This book offers a critical and interdisciplinary analysis of emojis, focusing on perspectives from the Global South. Emojis are often touted as a universal language that can transcend linguistic and cultural barriers, with the assumption that they convey meaning consistently across various contexts. However, the interpretation and usage of emojis are profoundly influenced by local cultures, languages, social norms, technological infrastructures, and historical contexts of representation. This book explores how emojis are interpreted, adapted, and contested across diverse contexts, including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, India, Vietnam, Colombia, Peru, and Latin America more broadly, bringing together perspectives from communication, law, marketing, cultural studies, technology, and media research. This book examines emoji use in legal disputes, e-banking, health communication, academic interaction, branding strategies, intercultural communication, indigenous digital cultures, and emerging debates about accessibility and platform design. Moving beyond assumptions of universality, this book reveals how emojis function as sites of identity negotiation, cultural preservation, digital activism, commercial engagement, and technological innovation. The book provides a timely contribution to understanding the complex social, cultural, and political meanings of emojis in an increasingly interconnected yet uneven digital world.

Shahid Minhas is Lecturer in Digital Communication in the Professional Communication program at RMIT University Vietnam. His teaching and research focus on digital communication, social media, and language practices in digitally mediated environments.

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.