This book offers a critical, grounded reexamination of emojis by turning analytical attention toward the Global South. Promoted as a “universal language,” emojis appear to transcend linguistic and cultural barriers, enabling rapid, symbolic expression across online platforms, yet this supposed universality is challenged when viewed through the lens of context and cultural specificity. Meanings attributed to emojis vary significantly across contexts, shaped by local languages, social norms, digital infrastructures, and histories of representation. And while scholarly interest in emoji communication is well-established, most existing research remains rooted in Euro-American contexts. This book interrogates how emojis are interpreted, adapted, and contested in diverse locations, including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Malawi, Vietnam, Colombia, and Latin America more broadly. In these contexts, emojis function as tools of expression and as sites of identity negotiation, resistance, digital activism, and strategic branding.

Shahid Minhas is Lecturer of Digital Communication in the Professional Communication program at RMIT University Vietnam, where he teaches and conducts research in digital communication, social media, and languages.

Israel Ayinla Fadipe, PhD is a researcher in Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA), North-West University, South Africa, and Lecturer at Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Nigeria.

Abiodun Salawu is Professor of Journalism, Communication and Media Studies and Director of the research entity, Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA) at the North-West University, South Africa.