CALL FOR PAPERS: "SPECIAL ISSUE": Humour and Communication

2024-09-11

Editors:

Catarina Menezes (Instituto Politécnico de Leiria; CI&DEI)

Inês Conde (Instituto Politécnico de Leiria; CELGA-ILTEC)

Leonel Brites (Instituto Politécnico de Leiria; CEIS20)

 


Languages: Portuguese; English; Spanish


DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: 7 February 2025

 

Abstract
In a scenario of global uncertainty and geopolitical, economic, social and cultural transformations, humour is increasingly present in different contexts of communication. From brand discourse to journalism itself, humorous narratives mark a hybrid and plural media space, bringing the need for a transdisciplinary approach. Bearing these aspects in mind, we aim to explore humor as a discursive resource in media space. Considering this context, we intend to promote reflections on the relationship between humour and communication, in multiple domains.


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Description and Framework

Many, many years ago I stated that humour was by far the most important behaviour of the human brain. People thought I was being provocative. I was not.
Edward de Bono, 1995, p. 8

Emphasized by the legacies of a global pandemic and a renewed sense of foreboding brought about by the possibility of imminent global conflicts, humor emerges today, perhaps more than ever, with a particular sense of importance in how we view and organize the world. Amplified by the mass communication tools available, with an unprecedented reach, it is crucial to understand humor not only as a communicative resource but also from a discursive media perspective. In a world  where the boundaries of freedom of expression are constantly questioned—on the one hand by those who believe they don't exist, and on the other by those who argue for more regulation of the digital space— humorous texts today operate in an increasingly complex territory of interpretations, relationships, and meanings.

If, in a more immediate sense, we can associate the topic with the realms of strategic brand communication, fiction and entertainment, and even certain dimensions of journalistic text, humor as a subject of scientific research emerges today with a renewed sense of relevance in a post-digital context. This results in the emergence of hybrid perspectives on the topic and its role in various domains and communication formats.

Rather than discussing the limits of humor (already extensively explored, though without consensus) or confronting the three dominant views of canonical humor theories (superiority, relief, or incongruity), it is important to consider humor in its multiple dimensions of analysis within the specific context of Communication. Thus, we seek to broadly reflect on the relationship between humor and communication: in its form, as a linguistic resource (Yehorova, Prokopenko & Zinchenko, 2023); in the social dynamics and effects it imprints within a given culture (Warren, Barsky & McGraw, 2021); or as a communication practice in the creation of fiction or entertainment (van der Wal et al., 2020). It is also considered as a satirical tool in the service of social, political, and civic participation (Baumgartner & Becker, 2020; Faina, 2013), or as an integral part of  persuasive and transmedia communication strategies. Likewise, the aim is to contribute to the reflection on humor as a strategic resource in media discourse (Vasileva & Ivanova, 2021), considering multiple domains of communication in the digital age (Borum Chattoo & Green-Barber, 2021).

The media space, marked by an increasing hybridity of genres and the emergence of new actors, including comedians (Ödmark, 2021; Faina, 2013), presents an ambiguity that challenges our ability to truly determine what can be considered humor (Charaudeau, 2006).

Beyond the subtle boundaries that distinguish a joke from an insult, an innocent anecdote from prejudice, or satirical mockery from vulgar discourse marked by xenophobic views, humor can take on different forms in the public sphere of discussion, needing ongoing reflection in various fields of  knowledge. The aim of this thematic issue, under the theme “Humor and Communication”, is to explore the structure and role of humor as a fundamental axis in Communication, characterized by its plural, multifaceted, and global application.

 

Objectives and approaches

Adopting as a starting point an interdisciplinary dialogue based on the intersection of areas as diverse as cultural and communication studies, sociology, linguistics, political studies, economics, among others, the objective of this issue is to promote reflection on production processes, constructed representations, and reception dynamics, taking into account the multiplicity of domains and the proliferation of communication channels.

Possible subtopics:

  • Historical perspectives on humor and communication
  • Humor, multimodality, and discursive construction
  • Humor and representations of the social and political
  • Journalism, genre hybridity, and narrative construction strategies
  • Humor in journalism and ethics
  • Humor and agenda-setting in traditional and alternative media
  • Humor, fiction, entertainment, and the construction of the real and imaginary
  • Humor, cartoons, and visual communication
  • Humor, brands, and strategic communication
  • Audiences and dynamics of reception and interaction
  • Humor and identity construction
  • Humor and interculturality
  • Humor, activism, and civic participation

 

References

Baumgartner, J. & Becker, A. (Eds.) (2020) Political humor in a changing media landscape: A new generation of research. Lexington Books.

Borum Chattoo, C. & Green-Barber, L. (2018). An investigative journalist and a comedian walk into a bar: The role of comedy in public engagement with environmental journalism. Journalism. 22(1).  https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884918763526

Charaudeau, P. (2006) Des caté gories pour l’humour. Questions de communication: humor et média.
Dé finitions, genres et cultures, 10 (p. 19-41). https://doi.org/10.4000/questionsdecommunication.7688

De Bono, E. (1995) A smile in the mind – foreword. In B. McAlhone & D. Stuart. A smile in the mind. Phaidon Press.

Faina, J. (2013). Public journalism is a joke: The case for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Journalism, 14(4), 541–555. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884912448899

Ödmark, S. (2021). Making news funny: Differences in news framing between journalists and comedians. Journalism, 22(6), 1540–1557. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884918820432

Vasileva, V. V., & Ivanova, L. Y. (2021). Humour as a strategy for news delivery: the case of Meduza. The European Journal of Humour Research, 9(1), 105–128. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR2021.9.1.Vasileva

van der Wal, A., Piotrowski, J. T., Fikkers, K. M., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2020). More than just a laughing matter: A coding framework of humor in media entertainment for tweens and Teens. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 64(3), 478-498. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2020.1796389

Warren C., Barsky A., McGraw A. P. (2021). What makes things funny? An integrative review of the antecedents of laughter and amusement. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 25, 41–65.
https://doi.org.proxy.queensu.ca/10.1177/1088868320961909

Yehorova, O., Prokopenko, A., & Zinchenko, A. (2023). Towards a typology of humorous wartime tweets: the case of Ukraine 2022. The European Journal of Humour Research, 11(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR.2023.11.1.746

 

 

KEY DATES

1st Call for Papers: 11 September 2024

Deadline for Submissions:  7 February 2025

Publication date: 30 June 2025

 

Submission guidelines:

Articles must be submitted online via https://journals.ipl.pt/cpublica/index . Authors are required to register in the system before submitting an article; if you have already registered, simply log into the system and start the 5-step submission process.

Articles must be submitted using the pre-formatted  template of Comunicação Pública. For more information on submission, please read Information for Authors and Guidelines for Authors.