Title

Obama as anti-American: Visual folklore in right-wing forwarded e-mails and construction of conservative social identity

Authors

Margaret Duffy, Missouri School of Journalism
Janis Teruggi Page, Florida Institute of Technology
Rachel Young, Missouri School of Journalism

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of American Folklore

Abstract

This paper investigates the group-building potential of forwarded e-mails through a visual analysis of negative images about President Barack Obama. We argue that these e-mails are a form of political digital folklore that may contribute to constructing participants' individual and group identities. Images amplify the impact and believability of the messages, especially when linked to familiar cultural references and experiences and may lead to increased political polarization and hostility. Copyright © 2012 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Publication Date

3-2012

Comments

© 2012 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. https://www.press.uillinois.edu/journals/jaf/jafdeposit.html

Recommended Citation

Duffy, M., Page, J.T., Young, R. Obama as anti-American: Visual folklore in right-wing forwarded e-mails and construction of conservative social identity (2012) Journal of American Folklore, 125 (496), pp. 177-203.