Memetic Narratives: Internet Memes as a New Form of Political Communication in Digital Society

Abstract

This study examines internet memes as an emerging form of political communication in digital society, with particular attention to how memetic narratives condense, circulate, and reinterpret political meaning in networked public spheres. The research aims to explain how memes function as political texts, how they shape public interpretation, and why they have become increasingly influential in contemporary digital communication. This study employs a qualitative method using a case study design with a digital discourse orientation, as this approach is considered appropriate for capturing the symbolic, contextual, and participatory dimensions of meme-based communication. The research was conducted in the digital public sphere across X, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, where political memes are actively produced and disseminated. The study involved ten informants selected purposively because of their direct relevance to political meme production, circulation, interpretation, and digital communication practices. The findings indicate that memes function as compressed political narratives, networked communicative devices, and participatory tools of symbolic contestation. They expand public engagement while also carrying risks of oversimplification and polarization. The study recommends strengthening digital media literacy and advancing comparative research on political memes across platforms and sociopolitical contexts.