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Volume 08 Issue 08 August 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i08.1272
Perceiving Protest Through Memes: Multidimensional Influence of
Memes in the Dynamic of Student Protest in Bangladeshi Context: A
Thematic Analysis and Survey
Mashfia Afrin
Student, Bachelor of Arts in English, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB)
33, Mounobash, Chamilibagh, Shantinagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Received 02-08-2024
Revised 03-08-2024 Copyright: ©2024 The Authors. Published by Publisher. This is an open
Accepted 26-08-2024 access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Published 27-08-2024 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Abstract:
This study examines the influence of memes on the dynamic of the 2024 student protest in Bangladesh. This
research aims to understand how themes of memes can contribute to large-scale participation and sustained
involvement in a movement. An inductive thematic analysis was utilized using 30 pro-movement memes
circulated on Facebook during the protest timeline, which was complemented by survey data from 80
participants who were actively involved in the protest. It was found that the memes had five key themes that
were pivotal in mobilizing and sustaining student participation. This study concludes that the memes
demonstrated their effectiveness in the dynamic of this social movement.
Key Words: Memes, Student Movement, Bangladesh, Protest Dynamics
Introduction
Initially, the meaning of the term meme was a memes to fuel the student’s road safety movement
mind-infecting virus (Richard Dawkins, 1979). was seen in 2018 (Dyuti, 2020). On 1 July 2024,
However, in the digital context, the definition of another student protest broke out in Bangladesh to
meme has evolved. Memes are now widely known reform the discriminatory government job quota
as typically humorous or satirical pictures which system which turned into a nationwide anti-
are quickly and easily reproduced, edited, and government protest when students were attacked
shared especially on social media sites such as and killed by a wing of the governing party, police,
Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram (Shifman, and paramilitary forces deployed by the former
2013). In the last decade, it has been observed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (Hasnat and
worldwide that memes empower people to unitedly Martínez, 2024). Until Sheikh Hasina resigned on
express their criticism and stand against any August 5, 2024, students were unitedly resilient in
injustice committed by authoritarian figures which their demand for justice amidst the large number of
according to Bayerl and Stoynov is a situation arrests, injuries, and deaths in the movement.
when playfulness turns to deadly purpose (2016). During the protest, pro-student movement memes
Bangladesh is not an exception as the usage of were widespread and circulated among students,
Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol. 08, Issue. 08, Page no: 4675-4680
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i08.1272 Page | 4675
Mashfia Afrin / Perceiving Protest Through Memes: Multidimensional Influence of Memes in the Dynamic of Student Protest in
Bangladeshi Context: A Thematic Analysis and Survey
especially on Facebook. Even though memes are Facebook from pages such as but not limited to
becoming increasingly recognized as effective “Rantages” and “Oi Mama Na Pls”, two Facebook
instruments for political mobilization and social pages that gained popularity among the student
commentary, little is known about how they community during the protest.
specifically influence the dynamics of protest Research Instruments:
movements, especially in Bangladesh. The
hypothesis is that the recurring patterns or themes A survey composed of 6 statements with 5-point
found in the memes have significantly contributed Likert scales, was subjected to evaluation by 80
to the large-scale participation in the movement participants. The statements were made to
along with the sustained resilience of students understand the influence of memes in participation,
during the protest. This study aims to understand information sharing, creating awareness,
the role memes played in shaping the dynamics of conveying protest goals, student unity, and overall
this historical movement. outcome.
Research Questions: Research Participants:
• What were the recurring patterns or themes in Research participants were taken randomly from
Facebook groups of Bangladeshi undergrad
the memes which were circulating among
students who actively participated in the protest
students during the 2024 student protest in online or offline.
Bangladesh? Data Analysis;
• How can different themes of pro-movement The analysis of the memes started with the
memes impact the overall dynamic and inductive thematic analysis using a 6-phased
thematic approach (Braun and Clarke, 2006).
outcome of a protest?
