Course Syllabus

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What’s So Funny? 

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Semester & Location:

Fall 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:

Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:

Humanities, Communication, Rhetoric, Philosophy
Prerequisite(s):

None
Faculty Members:

Mette Møller (Current students use canvas inbox)
Time & Place:

Tuesdays and Fridays, 13.15-14.35 in classroom Fi44-Kosmo 405

 

Faculty:

Mette Møller

Description of Course:

Satirical news, stand up comedy, funny films, and ironic novels invites us to laugh at political leaders, religious authorities, cultural icons, our enemies, or ourselves. On the one hand, laughter has the ability to knock authorities off their pedestals and encourage a less obedient and more critical attitude towards power, which is why authorities have feared and banned satires for centuries. On the other hand, laughter can also offend, marginalize, and stir controversy and violence. 

We will investigate how political and religious satire can reflect cultural norms, open new perspectives, challenge common sense, offend authorities, stigmatize groups, and empower others. We will analyze a number of historical and contemporary works of satire.

In order to fully understand the techniques of satirical discourse, we will also produce a number of works ourselves in the form of cartoons, satirical news articles, and memes. The course thus combines a historical and theoretical examination of satire with a practical understanding of how to use satirical means to evoke laughter, incite critical thought, or provoke indignation in an audience. 

The course requires no previous knowledge or interest in comedy and satire just as you do not have to be the least bit funny to be in this class.

 

Learning Objectives:

  • You will gain knowledge of the theory, history, and cultural impact of satirical discourse, especially in Europe.
  • You will gain a deeper understanding of how satire may reflect, challenge, or shape cultural norms, values and attitudes.
  • You will get a deeper understanding of the ambiguities of satirical discourse and the complexities of interpreting it. 
  • You will learn how to produce your own satirical product.

 

Readings (available online or on Canvas):

  • Sune Auken & Mette Møller: "'THINK BIG and then do absolutely NÜSCHTE.' News Satire and the Climate Debate" in Genre in the Climate Debate, eds. Sune Auken and Christel Sunesen. De Gruyter 2020.
  • Michael Billig: "Embarassment, Humour, and the Social order" in Laughter and Ridicule. London: Sage 2005.
  • Fredric Bogel: Excerpts from The Difference Satire makes. Rhetoric and Reading from Johnson to Byron. Cornell University Press 2001.  
  • Charb (Stéphane Charbonnier): "Freedom of Speech and the Butterfly effect" and "Islamophobia is the new racism" in Open Letter. Little Brown & Co. 2016.
  • Robert C. Elliott: 
  • Simon Critchley, On Humour. London: Routledge 2022.
  • Jonathan Greenberg: "What is satire?" and "What isn't satire?" in Cambridge introduction to satire. Cambridge University Press 2018.
  • Robert Goldstein: “The Fear of Caricature and the Censorship Mechanics” in Goldstein: Censorship of Political Caricature in Nineteenth-Century France. Kent State University Press 1989.
  • Sharon Lockyear & Michael Pickering: "Introduction: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Humour and Comedy" in Beyond a Joke. Springer 2005.
  • Halime Oguz: "No, you are the ones who drew those drawings" in Berlingske Tidende 06.10.2015
  • Flemming Rose: "Freedom of Speech" in Jyllands-Posten 30.09.2005.
  • Art Spiegelman: "Drawing blood" in Harper's Magazine june 2006.
  • Michael Wood: "The Great Dictator - The Joker and the Madman" in The Criterion Collection 24.05.2011.
  • The Daily Mash: "Next Doctor Who should be a Dalek, say Daleks"
  • The Beaverton: "Palestinians recognize Texas as part of Mexico"
  • The Rococo Post: "Atheists rage over a picture of nothing"

 

Field Studies (subject to change):

  •  Visiting Storm, museum in Frederiksberg, and the exhibition: "The censored exhbition on censorship".
  • A visit from Bob Katzenelson, illustrator.

 

Guest Lecturers (subject to change):

Dennis Meyhoff Brink, DIS faculty, curator, postdoc, and expert on religious satire

Sebastian Dorset, Danish comedian

Katrine Pedersen, MA in Arts and Humanities, specialist on digital culture

 

Course Spirit:   This class is intended to be partly driven by you. While I am responsible for giving you as much insight into the history and theory of satire as possible, and for giving you tips and tricks on how to produce your own satires, you will be responsible for driving class discussions as well as developing your ideas into actual satirical productions. My ambition is to create a classroom culture where we can all tolerate each others viewpoints, even if they differ from our own, and where we can explore 'crazy' ideas and trains of thoughts, even if they are not fully conceptualized or thought through. This requires trust in each other, and a willingness to consider and contribute to each other’s ideas and arguments.

Assignments and Assessment:  

The course consist of an introduction to the history and theory of laughter, humor, and satire, in-depth-analysis of some of the most controversial satires in contemporary Europe (for instance the French magazine Charlie Hebdo and the German film Look Who's Back), and a few student-based productions of own satires. 

Assignment

Percent

Participation in class discussions and activities 

 20%
Academic reflections/response paper

15%

Production of a satirical news article (individual task) and a 3-500 word academic reflection (individual task)

15%

Final Paper

50%

 

A word about grades: I realize that grades are important to you, but try not to let your anxiety about grades deter you from taking intellectual or artistic risks, since they are often what you learn most from. Also, my grade is never an indication of my evaluation of you as a person. I grade you to give you my honest assessment of your performance at this point in time.

 

Attendance:  I expect you to attend all classes, guest lectures, workshops and field studies. If you must miss a class for medical reasons, religious holidays, or other valid reasons, you must let me know as far in advance as possible and obtain information about the work you must do to keep up in class. If you miss a class for any other reason (sudden illness, family emergency, etc.), you should get in touch with me as soon as possible and arrange to make up the work missed. All work – including home work and in-class projects – have to be completed in order to pass the class. Late papers or projects will be marked down with 1/5 of a grade for each day it is late.

 

Questions or just want to talk?
Feel free to email me or schedule an appointment to talk to the instructor.

 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due