My study contains a semiotic analysis of three screen captures of still lifes from the music video PrettyBones by the artist Yeule, directed by Joy 秀 Song. The music video depicts several scenes with inspiration from the Dutch great power era and it’s still life painting. The visual elements of the music video have a focus on the course of life and one's own mortality, themes that have long been addressed through still life painting. My study is based mainly on David Petit’s (1988) studies about the symbolism and meaning of 16th-17th century Flemish still life painting. The study also contains segments of Fanny Ambjörnsson’s (2011) studies about the color pink. The purpose of the study is to investigate what the still life communicates through the context of 16th-17th century Flemish iconography and through acontemporary semiotic reading. Results of the study shows that there are similarities between the themes that are present in the still life with contemporary objects and the more traditional still lifes. It also touches on morals and societal norms about feminine identity.

[pt] Considerando os quartos de adolescentes como espaços privilegiados para a compreensão de aspectos centrais da juventude contemporânea, essa pesquisa se volta para uma análise interpretativa de conteúdo, a partir do estudo de representações midiáticas desses espaços em um recorte que contempla matérias veiculadas sobre o assunto no site da Capricho entre 2013 e 2019 e vídeos de tour pelo quarto feitos pelos adolescentes e disponibilizados na plataforma Youtube, entre os anos de 2017 e 2019. Tal objeto permitiu um olhar privilegiado para discussões sobre a adolescência como categoria histórica e social, cujos ritos de passagem foram diluídos e ressignificados em tempos atuais. Tem-se ainda que esses quartos se transformam em importante reduto de consumo e de dinâmicas comunicacionais específicas que perpassam as constituições identitárias e as relações dos jovens com os ambientes digitais, incluindo-se aí o gerenciamento de uma presença midiática cuidadosamente elaborada. São questões centrais dessa pesquisa, ainda, a cultura material, analisada aqui no contexto da juventude, a partir da exibição e movimentação de objetos dentro dos quartos, assim como das narrativas elaboradas em torno destes. Reflete-se também sobre a construção da noção de uma privacidade juvenil como valor, daquilo que ainda é considerado de caráter estritamente íntimo, em contraposição ao que é exibido em ambiente midiático. A observação de experiências pessoais de um quarto e de uma cultura de quarto (do inglês, bedroom culture) aponta para aspectos essenciais de uma cultura juvenil que se dá essencialmente no espaço privado doméstico, mas que deve ser compreendida em suas relações com o espaço público e com outros tantos agentes da sociedade contemporânea. / [en] Considering the teen bedrooms perspective crucial to understand contemporary youth, this dissertation studies their media representations based on the interpretive content analysis of articles published on Capricho magazine s website between 2013 and 2019, as well as teen bedroom tour videos posted on YouTube between 2017 and 2019. This bedroom-centered analysis allowed for an input on the reality of teens as a historic and social group, whose rites of passage are being constantly reexamined. These bedrooms have become consumption strongholds in which specific communication dynamics take place, dynamics of identity and social media interactions, including carefully elaborated media presences. Herein, we analyze teen material culture from the exhibition and movement of objects inside the bedrooms, and from the teen narratives about them. We also reflect upon teen privacy as a value, and on what is considered strictly intimate as opposed to what is portrayed on social media. Personal bedroom experiences and the existence of a bedroom culture point to a teen culture that takes place essentially in the domestic private space, but that must be understood in regards to the public spaces and to other agents of contemporary society.

