الطفل بين سلطة الصورة وهيمنة الخطاب: مقاربة سيميولوجية لتمثلات الطفولة في قناة Cartoon Network MENA على اليوتيوب.

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the representations of childhood in the content of Cartoon Network MENA (CN) on YouTube, through a semiological approach that allows for the deconstruction of the relationship between the authority of the image and the dominance of discourse in shaping the child’s portrayal. The central research question is: How does CN construct symbolic representations of childhood, and what meanings do these representations convey regarding the formation of the child's awareness and their position within the cultural and social system? The study seeks to critically examine the representational structure embedded in this form of digital media and to highlight its impact on the construction of contemporary childhood consciousness. It adopts a semiological methodology, drawing on Roland Barthes’ analytical framework to examine a sample of the most-viewed videos on the channel, which include animated and entertainment content targeted at children. The analysis is divided into two main axes: 1. The representation of the child within media discourse, focusing on values, roles, and language. 2. The mechanisms through which visual imagery is used to convey behavioral or consumerist models. The study anticipates that the visual discourse tends to depict the child either as a passive consumer or as a stereotypical figure, reinforcing a representation of childhood that is subject to symbolic and ideological domination.