Looking for truth in absurdity: Humour as community-building and dissidence against authoritarianism

Abstract

What makes humour an honest and a direct communication tool for people? How do social networking and digital media transmit user-generated political and humorous content? Our research argues that the way in which humour is deployed through digital media during protest action allows protestors to assert humanity and sincerity against dehumanising political manipulation frameworks. Humorous content, to this extent, enables and is indicative of independent thinking and creativity. It causes contemplation, confronts the hegemonic power of the oppressor, and challenges fear and apathy. In order to conduct this research, we collected and analysed tweets shared during the Gezi Park protests. Gezi Parkı was chosen as the keyword since it was an unstructured and neutral term. Among millions of visual images shared during the protests, we concentrate on those that depict humour both in photography and video formats.

Digital Diaspora Activism at the Margins: Unfolding Rohingya Diaspora Interactions on Facebook (2017–2022)

“…It helps advance the discussion on their plight and draws global attention to the injustice they have endured for decades. They also engage through humor and caricature to convey political messages; nevertheless, the profundity of such practices to build collective consciousness is contested due to the aesthetic interpretation of humor (Korkut et al, 2022). The context specificity of humor is another important aspect that limits the scope of transcending the messages beyond the familiar circle.…”

Under the Shadow of Culture and Politics: Understanding LGBTQ Social Media Activists’ Perceptions, Concerns, and Strategies

“…According to prior research, the online discourse forms representations of reality while actively constructing reality for LGBTQ groups and for other marginalized groups (Korkut et al, 2020). Thus, online platforms such as social media are powerful tools for constructing reality and providing new opportunities for activists and marginalized groups.…”

Memeifying academic work precarity

“…Humour has the potential to confront hegemonic power in social movements (Korkut et al 2021) and during times of societal upheavals, such as the COVID-19 pandemic (Mada & Gomoescu 2020). On social media, humour can also be used to show resilience during emergencies such as terrorist attacks (Eriksson 2018).…”