Existing in the Context: A Conjunctural Analysis of Kamala Harris Memes

Abstract

Political memes have become a common way for people to express their political views online, helping politics reach young adults who weren’t previously interested. Consequently, politicians have begun sharing and creating memes themselves. The memeification of American politics has diminished debate about ideas, ideals, issues, and people’s vital interests, debasing voters by treating them not as citizens but as passive “consumers” and “spectators” of mediated politics. This paper helps make sense of this crisis, focusing on the example of former Vice President Kamala Harris. Vice President Kamala Harris\u27 memeified presidential campaign during the 2024 U.S. election targeted voters through a combination of social media posts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X, and Facebook. Along with her opponent, Donald Trump, each campaign’s social media account had its own distinct personality, with content and format curated to suit its target audience. This paper examines Kamala Harris memes to understand how they circulated and what impact they had. My inquiry comes in three distinct vignettes: the first political internet meme, the celebritization of politics, and the co-optation of Black joy under neoliberalism. Rooted in scholarship on internet memes, particularly political internet memes and scholarship on affect, this article employs conjunctural analysis to illuminate the broader socio-political conjuncture and the current and future roles that political memes may play