According to Braun and Clarke, this approach
• What is the perspective of the protestors about ensures organized systematic analysis that helps to
the influence of the memes in their construct a narrative around the data (2012).
Hence, this method can aid in finding patterns and
participation in the protest?
understanding the context of the memes. After the
• Can memes contribute to the community initial familiarization process, 30 memes
spirit in social movements? underwent assessment and each of those were
labeled with a phrase that narrated the meme’s goal
Research Methodology: and contextual latent meaning. Then the labels
Research Design: were manually analyzed and shortened into small
codes that only included the key point of the label
This study employed an inductive thematic
for maintaining the accuracy of later organization.
analysis of the Facebook memes that were
Then the codes were organized in groups based on
circulated among Bangladesh students during the
similar patterns. Next, a detailed analysis was done
July-August student protest. This analysis was
to determine the final organization of the codes and
complemented by the survey approach to
developing themes. Additionally, frequency
determine the influence of those memes on the
distribution was utilized to summarize the findings
overall dynamics of the protest.
of the thematic analysis and the data from the
Study Corpus: Google Form survey.
A total of 30 pro-student movement memes were Findings and Discussion:
collected from 15 July to 5 August, the peak
The thematic analysis of the 30 selected memes
duration of the. Memes were chosen randomly on
revealed five key themes (Table 1).
Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol. 08, Issue. 08, Page no: 4675-4680
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Mashfia Afrin / Perceiving Protest Through Memes: Multidimensional Influence of Memes in the Dynamic of Student Protest in
Bangladeshi Context: A Thematic Analysis and Survey
Table 1 Classification and recurrence of themes
Themes Criticism and Call for Action Inspiration
for Local Trends Memes as
Mockery of Resilience and Historical Coping
Authority Reference Mechanism
Recurrence 11 8 6 6 4
codes Criticizing Call for Unity, Empowerment, Trend, History Expressing
Legislation, Call for Hope, frustration,
Criticizing Solidarity, Call Motivation Expressing
Government, for Participation Grief
Mocking
Government,
Mocking Prime
Minister,
Mocking Police
The most prominent theme was criticism and Call for action was found as the second most
mockery of authority. This included direct recurred theme. Memes under this theme directly
criticism of the government, legislation, and law and indirectly encouraged participation in the
enforcement, as well as satire aimed at the police protest by calling for unity, solidarity, and
force and political figures such as the collective action (Table 1). For example, the meme
contemporary Prime Minister, as shown in the in Figure 2 called for unity and solidarity among
table. For instance, figure 1 is a meme mocking and people from all religions to join the protest.
criticizing the government's actions to repress the Besides, the survey results in this study reveal that
protest. This type of meme may have empowered memes directly influenced students to participate in
students to voice against perceived injustices the protest which aligns with this theme.
(Penney, 2020).
Figure 1 Figure 2 Meme #15
Meme #22
Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol. 08, Issue. 08, Page no: 4675-4680
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Mashfia Afrin / Perceiving Protest Through Memes: Multidimensional Influence of Memes in the Dynamic of Student Protest in
Bangladeshi Context: A Thematic Analysis and Survey
Local trends and historical references, Inspiration repression. However, the local trends and historical
for resilience both were next in popularity. Both of reference themes included memes reflecting
these themes were found separately in a few historical references and current trends in
instances, but Figure 3 contains an example of both Bangladesh. Historical reference and current
of these themes together in one meme where the trends have been merged under one theme because
hope of the alleged autocratic contemporary prime understanding the significance of both types of
minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation in August memes requires a deeper understanding and
2024 is expressed with a comparison reference to familiarity with that particular context, which
the military coup of 15 August 1975 when Sheikh promotes a nation-specific narrative. This narrative
Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's may have built a sense of shared identity among the
government was overthrown, which was assumed protestors promoting solidarity.
to be an effect of his restoration of one-party Few memes had an expression of grief about deaths
dictatorship and totalitarian control in the protest and frustration about the government.
