Laughter as a Political Coping Mechanism : Interdisciplinary Approaches

This two-day conference, organised by Dr Benedetta Carnaghi and Dr Helen Roche, explores the role of humour as a political coping mechanism and illuminates its uses across disciplines and periods, stimulating fresh conversations about resistance to power.

Altogether twenty-four papers, out of almost one hundred submissions from a truly global array of scholars, were accepted. Professor Alya Aglan from the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris will serve as the external keynote speaker: she is a world-renowned specialist of the Second World War and the French Resistance. Her keynote address is scheduled on Saturday 29 March from 9:30 to 10:50 am.

The talks will fall under the following overarching topics:

• music and performance;
• caricature and visual satire;
• humorous resistance;
• fascism and dictatorship;
• postfascism;
• humour in extremis.

This conference builds on recent scholarship in analysing fascism and authoritarianism as global phenomena. The organisers aim to connect an interdisciplinary range of scholars—at all career levels—who will draw on history, literature, political science, and journalism to illuminate the political uses of laughter.

The conference is generously co-sponsored by Durham University’s Department of History, the German History Society (GHS), and the Association for the Study of Modern Italy (ASMI).

The organisers wish to thank Senior Research Administrator Paivi Eerola, Finance Coordinators Natasha Cobb and Heather Fenwick, Event Durham Coordinators Polly Minnis and Thomas Ludlow, and Senior Events and Customer Services Assistant Stephen Dawson for their excellent logistical help. Without them this conference would not have been possible.