
- 128 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
A Cultural History of Laughter
About this book
Is laughter a sin? Or is it man's best medicine? Is laughter now trivialised, mechanised or even weaponised by contemporary media? This book explores the social history of laughter in the West, from classical antiquity to the present day.
Engaging with a range of thought from Plato to Nietzsche, it moves from classical to modern thought, considering the changing emotional climate of societies – including the postmodern "dictatorship of happiness" – and the role played by the technological changes of the last century in shaping our interpretation of laughter.
A broad, historical study of the physical and emotional aspects of laughter, as well as its social role, A Cultural History of Laughter will appeal to scholars of sociology, history and cultural studies, among other fields of knowledge.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Half-Title Page
- Series Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of figures
- Acknowledgements
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I Laughter and Thought: A Conflict Between the “Faces of Power”
- Part II Laughter and Society: An Analysis from the Outside In
- Conclusion: To (Not) Conclude
- Appendix: Supplementary Topics
- Index