Multimodal Discourses of Violence: The Female Figure in Online Cartoons

Candace Veecock

Multimodal Discourses of Violence: The Female Figure in Online Cartoons

School of Education and English

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

Abstract

Women are overwhelming underrepresented in editorial cartoons. Aside from key female politicians such as Margaret Thatcher (UK), Teresa May (UK) and Angela Merkel (Germany), there is a lacuna of women depicted in cartoons in general, everyday women and in particular women’s issues. This study explores the multimodal representation of women and the female figure in China Daily online cartoons. The study involves a critical multimodal discourse analysis of 10 online cartoons in China Daily depicting coverage of women’s issues and of violence against women. Of particular note is the use of anthropomorphism which metaphorically transforms the American Statue of Liberty into a suffering battered female with the attribution of human emotions despite symbolically occupying the community and international space of (female) strength, justice, forthrightness. Using aspects from Bateman’s (2008) framework for analysing multimodal texts and Chen et al.’s (2017) contribution to mapping the field of (political) cartoon studies, observations are documented about how seemingly benign multimodal discourses such as editorial cartoons in the online media can shape gender-sensitive perspectives.

Selected References
Bateman, J.A. (2008) Multimodality and genre. Palgrave.
Chen, K.W., Phiddian, R. & Stewart, R. (2017) Towards a discipline of political cartoon studies: Mapping the field. In: Davis, J. (Ed.) Satire and Politics: The Interplay of Heritage and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 125–162.
Chu Y (2020) On the hypoiconic structure of cartoons. Social Semiotics.
Chu Y (2014) Political cartoons in China. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 8: pp. 1–9.
Lazar, M. (2005). Feminist critical discourse analysis: gender, power and ideology in discourse. Palgrave Macmillan.
Sunderland, J. (2004). Gendered discourses. Palgrave Macmillan.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 9 Jun 2023
Event	3rd Gender Studies Conference: Gender, Community and Practices - University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, China Duration: 9 Jun 2023 → 10 Jun 2023 https://www.nottingham.edu.cn/en/humanities-and-social-sciences/schools-and-department/education-and-english/research/research-events.aspx

Conference

Conference	3rd Gender Studies Conference: Gender, Community and Practices
Country/Territory	China
City	Ningbo
Period	9/06/23 → 10/06/23
Internet address	https://www.nottingham.edu.cn/en/humanities-and-social-sciences/schools-and-department/education-and-english/research/research-events.aspx

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Cite this

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title = "Multimodal Discourses of Violence: The Female Figure in Online Cartoons",

abstract = "Women are overwhelming underrepresented in editorial cartoons. Aside from key female politicians such as Margaret Thatcher (UK), Teresa May (UK) and Angela Merkel (Germany), there is a lacuna of women depicted in cartoons in general, everyday women and in particular women{\textquoteright}s issues. This study explores the multimodal representation of women and the female figure in China Daily online cartoons. The study involves a critical multimodal discourse analysis of 10 online cartoons in China Daily depicting coverage of women{\textquoteright}s issues and of violence against women. Of particular note is the use of anthropomorphism which metaphorically transforms the American Statue of Liberty into a suffering battered female with the attribution of human emotions despite symbolically occupying the community and international space of (female) strength, justice, forthrightness. Using aspects from Bateman{\textquoteright}s (2008) framework for analysing multimodal texts and Chen et al.{\textquoteright}s (2017) contribution to mapping the field of (political) cartoon studies, observations are documented about how seemingly benign multimodal discourses such as editorial cartoons in the online media can shape gender-sensitive perspectives.Selected ReferencesBateman, J.A. (2008) Multimodality and genre. Palgrave.Chen, K.W., Phiddian, R. & Stewart, R. (2017) Towards a discipline of political cartoon studies: Mapping the field. In: Davis, J. (Ed.) Satire and Politics: The Interplay of Heritage and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 125–162.Chu Y (2020) On the hypoiconic structure of cartoons. Social Semiotics.Chu Y (2014) Political cartoons in China. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 8: pp. 1–9.Lazar, M. (2005). Feminist critical discourse analysis: gender, power and ideology in discourse. Palgrave Macmillan.Sunderland, J. (2004). Gendered discourses. Palgrave Macmillan.",

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ER -

Multimodal Discourses of Violence: The Female Figure in Online Cartoons

Abstract

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UN SDGs

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