AN ICONOGRAPHICAL INTERPRETATION OF PAKISTAN’S RECENT FLOOD-RELATED IMAGES ON UN’S INSTAGRAM POSTS

Abstract

This study examines the iconographical significance of images posted on the United Nations' Instagram account concerning the 2022 Pakistan floods, focusing on their role in shaping public perception and facilitating fundraising efforts through digital photojournalism. Employing Panofsky’s three-tiered iconographic methodology: Pre-Iconography, Iconography, and Iconological Interpretation. The study utilizes the learnings of media ecology thoery as the study of media environments, the idea that technology and techniques, modes of information and codes of communication play a leading role in human affairs and to understand people’s creating their social reality through internet posts (Rafiq et al., 2024). Grounded in media ecology theory, the research analyzes a purposively sampled set of images from June 2022 to June 2023. These images, ranging from aerial views of flooded landscapes to intimate portraits of displaced individuals, such as a 9-month-old child and UN Secretary General António Guterres interacting with victims, highlight Pakistan’s vulnerability and resilience. The study reveals how photojournalism in the digital age authenticates Instagram posts by providing factual, emotionally compelling visuals that evoke empathy and underscore the urgency of humanitarian aid. The findings contribute to media studies by demonstrating photojournalism’s evolution on digital platforms and offer a framework for analyzing visual narratives in crisis communication, with implications for humanitarian organizations and policymakers. Limitations include reliance on purposive sampling and instragram images only, suggesting avenues for future research on other platforms and local perspectives.