A Systemic Functional-Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Selected Cartoons Connected with Nigeria's 2023 General Elections
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Date
2024
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Department of English, University of Ilorin
Abstract
Political cartoons have long been recognized as powerful tools for social commentary and political critique. This research seeks to uncover the concealed ideologies and socio-political messages communicated through the strategic use of verbal and non-verbal semiotic elements in selected political cartoons connected with Nigeria's 2023 general elections. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of Kress and van Leeuwen's (2006) Visual Social Semiotics, this study undertakes a qualitative analysis of ten (10) cartoons purposively collected from two reputable media outlets in Nigeria - Business Day and Vanguard newspapers, and published between September, 2022 and April, 2023. The study reveals that verbal strategies in the cartoons, including captions, inscriptions, speech bubbles, and tags, were strategically employed to reinforce the ideologies and socio-political messages conveyed in the cartoons. The analysis also reveals that symbolic representations such as Nigerian map, race hurdles, gigantic stone, and cultural references were used to evoke specific meanings, convey power dynamics, and create associations with certain political ideologies or movements. The study concludes that cartoons effectively function as a potent platform for expressing political commentary, employing techniques such as caricature, symbolism, gestures, gaze, satire, and textual components to engage audiences, articulate political ideologies, challenge power dynamics, and convey socio-political messages.
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political cartoons, socio semiotics, multimodal discourse, 2023 general elections