Memes to Movements

October 1, 2018
Bridging scholarly research and street activism, this analysis shows how memes are so much more than an internet phenomenon.As an artist, journalist, and technologist (whose "home is wherever the Wi-Fi is"), Mina draws on a wide range of experience, from China to America, in her attempts to show the possibilities and challenges of galvanizing political activism through social media. What is a meme? In its simplest definition, it is "a unit of culture," a term coined by scientist/author Richard Dawkins in 1976, well before the development of the internet. Originally popularized within the academic world, the notion of memes went viral as internet memes did, whether visual sloganeering, cat videos, or GIFs. They spread quickly and internationally, often defying the understanding of censors, as the author shows in her reportage of Chinese social movements, and adapting to messages well beyond their original intent. "Culture shifts, culture changes, culture is informed by much deeper processes than the internet, but the internet also informs culture," writes Mina. "Memes come from deep wellsprings in society, and as more of society comes online, more memes of contention and disagreement appear." Memes shape and shift the popular narrative, as hashtags amplify the power of "Black Lives Matter," or "Deplorables," or the crusade for gay marriage, and so often launch countermovements in their wakes. Though the author recognizes that such online activism is often derided as "slacktivism," she suggests that online activism and physical activism have a synergistic relationship, that "object memes" such as the "pussy hats" in the 2017 Women's March show a collective power and purpose. Mina is also insightful on those funny cat videos, which showed cat lovers (isolated in a world of dog parks and dog love) that there is a whole community of them on the internet.In this incisive and illuminating study, the author shows how she appreciates the power of art, the power of the internet, and the intersection of the two.

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December 1, 2018

What exactly is a meme and why are memes important? Researcher Mina (editor, Ai Weiwei: Spatial Matters) examines the role of memes in social movements, the intersection of memes with other forms of more traditional media, and the impact of memes as a seed that can flourish through the digital and real world; physical manifestations can ultimately lead to meaningful social and cultural change. The author takes a global approach with examples that show how people create and share "the street art of the social web" that fuels today's social movements, providing an entertaining examination of various types of memes, from the universally popular animal memes to the symbolism of the yellow umbrella and rainbow flag. Mina also explains the many forms that memes can take, including images, text, videos, performances, selfies, symbols, remixes, and of course hashtags. Alongside extensive chapter notes, Mina presents historical context that stresses that memes were not created on the Internet; instead, the technology is used to amplify the narrative expressed by the meme both geographically and culturally. VERDICT This work is a first purchase that provides a thought-provoking examination of an important aspect of social media and digital communication.--Theresa Muraski, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Lib.

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November 1, 2018
Mina, an American technologist and writer for Wired, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and the Atlantic, explores the global phenomenon of meme culture and the ways in which memes have served as digital tools for activism. Mina describes memes as "the street art of the social web," which can be expressive, complex, satirical, or silly. Memes can also contain messages and images that critique current affairs. Mina demonstrates how memes have been created and disseminated to disrupt echo chambers by amplifying marginalized voices and perspectives in a digital space that's filled with misinformation. Mina cites examples of meme cultures in Mexico, Uganda, and Egypt, but her focus is on memes' role in public discourse in China and the U.S., because of those countries' contrasting views and experiences with the internet when it comes to racism, censorship, politics, and culture. This is a thoughtful and engaging look at the complex role and power of memes in global politics and social movements and a worthy addition to media and internet studies collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)