Beyond a Joke

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

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2. Introduction: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Humour and Comedy

   • Sharon Lockyer, Michael Pickering

   Pages 1-24

3. Comic Racism and Violence

   • Michael Billig

   Pages 25-44

4. Race and Ethnicity in Popular Humour

   • Dennis Howitt, Kwame Owusu-Bempah

   Pages 45-62

5. Humour and the Conduct of Politics

   • John Morreall

   Pages 63-78

6. Parody and Decorum: Permission to Mock

   • Jerry Palmer

   Pages 79-97

7. Breaking the Mould: Conversations with Omid Djalili and Shazia Mirza

   • Sharon Lockyer, Michael Pickering

   Pages 98-125

8. Merry Hell: Humour Competence and Social Incompetence

   • Ken Willis

   Pages 126-145

9. Privacy, Embarrassment and Social Power: British Sitcom

   • Frances Gray

   Pages 146-161

10. Comedies of Sexual Morality and Female Singlehood

    • Deborah Chambers

    Pages 162-179

11. The Ambiguities of Comic Impersonation

    • Michael Pickering, Sharon Lockyer

    Pages 180-197

12. Back Matter

    Pages 198-212

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Humour is pervasive in contemporary culture, and is generally celebrated as a public good. Yet there are times when it is felt to produce intolerance, misunderstanding or even hatred. This book brings together, for the first time, contributions that consider the ethics as well as the aesthetics of humour. The book focuses on the abuses and limits of humour, some of which excite considerable social tension and controversy. Beyond a Joke is an exciting intervention, full of challenging questions and issues.

• Comic
• culture
• humour

'We all enjoy a good joke but we seldom take humour seriously, examining its role in expressing our anxieties and attitudes to life. This collection of essays, skilfully put together by Sharon Lockyer and Michael Pickering, will not dampen your spirits but cause you to "stop and think" about the place of the joke - and humour generally - in contemporary society.' - Geoff Lealand, Associate Professor of Screen and Media Studies, University of Waikato, New Zealand

'Beyond A Joke is a timely reminder that cultural analysis can illuminate how the best and worst comedy find their mark on the faultlines of society. This superb collection of essays is indispensable for understanding why debates about humour are central to the politics of public expression.' - Simon Cross, Lecturer in Communication, Culture& Media, Nottingham Trent University, UK

'This is a serious book about a serious and important topic. Jokes must be permitted in order to be funny - but are all jokes permissible? What about violently racist jokes, or subtle sexism in television sitcoms? The contributors to this volume explore the ethics of humour, from Sex and the City to the Alf Garnett syndrome. They reject the 'just a joke' excuse for the dodge that it is, but humour gets its own back by refusing to be pinned down with easy answers.' Moira Smith, editor of the Journal of Folklore Research

• De Montfort University, UK

  Sharon Lockyer

• Loughborough University, UK

  Michael Pickering

MICHAEL BILLIG Professor of Social Sciences, Loughborough University, UK DEBORAH CHAMBERS Reader in the Sociology of Culture and Communication, Nottingham Trent University, UK FRANCES GRAY Senior Lecturer in Drama, Sheffield University, UK DENNIS HOWITT Reader in Applied Psychology, Loughborough University, UK JOHN MORREALL Professor of Religious Studies at the College of William and Mary, USA and President of Humorworks Seminars (www.humorworks.com) KWAME OWUSU-BEMPAH Reader in Psychology, Leicester University, School of Social Work, UK JERRY PALMER Professor of Communications, London Metropolitan University and Visiting Professor in the Sociology Department, City University, UK KEN WILLIS English teacher currently working in Liverpool, UK