and public discourse within a restrictive environment that avoids direct confrontation with censorship. By analyzing the meaning behind the text, the research explains how humor is used as a tool of protest and how memes become digital markers of collective identity and resistance in modern Pakistan. This helps augment the existing literature on digital media, discourse, and resistance in South Asia.