This thesis examined the role of political satire in political cartoons as a form of
intercultural commentary across high-, medium- and low-context cultures. The research is
based on Edward T. Hall’s cultural context theory and semiotic analysis. This framework
was applied to political cartoons published in Latvia, the United States, Germany and Japan.
The cartoons selected depicted two major global events in 2024: the U.S presidential election
and the ongoing Russian offensive in Ukraine.
The research aimed to determine how satire is used to communicate political and
cultural identities across different societies and to what extent it can lead to intercultural
understanding or misinterpretation. Through semiotic analysis, the study revealed how each
communication style influenced the construction and reception of political cartoons, for
example, how subtle the satire is and what type of symbolism is used. The findings suggest
that while satire can bridge cultural divides, it also risks being misinterpreted if the audience
lacks the contextual background to decode appropriately the message that a political cartoon
is conveying on a specific matter.
Along with the work of other scholars, this research contributes to the field of
intercultural communication by further expanding Hall’s binary model to include medium-
context cultures and demonstrating how satire operates within this framework. The research
also highlights political cartoons as a potent form of social critique and cultural reflection in
the digital age. Further research could include cultures from the Middle East, South America
and Africa, with a survey to explore how audiences across the world interpret cartoons
produced in these cultural regions.
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