Contribution short abstract:

This study analyzes how digital media and humor, especially memes, shaped public opinion in the Taiwan Sunflower Movement. Introducing the Digital Mobilisation Triad model, highlights humor's role in mobilizing audiences, reshaping narratives, and advancing political goals in digital activism.

Contribution long abstract:

This paper examines the role of digital media and humor—particularly memes—in shaping public opinion within Asian social movements, focusing on the Taiwan Sunflower Movement. It critiques the Political Opportunity Structure (POS) model, which oversimplifies social movements and neglects the relational dynamics between actors. In response, this study introduces the Digital Mobilisation Triad (DMT) model, which integrates Network Theory and digital activism to explore how digital culture and humor reshape political engagement.

The DMT model consists of three components: Digital Structure, Digital Opportunities, and The Memetic Repertoire. Digital Structure outlines the online environment, while The Memetic Repertoire highlights how humor and memes are used to engage and mobilize audiences. Digital Opportunities explores how online platforms enable humor-driven political coordination and resistance.

The paper focuses on the Sunflower Movement, analyzing how humor and memes shaped cultural narratives, fostered solidarity, and influenced public discourse. By examining the creative role of humor in this movement, it highlights how memetic strategies were crucial in resonating with local cultural values and advancing political goals. A comparative analysis of the Tunisian Revolution illustrates how the memetic repertoire worked differently in a non-Asian context.

This study refines the POS model by integrating the cultural politics of humor and offers a nuanced framework for understanding digital media's impact on social movements in Asia. By focusing on humor's role, the paper contributes to broader discussions on digital activism and the power of memes in reshaping public opinion.