Memes to Movements: How the World's Most Viral Media Is Changing Social Protest and Power

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.