Humor as Soft Power: Caricature and the Ethics of Political Criticism in Contemporary Media
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijsas.v3i12.236Keywords:
Political Humor, Caricature, Soft Power, Visual Ethics, Cultural Diplomacy, Digital MediaAbstract
This study examines the role of visual humor in the dynamics of political communication, representation of power, cultural diplomacy, and ethical issues in the digital media era. Using an integrative literature review approach, this study synthesizes 34 academic articles from various fields, including political communication, visual studies, media ethics, and international relations. The analysis reveals five main themes: humor as a political communication strategy, caricatures as a visual representation of power, humor as soft power in cultural diplomacy, the ethics and responsibilities of visual humor, and the transformation of visual humor in the digital media era. This study confirms that visual humor is an effective and sensitive medium capable of influencing public opinion, shaping images of power, and mediating geopolitical relations, but at the same time is vulnerable to violating the ethics of representation. This article offers a conceptual model “Ethical Soft Power Framework for Visual Humor” as a theoretical contribution to understanding the role of visual humor in contemporary politics.
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