Political cartoons as catalysts for democratic engagement: A study of Nigeria’s and Finland’s 2023 elections

Hakemuksen tiivistelmä

The integrity of democratic systems is facing a growing challenge due to the centralisation of media ownership, which reduces plurality of perspectives in the media space. In some cases, authoritarian regimes often suppress mainstream media, thereby restricting their ability to foster democratic participation. In these socio-political contexts, social media has emerged as a critical platform for nurturing democratic participation. Political cartoons, in particular, have proven to be an effective tool for political discourse on these platforms. This PhD study investigates how political cartoons in Nigeria and Finland shaped public opinion, voter perceptions, and democratic participation during the 2023 elections. Utilising three theoretical frameworks, namely Agenda-Setting Theory, the Cultural Theory of Democracy, and Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA); the study investigates the cultural, visual, and linguistic aspects of political cartoons and their impact on the electoral process in both countries with distinct political, cultural, and media landscapes. This PhD research examines how the depictions of political actors impact electoral discourse by identifying recurrent themes and multimodal strategies in political cartoons. It also examines the similarities and differences between the function of political cartoons in the media landscapes of Nigeria and Finland. Political cartoons from Facebook photo pages of selected Nigerian and Finnish cartoonists, media reports, viewer comments, and focus groups with a range of voter demographics in both countries constitute the data for this study. Thematic analysis and MDA will be used to reveal how these cartoons highlight important electoral issues, promote public discourse, and contribute to democratic engagement. The findings will have practical implications for media practitioners and policymakers, particularly in demonstrating how political cartoons can be used to engage voters in different democratic contexts.