Investigating the Role of Memes in Shaping Political Narratives in Pakistan: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

This mixed-methods study investigates the use of politically motivated memes in
Pakistan, with particular attention paid to their engaging and persuasive effects. A
survey questionnaire collected data from 530 respondents; content analysis of 100
memes of three major parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan
Peoples’ Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was performed;
both quantitative and qualitative data analyses demonstrated that political memes
could have significant persuasive impacts on younger audiences, engaging them further
while providing comparative analysis between both methods' findings. Analysis of
survey responses shows that most respondents perceive political memes to be an
effective means of conveying political messages. In contrast, content analysis of PTI
memes demonstrates their increased engagement compared with those from PPP and
PML-N. Furthermore, this research finds that politically charged memes can divide
audiences further while at the same time drawing in those whose preexisting beliefs
match closer with them. This study contributes to understanding the role of politically
motivated memes in Pakistani politics, specifically their persuasive and engaging
effects. Furthermore, its findings have implications for communication and marketing
strategies in Pakistan and provide a basis for further investigation of political memes.