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Forty years ago, the term “meme” referred “discrete units of cultural inheritance” like gossip, fashions and catchphrases that, by virtue of their rapid spread and adoption, drove cultural evolution, writes Michelle Mielly.
Today, memes have gone online and gone political, skewering everyone and everything from right to left. First meme wars influenced the US and French presidential debates. Now they’re spurring a debate about free speech versus hate speech in the digital age.
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What’s the meme war all about?
Star Wars Memes/Facebook
Michelle Mielly, Grenoble École de Management (GEM)
The term "meme" was coined in 1976. Today, these cultural artefacts have gone viral, and are redrawing the boundaries of acceptable political discourse.
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Business + Economy
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Dr. Amiera Sawas, Institute of Business Administration, Karachi; Dr Nausheen H. Anwar, Institute of Business Administration, Karachi
China is sinking billions into energy development in rural Pakistan, much of it earmarked for renewables. That may be good for the climate and the national economy, but what about the locals?
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Liam Magee, Western Sydney University; David Sweeting, Western Sydney University; Teresa Swist, Western Sydney University
A co-operative project that maps services in Dhaka shows how communities of citizens can be more than passive users of the digital platforms that increasingly shape our daily lives.
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Environment + Energy
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Rosaleen Duffy, University of Sheffield; Hannah Dickinson, University of Sheffield; Laure Joanny, University of Sheffield
Protecting rhinos and fighting terrorism are both noble causes, but there isn't much evidence of a link between the two.
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Politics + Society
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Irfan Ahmad, Max Planck Institute
For decades, India's Hindu and Muslim populations have been at odds, and it comes down to more than just religion.
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