Raj, Sony JalarajanSuresh, Adith K.2023-05-252023-05-252023Raj, S.J., Suresh, A.K. (2023). Unmasking the protester: Deciphering the collective disguise of masked identities in political resistance and communication. In: Magalhães, L., Martins, C.O. (eds) Masks and Human Connections. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16673-0_2https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14078/3101The concept of masks is familiar to societies all over the world. They have a performative function for which they are identified and signified on a collective level. More than physical objects that hide a particular identity or protect it from external threats, the idea of masking is significant in terms of the production of meaning through which new identities are constructed. As a word, an idea, a metaphor, and an artefact, the meaning of the mask differs contextually (Picton, 1990). Masked identities can be a channel for communication where the exchange of meaning through the identification of the mask is crucial. In political discourses, masks are noted for providing a notion of collective identity which is essential to the inception of collective action such as protesting against a group or an idea.enAll Rights Reservedmasksidentityhuman interactionpolitical discourseBook Chapterhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16673-0_2