المستخلص: |
Internet memes are a new genre of digital communication. Previously, they used to reflect the floating ideas between minds. With the advent of the internet, they extended to reflect the replication of ideas from minds to social network applications such as Facebook and Instagram. This paper is a corpus-based study that explores gender representation in internet memes circulating in Algerian social network. It aims at raising awareness amongst social networkers to avoid such misogyny molded as a funny meme. Therefore, the following research question is raised: How is gender represented in internet memes posted in Algerian social networks? A corpus of ten memes is selected from Algerian social networks; the analysis draws on Kress and Van Leeuwen’s (2006) theory of visual design and Goffman’s (1979) theory of gender representation. Results showed that internet memes disseminated in Algerian social networks are gender-biased; they portray women stereotypically. In some cases, these internet memes incite misogyny. Therefore, the study aims at raising awareness amongst social networkers to avoid such misogyny molded as a funny meme.
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