What is it about?
The authors consider a visual aspect of the 2014-2015 outbreak of the Ebola virus and the social implications of humor in times of disaster. They explore how a provocative Internet meme known as Ebola-chan became a multi-vocal symbol that reflects social tendencies to anthropomorphize disease, the interplay between online and mainstream media cultures, and the biocultural nature of infectious disease epidemics.
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Why is it important?
This paper considers the biosocial and biocultural nature of infectious disease epidemics, the implications of infectious disease epidemics in the digital age, and the intersection of Internet sociality/cultures with the evolving genre of disaster humor
Perspectives
As a medical anthropologist with an interest in visual culture and infectious disease, the Ebola-chan character was a fascinating way for me to better understand why people, particularly on the Internet, can parade seemingly vulgar, hurtful, or even dangerous behavior. This analysis walks the reader through the social mechanisms that generate off-beat forms of humor, art, and interpretations of death in the face of disaster.
Ms Olivia R Marcus
University of Connecticut
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Loving Ebola-chan: Internet memes in an epidemic, Media Culture & Society, July 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0163443716646174.
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