Studying memes on social media: the case of memes for the pandemic of COVID-19 on Greek social media
Studying memes on social media: the case of memes for the pandemic of COVID-19 on Greek social media

Author(s): Rea Kakampoura, Aphrodite-Lidia Nounanaki
Subject(s): Anthropology, Social Sciences
Published by: Етнографски институт САНУ
Keywords: social media; memes; localized internet; digital ethnography; methodology: lurking-lurker; pandemic of Covid-19; humour
Summary/Abstract: The aim of the paper is twofold: on the one hand methodological issues in digital folkloristic and anthropological research will be discussed by using the example of memes regarding the Covid-19 pandemic that circulated on Greek social media. The goal, thus, is to demonstrate the methodology used in the study of pandemic memes, its limitations, but, also, its peculiarities arising from the field in which it was conducted. On the other hand, by undertaking interpretive analysis, as well as the perception and dissemination by Greek internet users, the paper intends to highlight the impact of the pandemic on people’s lives as conveyed through memes. Comments and related posts will be analysed to determine how well memes are received by internet users. The study questions concern aspects of this new experience, the pandemic, and the way internet users respond to them in relation to memes.

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