Thread by @SuneAuken

So, while we are resting on the #FBPE-laurels after a hot chase of #WATON, a few very preliminary thoughts on #Brexit and #genre. As my handle indicates, I came to #Twitter with an intent to talk about genre #research, but I have ended up talking about Brexit instead. 1/

Or is that indeed "instead"? A central finding of #genrestudies is that #genre is well nigh omnipresent in human culture, cognition, and communication. Thus, we think, react, and act in genre patterns, and we all have a surprising aptitude for understanding and using genre. 2/

Thus, it may never have entered your mind while discussing #Brexit (or, hopefully, the lack thereof) that you are constantly using and discussing #genre. But you are. Allow me to show you. 3/

At the center of the #Brexit debate (itself a #genre) is a thing called a "referendum". That's a genre. Moreover, this particular referendum had as its particular character that it was an "advisory referendum". A variant genre or, if you will, #subgenre to the referendum. 4/

Now, as you know, the fact that this was an "advisory referendum" meant that a number of safeguards connected to stonger referendums (for example a demand for a supermajority) were not present. Had such safeguards been in place, Brexit wouldn´t be on its way. 5/

However, and this is, as you still know very well, just not in those terms, the result of the advisory referendum result (a new #genre) was taken up, not as a narrow win (yet another genre), but as an expression (genre) of a metaphysical entity called The Will of the People. 6/

This nonewithstanding that there were critical problems connected to several crucial #genres in connection with the advisory referendum. One being that one of the campaigns (genre) leading up to the referendum were dominated by lies (yet another genre). 7/

Another genre which should ideally have played a crucial role to both campaigns, the "expert testimony" was aggressively discounted beforehand, and never got to play its necessary part in enligtening the decision of the voters. 8/

Then, of course, there was the hidden asymmetry of the "voting ballot" (yep that's a #genre too) which displayed to completly unequal opportunities, one well-known and stable (remain) another almost wholly unknown and highly dramatic (leave) as if they were similar. 9/

And this is just the beginning. The resulting "advise", taken up as a "decision", gave rise to "negotiations", and "debates", including (far too few) "parliamentary debates". Into this came "newspaper headlines" and "articles" leading to, among other things "death threats" 10/

Leading, of course, to the rise of a number of "SoMe interchanges" which helped form "hashtags" (yep, a #genre). So basically y'all. While we are #FBPE-ing, we are also acting in accordance with a set of genre expectations. 11/

So before everyone gives up on me, I'll close this too extended "twiter thread" for now. I may be back later. But this was just to give you a "hint" of the connection between #genre and the #Brexit debate. 12/12

An added #genre (( may add more later as I stumble upon them): the manifesto. In this case a pretty informal version, but more formalized version definitely play a part in the debate as well.

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by @polbikers view original on Twitter

And stamps. #genre

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by @cliodiaspora view original on Twitter

And the "random screengrab":

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by @IsolatedBrit view original on Twitter

And a novel #genre #uptake: the satiric-parodic photo casebook. We lovessss it, my preciousss. Thanks @TMayCasebooks.

This is a little off the #Brexit debate, but this example makes it evident that you really, like really really, need to understand the #genres you use and/or refer to. In casu: the google ad.

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by @jamesdoleman view original on Twitter

A curious #genre in the #Brexit debate is the #TwitterPolls. They have no validity as opinion measurements, and are frequently skewed at the origin. But it deminstrates how the polls become miniature SoMe battlefields. Thus, the poll below was hit by pro-#remain campaigners.

This poll didn´t fare any better.

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by @keira_churchill view original on Twitter

This is a particularly beautiful specimen of the #genre, because the scale of the thing was so huge. For those who don´t know it Lord Ashcroft is a leading Brexiter, and his followers would thus be likely to vote in favor of Brexit. 1/

However, the poll spread beyond the circle of his followers and ended up being retweeted To Infinity and Beyond by #remainers - I think I retweeted it 20 times. And thus the result went the opposite direction. 2/

The short and long of it is, that even though the #TwitterPolls as a #genre is well below any feasible standard of objectivity, they are indicative in another way. They are sites contention, even of power struggles; who can rally enough like minded accounts to turn the poll? 3/

And, thus, to many, like me, the fact that a poll by a leading Brexiter could be swarmed by #FBPE #remainers was, if nothing else, a sign of how the #remain side has achieved a certain dominance in the debates on #twitter. I don´t think that could have happend a year ago. 4/4

Yet another #genre novelty: #Brexit related kamikaze image. I did not see that one coming.

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by @eurosluggard view original on Twitter

And an #uptake #genre if ever I saw one, the “parodic-satiric car commercial”. New born, but perfect in every detail.

And here, quite against my wish, is a thread on patriotism in the face of an utterly disgusting #genre move.

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by @GenreResearch view original on Twitter

Going back to the #stamps before here we have parodic stamps.

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by @SueH60 view original on Twitter

A "rebellion list".

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by @nickreeves9876 view original on Twitter

The action-oriented-webpage, of course, including the importance of the webpage name, a crucual #genre in itself.

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by @MollyMEP view original on Twitter

The almost empty tweet. So wonderful to rip out of context.

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by @37paday view original on Twitter

The "obviously doctored photo".

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by @BorderIrish view original on Twitter

The "exasperated repetition of the blindingly obvious". As the label indicates a somewhat annoying genre - to the user.

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by @mk1969 view original on Twitter

The "testimony submission invitation".

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by @EUCitizen2017 view original on Twitter

The "analogy"

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by @davidallengreen view original on Twitter

The "Who's To Blame For Brexit chart".

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by @davidschneider view original on Twitter

I had the poll further up. Here is the "ironic poll":

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by @JoRichardsKent view original on Twitter

It had to happen ... the “parody movie poster”.

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by @dogtrouser_pi view original on Twitter