What are Memes ?

1.Read the following interview between Henry Jenkins (globally renown expert on media culture) and Limor Shifman (internationally recognized expert on memes) about what memes are, how they work, and why people participate in them: Part 1: http://henryjenkins.org/blog/2014/02/a-meme-is-a-terrible-thing-to-waste-an-interview-with-limor-shifman-part-one.html (blog interview) Part 2: http://henryjenkins.org/blog/2014/02/a-meme-is-a-terrible-thing-to-waste-an-interview-with-limor-shifman-part-two.html (blog interview) Next respond with a two-paragraph comment explaining what memes are, how they work, and why participate in them. Be sure to read the full article before responding as there is some nuance to these questions that you may miss if you jump in with the first thing you read. 2.Watch the following YouTube video that presents the argument that memes and meme culture strongly influenced the 2016 Presidential Election. MEME Theory: How Donald Trump Used Memes to Become President https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8Y-P0v2Hh0 (video; 33 min) Next respond with a two-paragraph comment explaining your thoughts about the video in light of what you know about memes, how they work, and why people participate in them. You do not need to take a political stand, only respond to the argument of the video. Do you believe that memes are capable of shaping social and political behavior? Do you see evidence of this happening? What do you think about it?