[pt] O foco do presente estudo são interações através de comentários em um vídeo do YouTube que aborda a temática do feminismo O objetivo principal da pesquisa consiste em analisar debates sobre gênero na rede social, mediante comentários de um vídeo. A base teórico-analítica apoia-se em abordagens na interface de ordem interacional entre a Sociolinguística Interacional, a Análise da Conversa e a Antropologia Linguística. Da Sociolinguística Interacional, são importantes os conceitos de Goffman de footing, face, gerenciamento de impressão e performance. Da Análise da conversa, são utilizados os conceitos de formulação e accounts. Da Antropologia Linguística, são consideradas as concepções de indexicalidade e escalas. A metodologia da pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa e interpretativista e netnográfica. A análise dos comentários, a partir do vídeo do YouTube selecionado na pesquisa, foi feita em dois momentos. No primeiro, os comentários versam sobre a pluralidade do feminismo. Há diferentes participações no fluxo da interação, com relações de concordância, discordância e indagações. No segundo momento, os comentários indicam manifestações interacionais conduzindo a um debate sobre gênero, com os direitos dos homens e a busca pela igualdade de gênero. Na ordem micro, os participantes trazem a ordem macro, dicotomizando o feminismo, em seus alinhamentos. Nas análises, nota-se que o meio termo dificilmente surge na interação. Há posturas de ataques e contra-ataques, que ora defendem o feminismo, ora questionam e reforçam o patriarcado. / [en] The focus of the present study is interactions through comments on a YouTube video that addresses the issue of feminism. The main objective of the research is to analyze debates about gender in the social network, through comments on a video. The theoretical-analytical basis is based on approaches in theinteractional order between Interactional Sociolinguistics, Conversation Analysis and Linguistic Anthropology. From Interactional Sociolinguistics, Goffman s concepts of footing, face,impression management and performance are important. From Conversation Analysis, the concepts of formulation and accounts are used. From Linguistic Anthropology, the concepts of indexicality and scales are considered. The research methodology is qualitative and interpretive, with a netnographic nature. The analysis of the comments, based on the YouTube video selected in the research, was carried out in two moments. In the first, the comments are about the plurality of feminism. There are different participationsin the flow of interaction, with relationships of agreement, disagreement and questions. In the second moment, the comments indicate interactional manifestations leading to a debate on gender, with men s rights and the search for gender equality. In the micro order, the participants bring the macro order, dichotomizing feminism, in their alignments. In the analyses, it is noted that the middle ground hardly appears in the interaction. There are postures of attacks and counter-attacks, which sometimes defend feminism, sometimes question and reinforce patriarchy.

Social media is today used in Sweden by 88% of the population. On social media platforms discussions of mental health take place, which can be seen as problematic, because of the risk of misinformation being spread. On the other hand these discussions can create connection and provide strategies to individuals struggling. In this study information about depression, on the most used social media platform in Sweden, YouTube, will be explored further. The purpose of the study is to examine what YouTube creators from Sweden express about information sharing and information use, when talking about depression. This has been done by transcribing, thematising and analysing seven YouTube videos. To analyse the videos the theoretical concept cognitive authority has been used. The result of this study shows that information use is expressed in the videos by referring to different sources, presenting factual claims and discussing personal experience. The video creators also explain how information use effects them personally. Information sharing is expressed in the videos by discussing motives and obstacles to sharing information. A conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that prominent patterns can be identified in the videos. These patterns include that the creators mostly discuss their own experiences in their videos, but they also refer to health care professionals regularly. Another pattern identified is that most creators express wanting to share information to create awareness, but they also share information to help others and for the benefit of their own. Further, obstacles for sharing information are discussed in multiple videos, these obstacles are other people and the creators’ emotional reactions. Lastly the study shows that the creators can construct cognitive authorities by using information in a convincing way, by sharing experiences, presenting factual claims, and by referring to different sources. The creators can also construct cognitive authority by sharing information that seems honest and competent, by sharing personal information and explaining how they successfully overcame depression. The cognitive authority can also be constructed by developing personal trust with the viewers, by being personal and showing emotions. / Idag används sociala medier av 88% procent av Sveriges befolkning. På dessa sociala medier diskuteras bland annat psykisk ohälsa, vilket kan problematiseras på grund av risken att desinformation sprids. Å andra sidan kan dessa diskussioner skapa gemenskap och ge strategier till individer som mår dåligt. I denna studie undersöks delande och användning av information om depression på den mest använda sociala medieplattformen i Sverige, Youtube. Syftet med studien är att undersöka vad kreatörer på YouTube uttrycker om informationsanvändning och informationsdelning i videos på svenska som handlar om depression. Detta har gjorts genom att sju YouTube-videos transkriberats, tematiserats och analyserats. För att analysera videorna har det teoretiska begreppet kognitiv auktoritet använts. Undersökningens resultat visar att informationsanvändning uttrycks i videorna genom att kreatörerna refererar till olika källor, genom att presentera faktapåståenden, diskutera personliga erfarenheter och effekter av information. En slutsats som kan dras av undersökningen är att vissa framstående mönster kan identifieras i videorna. Dessa mönster är att de flesta kreatörerna uttrycker en vilja till att dela information för att skapa medvetenhet, med flertalet vill även dela information för att hjälpa andra eller för sin egen skull. Vidare har hinder för informationsdelning identifierats, dessa innefattar andra människor och kreatörernas känslomässiga reaktioner. Slutligen visar undersökningen att kreatörer kan skapa kognitiva auktoriteter genom att de använder information på ett övertygande sätt, delar erfarenheter, faktapåståenden och refererar till olika källor. Kreatörerna kan också skapa kognitiv auktoritet genom att de delar information som verkar ärlig och kompetent och berättar hur de överkommit sin depression. Den kognitiva auktoriteten kan även skapas genom att kreatörerna utvecklar personlig tillit till sin publik, vilket görs genom att kreatörerna visar känslor och är personliga.

