Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Department of English Studies
- Code
- OT-ANG17-310/i
- Title
- Modern English and American Literature and Culture: The history of political humour: caricatures, satire and stand-up comedy in 20th century Britain, Ireland and USA
- Usual semester
- Both
- ECTS
- 3
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- The aim of this course is to deepen students’ understanding of the key themes in British, Irish and American political and social history through assessing the use of humour and laughter throughout the twentieth century. The course will aid to familiarise students with the interdisciplinary approaches in humour studies and equip them with the skills and knowledge to conduct and present historical research as well as incorporate it into their teaching. a) Knowledge Awareness of the traditional chronology of European, British, and American history and an understanding of how to integrate humorous primary and secondary sources into this framework Confident use of language and advanced vocabulary, both in comprehension and in composition Knowledge of various possible literary, historical and cultural interpretations, trends, tendencies, within the context of Humour Studies b) Abilities Ability to read and interpret primary and secondary in English and differentiate between them Ability to learn independently, and to carry out relevant research Ability to place relevant primary and secondary sources in their correct cultural and historical context Ability to express themselves clearly about the topics with a correct use of English Ability to recognise the connections and links between various sources (text-based or audio-visual) and their cultural/historical contexts Ability to analyse works of art in a broader sense, applying them to our everyday lives c) Attitude Openness towards the topics, methods and opinions raised in class Accepting of opinions, even if they are contrary to their own Openness to the possibility of a variety of interpretations Striving to master various analytical methods Trying to address any use-of-English problems that may arise, and showing an openness to humorous primary sources that may prove difficult to comprehend for a first reading/listening Readiness to engage in constructive discussion and debate with peers and instructors d) Autonomy and Responsibility Ability to work independently with a wide range of primary sources featuring humour across multiple disciplines, with the help of relevant secondary sources Formulating their own opinions and contrasting them with those of their peers and instructors Carrying out independent research and formulating the results independently Patient listening to and respect for informed opinions Developing educated and ethically responsible opinions, ready to communicate them to prospective students Maintaining a critical and open-minded approach to the material presented
- Course content
- How can investigating humour contribute to our knowledge of dictatorships and democracies in the 20th century? After an insight into the interdisciplinary nature and methodology of humour studies, we will explore how humour and laughter had the potential to function as a means of dissent and a political weapon in a variety of historical contexts including the Great War (1914-1918), the interwar years that witnessed the rise of totalitarian ideologies, the Holocaust during the Second World War (1939-1945), Cold War USA and Britain, as well as Celtic Tiger Ireland and post-Brexit Britain. We will examine the social and political uses of humour throughout the 20th century history based on a thematic and critical analysis of political cartoons and caricatures (David Low), satire and black humour (Joseph Heller), jokes, stand-up comedy performances (Lenny Bruce, Eddie Izzard, James Acaster, and Trevor Noah), as well as radio and television sketches (Monty Python and Key & Peel).
- Assessment method
- Term mark; 5-point scale. The course applies continuous assessment throughout the semester and is made up of three (3) components. Students’ attendance of the classes and their active contribution to discussions and debates there, based on their assigned weekly readings, will demonstrate their reading, critical analytical and speaking skills, and thus make up 30% of their final grade. Another 20% will be testing their comprehension and writing skills, in the form of brief homework assignments on Moodle 4. The remaining 50% will be derived from an essay submitted at the end of the semester, which will include an analysis of freely chosen humorous primary sources, building on the humour theories covered during the semester. An important part of the submitted essay is a lesson plan, which assesses the understanding of relevant historical processes and cultural issues through the lens of humour. Continuous participation in classroom discussions and homework assignments prepares students to practice the skills of concisely articulating their arguments, as well as the ability to interpret a variety of primary sources and place them in their appropriate socio-cultural context.
- Bibliography
- Carpenter, Whitney. “Laughter in a Time of Tragedy: Examining Humor during the Holocaust.” Denison Journal of Religion 9: 3 (2010). Collins, Ronald K L. “Comedy and Liberty: The Life and Legacy of Lenny Bruce,” Social Research 79:1 (Spring 2012), pp. 61-86 Genova, Dafina.“Grasping political cartoons? Not an easy matter.” European Journal of Humour Research 6:1 (2018), pp. 85-99. Madigan, Edward. “‘Sticking to a Hateful Task’: Resilience, Humour and British Understandings of Combatant Courage, 1914-1918.” War in History 20:1 (2013), pp. 76-98. “The Secret Life Of Brian: Documentary on the Monty Python film,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdU_6jUQI9s&ab_channel=cbbuntz McGonigle, Lisa. “‘Doesn’t Mary Have a Lovely Bottom?’: Gender, Sexuality and Catholic Ideology in Father Ted.” Études irlandaises 37:1 (2012), pp. 89-102. Weaver, Simon. “The ‘Other’ Laughs Back: Humour and Resistance in Anti-racist Comedy.” Sociology 44:1 (2010), pp. 31-48.