Is it ever just a joke? Laughter can legitimise authority, unsettle hierarchies, forge collective identities, expose the limits of power. Humour can ignite debate, foster apathy, solidify ‘in’ and ‘out’ groups. It can evoke a whole host of emotional responses beyond amusement: joy, harmony, relief, but also scorn, discomfort, fear. In short, the meanings in and of humour are far from straightforward. There is power in humour and humour in power, too.
This interdisciplinary conference—timed to coincide with the exhibition "Between Laughter and Tears: The Political Cartoons of Ella Baron” of Ella Baron (White Box, Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities)—invites contributions that examine the complex relationships between humour and power across academic disciplines, historical periods, cultural contexts, and media forms. We are particularly interested in the ambiguity and instability of humour.
We welcome papers from across the humanities and social sciences, including but not limited to literature, history, philosophy, media and cultural studies, sociology, political theory, linguistics, anthropology, and performance studies. Contributions can address a wide range of topics.
Possible themes and questions include:
The role of satire, parody, and irony in public discourse The dangers of overestimating or underestimating humour Laughter, legitimacy, and the performance of authority Humour in the context of inequality Digital humour, memes, and platform politics Humour in an age of AI Humour in institutional or professional contexts Theories and methodologies for studying humour across disciplines Humour and power in translation Is ‘punching up’ permissible, while ‘punching down’ impermissible? Why is self-deprecation so powerful in comedy? How do power structures influence the ethics of humour? Is the offence of a joke relative to the person who made it? Should people in a position of power be able to laugh at themselves?