The Politics of Humour

Module title	The Politics of Humour
Module code	POL3258
Academic year	2022/3
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Ross Carroll (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	25

Module description

Ridicule, humour, and satire are everywhere in our contemporary public sphere and especially in political debate. This explosion in the political use of humour has been welcomed by some as an antidote to hypocrisy, conceitedness, and even authoritarianism. Others, however, have highlighted the worrying potential of ridicule to demean, humiliate, or debase its object and distract its audience. In this module we will explore the politics of humour by drawing on resources in philosophy, psychology, and history. We will explore questions like the following: What makes humour sociable in some instances and uncivil in others? Is comedy always politically subversive or does it dissipate energies that might otherwise be directed towards resistance or protest? Is ridicule ethically defensible in debate and what limits (if any) should be placed on it? Students taking this module will learn to critically assess political humour, learn to watch comedy with an eye to its political potential, and even compose satires themselves.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Students taking the module will learn about competing theoretical approaches to the study of laughter and its social functions, learn to analyse written and visual satires from the 18^th to the 20^th century, study contemporary comedies, and analyse the potential limitations of using ridicule as a political weapon or mode of resistance. In the second term you will get a chance to develop an in-depth case study on a particularly effective (or ineffective) political use of humour drawn from history or the recent past. By the end of the module you will appreciate the importance of humour to the study of politics.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Use different theoretical frameworks to study the various roles played by humour in political life
2. Treat humour as a gateway into understanding the values, beliefs, and power structures of a given society

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Explain the place of laughter in the history of philosophy effectively
4. Analyse humour as a form of political rhetoric

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Appreciate the role of humour in critical thinking
6. Demonstrate effective communication skills

Syllabus plan

Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:

Part 1: Theories of Laughter: Philosophical debate about laughter is as old as philosophy itself. We begin the module by examining the three rival philosophical accounts of why we laugh that have dominated Western opinion on the subject: 1. The Superiority Theory (first proposed by Thomas Hobbes and most recently defended by Henri Bergson), 2. The Incongruity theory (developed first by Francis Hutcheson) and 3. The Relief Theory (most commonly associated with Sigmund Freud).

Part 2: The Social Functions of Humour: With these rival philosophical paradigms in mind we turn next to examining the social and political functions of humour, drawing on the work of thinkers such as Norbert Elias, Slavoj Zizek, and Terry Eagleton. Does the playfulness of humour soften social interactions, or can it fuel social conflict? Does ridicule provide an outlet for emotions that might otherwise lead to violence or does it constitute a form of verbal attack that can itself be violent? If people stop laughing at each other is this, as Zizek said of Yugoslavia on the eve of its collapse, a sign that they will soon start fighting each other instead?

Part 3: The History of Ridicule in the Public Sphere: In this section we turn to history to examine the rise of political satire in Europe with the expansion of print media and the relaxation of censorship in the 18^th century. How did the early public sphere in England cope with the growth of satire? How did satirists, playwrights, and authors exploit the new freedom to mock others in front of ever-widening audiences and were they restrained? We conclude this section by looking at some case studies of political humour in African, Asian, and Middle Eastern contexts for comparison and contrast.

Part 4: Understanding Political Humour Today: In the final part of the module we return to the present to ask what, if anything, is unique about the way humour is used for political purposes today. We will analyse the political nature of contemporary comedy through studying the work of stand-up comedians (Stewart Lee, Dave Chapelle, Samantha Bee, Michelle Wolf), internet memes, and late-night comedy shows (Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Seth Myers, the Daily Show, Last Week Tonight). Has the digital age transformed how we use humour politically? Or has it merely provided a new medium for old techniques? Has the manner in which states regulate humorous speech changed and if so, how? Does humour distract citizens and make them bemused rather than indignant when they witness injustice?

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	256

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	44	22 x 2 hour seminars
Guided independent study	88	Preparing for seminars; reading and research; watching comedy.
Guided independent study	168	Complete assessment tasks: reading, research and writing

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay plan	200 words	1-6	Written

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
90	0	10

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Individual presentation	10	8 minutes	4 and 6	Oral in class and then written afterwards
Essay 1	30	2000 words	1-3, 6	Written
Essay 2	40	3000 words	1-3, 6	Written
Critical analysis of a satire or piece of comedy	20	1500 words	4 and 5	Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Individual presentation	Individual presentation by video	4 and 6	August/September reassessment period
Essays 1	Essay (2000 words)	1-3, 6	August/September reassessment period
Essays 2	Essay (3000 words)	1-3, 6	August/September reassessment period
Critical analysis of a satire or piece of comedy	Critical analysis of a satire or piece of comedy (1500 words)	4 and 5	August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Henri Bergson, Laughter
Terry Eagleton, On Humour
Norbert Elias, Essay on Laughter
Sigmund Freud, Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious
Shaftesbury, An Essay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour
James Beattie, Essay on Laughter and Ludicrous Composition

Comedies to watch:

Nanette by Hannah Gadsby

The Chapelle Show by David Chapelle

Samantha Bee’s Front Frontal

Late Night with Seth Myers

The Daily Show, by Trevor Noah

Spittin’ Image

Key words search

Ridicule, humour, satire, laughter

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	none
Module co-requisites	none
NQF level (module)	6
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	19/02/2020
Last revision date	28/02/2022