Multimodal metaphorical constructions of climate change in Chinese and American political cartoons

Zhao, Xiufeng and Wu, Yuxin (2025) Multimodal metaphorical constructions of climate change in Chinese and American political cartoons. Critical Arts. pp. 1-25. ISSN 0256-0046

Abstract

Despite extensive studies on verbal metaphors in climate change discourse, their multimodal construction across cultures remains under-explored. This study develops a three-step multimodal metaphor analytical framework and comparatively analyzes the multimodal metaphorical representation of climate change in political cartoons from China and the United States – the two current largest carbon emitters with different cultures. The analysis of 322 cartoons retrieved from major cartoon platforms in both nations reveals five shared, recurrent metaphorical frameworks – journey, war, game/sport, illness, and food. These metaphors serve to amplify perceived threats and catastrophic consequences, often with an alarmist stance. However, notable divergences emerge in their conceptualisation and framing: Chinese cartoons predominantly emphasise immediate, tangible environmental crises (e.g. natural disasters), with climate change depicted as an urgent conflict between humanity and nature that necessitates collective action. In contrast, American cartoons more frequently politicise the issue, framing it through future-oriented risks and emphasising demands for institutional accountability and policy efficacy. These distinctions reflect underlying cultural values, namely China’s collectivist ethos and present-focused environmental stewardship, in contrast to America’s individualist orientation and historical tradition of political critique. The study offers significant insights for crosscultural climate communication and governance in the diverse and interconnected world.