Abstract
In the context of Greek political discourse, and various discourses about Greek politics, the present study investigates aspects of humor as well as humorous genres commenting on contemporary political affairs. Based on an overview of research on humor in Greek culture and specifically in Greek politics as a strategy of im/politeness, the aim of this paper is to discuss representative examples of humorous texts, namely political satire, as well as texts pertaining to the sphere of serious discourse, namely parliamentary speeches and media talk that interact with the humorous mode in various ways. The research questions posed concern political humor in the context of Greek cultural trends that favor high degrees of confrontational and combative encounters in private and public/institutional communication. The methodological approach is interactional, seeing texts as locally negotiated communicative acts. It is also critical; effort is made to trace the overall trends in the texts under examination i.e., the macro level of cultural preferences in contemporary Greece.
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Notes
- 1.
As I discussed elsewhere (Georgalidou, 2023, p. 176), after a period of aggravated social turmoil and intense parliamentary conflicts in 2008, the Greek financial crisis was officially acknowledged at the end of 2009. New Democracy (ND) called a snap general election that was followed by successive governments unable to complete the four-year term in office designated by the Greek constitution. The sharp deterioration of the economy and the adoption of austerity measures dictated by the second memorandum (MoU) with the IMF and the EU led to weakening of the previously powerful parties PASOK and ND. On the 25th of January 2015 a snap election was called for the fourth time in five years. The election was won by SYRIZA, that after four and a half years in office, called another snap election won by the ND in July 2019. In May and June 2023, double general elections were also won by the conservative party (ND), surpassing the loyal opposition party of SYRIZA by approximately 22% and scoring an impressive 40.56% of the votes despite harsh criticism against its administration that had to do with the illegal tapping of politicians and journalists by the National Intelligence Service under the auspices of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself (Georgalidou, 2023). Harsh criticism was also addressed to the ruling party due to its economic and health policy, and a terrible train accident with 57 casualties that highlighted the shortcomings of public security provisions. Wiretapping fellow and opposition politicians and journalists, in addition to the train accident (the focal point of both the opposition and satirical discourse), went unnoticed or were not evaluated as crucial by the majority of the electorate.
- 2.
Rumors of early elections were widespread in the second half of 2022, leading to aggravated oppositional strategies in the political debate.
- 3.
Humorous attacks are underlined.
- 4.
PASOK, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement that ruled Greece for almost 40 years starting in 1982. Its political power diminished during the years of the economic crisis.
- 5.
SYRIZA, the Coalition of the Radical Left that ruled Greece during 2015–2019.
- 6.
ND, New Democracy, the conservative party ruling Greece since 2019.
- 7.
Discussed in Georgalidou, 2023.
- 8.
Denying accountability for the National Intelligence Service tapping political adversaries and journalists.
- 9.
Appeared on February 14th, 2023. 142.000 views, 299 comments, mostly positive, until February 28th, 2023.
- 10.
May 24, 2023, Episode 21st, 140.000 views and 250 comments, mostly positive, until July 6, 2023.
- 11.
May 23, 2023, 2:43–2:59, 7.300 views, 83 comments, mostly rejective, until July 6, 2023.
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Georgalidou, M. (2024). Humorous Genres and Modes in Greek Political Discourse. In: Feldman, O. (eds) Political Humor Worldwide. The Language of Politics. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8490-9_3
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