Abstract
Despite several claims on the political inconsequence and moral ambivalence of humor and satire, I contend that satire can be employed to raise environmental awareness, which requires ethical and political responsibility, and foreground environmental concerns among people and policy makers. South Park is investigated to illustrate how an alliance between satire and environmentalism can further environmental causes. The show’s environmental satire happens at three levels: direct environmental satire aiming to promote environmental ethics and encourage change; satire directed against environmentalists; and satire linking environmental issues with other adjacent concerns including politics, economy, culture, race, ethnicity, science and religion.
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I would like to thank Professor Scott Slovic and Professor Brennan Thomas for their helpful suggestions on earlier drafts of this essay.
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Zekavat, M. Satire, humor and ecological thought. Neohelicon 46, 369–386 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11059-018-00471-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11059-018-00471-0