The Materialism of the Spirit: Comedic Corrections

• In Event: 3551 - Section on Sociology of Culture Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: 14. Racialized and Gendered Representations

Abstract

Comedic corrections are a cultural expression of some of the perspectives, most often undervalued or repressed, of the disenfranchised. By its design, the comedic context enjoys discursive independence from operating social norms. An empirical inquiry into comedic counter-hegemonic challenges to race and racism in the U.S. from the 1960s to the 2000s (n=1 120 sketches) indicates: 1) the durability of comedy as a tool of social critique; 2) the singular contribution of comedic challenges in identity formation; and 3) comedy that challenges race and racism focuses on re-making the representational and discursive aspects of race ideology.

Author

• Jennifer Kim