(Maniruzzaman, 1976, p. 119). empowerment, These types of memes may have helped the
hope, and motivation were included under the protestors to cope with their emotion as a
umbrella of Inspiration for resilience because these psychological lifesaver (Cancelas-Ouviña, 2021).
had similar patterns in the lens of creating However, the sensitivity of topics like death
emotional support and a sense of resilience which (Figure 4) may be the reason for the lowest
may have encouraged students to persist in their circulation of this theme.
activism even when confronted with setbacks or
Figure 3
Meme #7 Figure 4
Meme #30
The survey data (figure 5) provides compelling consistently agree with the hypothesis, with the
evidence supporting the hypothesis that the majority falling under the "Strongly Agree" and
recurring patterns or themes found in the memes "Agree" categories across all items. Specifically,
have significantly contributed to the large-scale the percentage of respondents who "Strongly
participation in the student movement, as well as Agree" ranges from 20% to 60%, while those who
the sustained resilience of the students during the "Agree" range from 22.50% to 52.50%, indicating
protest. A substantial proportion of respondents a strong consensus regarding the influential role of
Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol. 08, Issue. 08, Page no: 4675-4680
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Mashfia Afrin / Perceiving Protest Through Memes: Multidimensional Influence of Memes in the Dynamic of Student Protest in
Bangladeshi Context: A Thematic Analysis and Survey
memes. Conversely, the percentage of respondents notably low, further underscoring the positive
who are "Neutral" or express disagreement reception and perceived impact of these meme
("Disagree" and "Strongly Disagree") remains patterns in the context of the protest.
Figure 5 Overview of the survey
Conclusion: theme, memes as coping mechanism. Additionally,
the positive response of the participants under the
The findings of this study support the hypothesis
various themes portrays the significant impact of
by suggesting that the recurring patterns or themes
memes on the dynamics of the protest. The survey
found in memes significantly contributed to the
reveals that memes influenced the student's
large-scale participation and sustained resilience of
decision to participate, highlighting the power of
students throughout the 2024 student protests in
memes as motivational tools, particularly among
Bangladesh. Prominent themes of Pro-movement
younger populations active on social media. While
memes such as criticism and mockery of authority
memes were impactful, they were a complement to
and calls for action, directly influenced students’
traditional sources of information. Nonetheless,
participation and sustained their involvement in the
memes proved effective in spreading awareness
protest despite facing severe repression.
about the protest’s key messages and goals, as well
Furthermore, the themes of local trends and
as in mobilizing participants by providing timely
historical references, and inspiration for resilience
information about ongoing and upcoming protest
contributed to creating a sense of shared identity
activities. So this research leads to the conclusion
and community among protestors which reinforced
that memes can play a vital role in creating a sense
the collective struggle to demand justice against all
of shared identity and solidarity among the youth
repression and difficulties. Moreover, memes aided
by fostering a community spirit which is important
the students in dealing with mental stresses by
to the success of any movement.
expressing their feelings which is portrayed by the
Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol. 08, Issue. 08, Page no: 4675-4680
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Mashfia Afrin / Perceiving Protest Through Memes: Multidimensional Influence of Memes in the Dynamic of Student Protest in
Bangladeshi Context: A Thematic Analysis and Survey
Limitations: 6. Dixon, S. J. (2023, December 7). Countries
with the most Facebook users 2023. Statista.
The meme analysis was the major factor in this
https://
study and other factors which may have impacted
www.statista.com/statistics/268136/top-15-
the movement are not taken into consideration in
countries-based-on-number-of-facebook-
this research. Additionally, it is possible that the
users/m
sample size of survey takers did not accurately
7. Dyuti, Shahla Shahnaz. "Exploring the role
reflect the range of viewpoints and experiences
of facebook pages during the mass student
gained by all movement members.
protest for road safety in Bangladesh."
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