755), political cartoons “can function in a multiplicity of ways as commentary, critique, memorial, and criticism”. According to Kelly-Romano and Westgate (2007, p. They have different functions and are used in different contexts to further specific objectives. 480) suggests that political cartoons “need not follow the principles of objectivity we expect in news stories rather, they are expressing opinions in parallel with newspaper editorials and opinion columns”. Thus, the cartoon serves to reinforce or reshape the readers’ minds regarding their beliefs or points of view on specific sociopolitical issues, as well as their social and cultural attitudes (Schilperoord & Maes, 2009)Ĭonners (2005, p. Meaning production in political cartoons is commonly communicated through “the humorous pictorial representation and the political butt or critical stance expressed in the cartoon” (Marín-Arrese, 2015, p. The purpose of a cartoon is to inform, sensitize, educate, persuade or pass on a message via a drawing, often accompanied by text, designed to impress the public. As a form of visual discourse, political cartoons typically combine humor, satire, hyperbole and artistic skill in order to highlight political and social events. 360) define the political cartoon as a “graphic presentation typically designed in a one-panel, noncontinuing format to make an independent statement or observation on political events or social policy”. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and newspaper editorial cartoonists use this medium to communicate complicated political and social messages. The significance of political cartoons is identified in how they can justify a political act. While the examination of textual or verbal discourse has attracted much scholarly attention, visual news discourse is still a relatively under-studied realm of political discourse. This comparative study shows both divergence and convergence in the issues and concerns covered in the media of the both countries.

The paper applies the five categorizations of news frames identified by Semetko and Valkenburg (2000)-the conflict frame, human interest frame, economic consequences frame, responsibility frame and morality frame-to the selected cartoons to identify whether the frames used in the political cartoons vary between the American and French news outlets. The paper offers a thematic analysis of cartoons published from May 8 to June 8, 2018, the peak period for publication of cartoons on the Iran nuclear deal, and accessed via Google images. The present study examines how Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on was framed in political cartoons published in the American and French media.

Trump in diaper cartoon