A variety of new treatment options for skin cancer patients drives the need for information and education, which is increasingly met by videos and websites [1, 2]. However, distinguishing between high- and low-quality content becomes more difficult as the number of videos increases. Recently, videos addressing patients with melanoma or basal cell carcinoma (BCC) were found to be of predominantly mediocre quality and poor reliability [3, 4]. Until now, no evaluation of videos on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) has been performed. Furthermore, no patient guideline currently exists for this entity [5–7]. Therefore, we aimed to systematically identify and evaluate videos on cSCC, the worldwide second most common type of skin cancer after BCC [8]. Our results will contribute to shared decision-making and help physicians and patients to select high-quality videos.

Bakgrunden till studien är att Sverigedemokraterna kom in i riksdagen vid valet 2014. De sägs även vara mest aktiva på sociala medier av partierna, samtidigt som användningen av dessa medier som kanalen YouTube är vanligt för alla partier att sprida sin politiska kommunikation. Vårt syfte består av flera delar: dels att undersöka riksdagspartiernas YouTube-användning; dels att analysera text, diskursiv- och social praktik i politiska kommunikation hos partier med öppna kommentarfält. För att studera detta använder vi begreppen  “det goda samhället” och demokratism med avsikten att förstå och problematisera politisk kommunikationen på YouTube utifrån ett demokratiskt perspektiv. Teoretisk ram är Arthos (etisk propagandaanvändning), Calderaro (web 2.0s demokratifrämjande), Dahlgren (“det goda samhället” och demokratism), Ekman (extremhögergruppers YouTube-användning), Falkheimer & Heide (historisk överblick av strategisk kommunikaiton), Giansante (demokrati i social medier), Halpern & Gibbs (politiska diskussioner i kommentarfält) och Neumayer (politiskt oliktänkandes diskussion i kommentarfält). Materialet är alla åtta riksdagspartiers (Vänsterpartiet, Socialdemokraterna, Miljöpartiet, Centerpartiet, Kristdemokraterna, Liberalerna, Nya Moderaterna och Sverigedemokraterna) YouTube-kanaler med  kommentarfält och tre filmer och deras kommentarfält. Filmerna är en valfilm från 2014 från både Centern respektive Vänstern samt en reklamfilm från 2015 från SD. Metoden för analysen av YouTube-kanalerna och kommentarerna är en liten översiktlig kvantitativ deskriptiv innehållsanalys, medan den djupgående analysen av filmer och kommentarfält är Faircloughs kvalitativa kritiska diskursanalys kompletterad med semiotisk analys. Resultatet visar att äldre och stora har sedan 2014 många stängda fält och lägre videouppladdningsfrekvens, medan yngre och mindre partier generellt sedan 2014 har många öppna fält och hög videouppladdningsfrekvens. Av de tre undersökta partiernas filmer och fält tillåter minst två av dem kritisk dialog mellan politiskt oliktänkande i dessa vilket främjar demokratin. Slutsatsen är då att YouTube bidrar till utvecklingen av politisk kommunikation mot det demokratiskt goda samhället.

The author raises the question of what black women do to resist acts taken by the government to control their bodies such as the welfare queen trope. Many authors demonstrate that the welfare queen is used to control black women as a labor force as well as their reproduction. An infrapolitical reading of black hair tutorials is done to analyze the ways that black hair care is a form of political resistance. Robin Kelley's use of infrapolitics to understand actions taken by working class black people is used as a model.

Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Louise Benjamin / In 2013, creating a 57-second video can lead to more than $150,000 in profit for the creator and the creator can be anyone. This money-making opportunity comes from a recent popular trend known as a “viral video,” defined as a phenomenon of a video becoming highly popular through rapid, user-led distribution via the internet. However, research has not determined a clear model for creating a non-professional viral video. Interviews and YouTube analytics revealed how the video “I’m Farming and I Grow It,” a non-professional video created by three Kansas boys, was spread. Using the theories Uses and Gratifications and Two-Step Flow, this case study then analyzed the comments posted on the viral video and a content analysis of the comments identified the key factors mentioned by users, which contributed to the videos’ millions of views. The results conclude the key components for making a non-professional video go viral are “opinion leaders” spreading the message and video content that elicits positive feelings such as joy, humor, or praise. This study also provides a model to help a non-professional video go viral based on previous research and this case study.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study investigated the semiotic resources used by Vagina Varsity, a campaign by sanitary towel brand Libresse on the social media platform YouTube to construct meanings around the female body. Vagina Varsity is a South African online advertising campaign on YouTube which marketed their sanitary products, whilst educating, as well as breaking the social stigma, around the black female body. In this study, YouTube was utilized as a space in which to analyze online identities and communication. The study was located within the field of linguistic landscape (LL) studies, including the sub-field virtual linguistic landscapes (VLL), later reformulated as virtual semioscapes. The conceptual framework was undergirded by multimodality/multisemioticity and feminist theory. The study used a mixed methods approach to data collection, and used a virtual linguistic ethnography (VLE) framework to collect the data sources, which included YouTube videos, YouTube comments, and emails. A focus group interview was also conducted, where the Vagina Varsity videos were shown to a group of diverse youth at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. The embodied discourses which emerged, as well as the discourse strategies of the commentators, were multimodally analysed. The study found that the Vagina Varsity course makes use of multiple modes, including embodied semiotics such as gestures and stylizations of voice, visual modes such as cartoon figures, as well as the strategic use of sound. In addition, the study found that educational content and marketing strategies are both embedded in this campaign, with the educational content overshadowing the advertising aspect. It is for this reason that the YouTube comments and focus group interview were centered on the program itself and not the advertisement. Furthermore, when looking at the medium this campaign used, one sees that the virtual space allows for the teaching of taboo topics, which would not be allowed in traditional educational domains. The virtual space is not only bridging the knowledge gap in the topic of sex education, it also bridges the gap between different communities, as the YouTube comment section allows for people to interact across regional, national and even cultural boundaries. This study also found that Vagina Varsity not only recontextualized the educational genre, but they have also recontextualized the production and consumption of a topic which would otherwise be considered taboo. In terms of the implications for the study, one finds that the stigma that is attached to this subject is removed from this content. Although one cannot say for certain that this type of education will take over the African traditional initiation ceremonies for girls, for example, it can be used to complement some of the content that traditional counselors and social workers use to teach young African women. The fact that the program is formalized in a curriculum that can be found online opens up possibilities for open dialogue across cultures and nations in terms of feminine hygiene. This study contributes to the field of Linguistic Landscapes studies, with specific focus on virtual linguistic landscapes. The study also illustrates that the affordances of the online space allows for a hybrid edutainment space where people can learn about topics which are considered taboo in the domain of formal education. This study also extends the concept of multimodality, by including notions such as semiotic remediation and resemiotization, as well as immediacy and hypermediacy, as tools of multimodal analysis. This study also contributes to studies on gender and sexuality. / 2022-08-31

The aim with this study was to answer the question “What components in Nike’s viral ads on Youtube trigger emotions?”. The data was collected through a qualitative and descriptive research approach and the method was a combination of a poetic film analysis and Ducoffe’s Model of Advertising Value. The model includes three components that were to be analyzed: informativeness, entertainment and irritation. The video ads were analyzed together with the comments posted. The comments were seen as electronic word of mouth and they were analyzed in order to understand if the viewer felt positive or negative emotions towards the ads. The findings showed that Ducoffe’s Model of Advertising Value was applicable on social media networks such as Youtube. Informativeness and entertainment were the most important components triggering emotions. Since marketing events nowadays are digitalized, it is important to adapt previous models and research to new platforms.