Government nation building and memetic reactions: Different visions of the UK in COVID-19 related communication

Way, Lyndon CS ORCID: 0000-0002-0481-4891 and O’Halloran, Kay L (2023) Government nation building and memetic reactions: Different visions of the UK in COVID-19 related communication. Multimodality & Society, 3 (1). pp. 44-68.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/26349795221146248

Abstract

<jats:p> The UK government uses news conferences, press releases, official websites, mainstream and social media to provide advice and information about the COVID-19 pandemic. This information has become ‘source material’ for social media users to react to government announcements in ‘digital popular culture’; that is, memes and short videos shared on social media. Close examinations of both reveal how different views of the nation are articulated whilst giving and reacting to pandemic information and advice. Here, we analyse a sample of official government webpages on COVID-19 announcements and reactions to these in digital popular culture. We employ Multimodal Critical Discourse Studies to understand how the modes of lexica and images work individually and together to articulate views on the nation. Through such an analysis, we reveal not only what the public ‘receive’ from the government, but also broadly held ideas and beliefs by the public on the nation. </jats:p>

Item Type:	Article
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	05 Dec 2022 16:34
Last Modified:	02 Mar 2023 22:54
DOI:	10.1177/26349795221146248
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3166500