Slama, Martin and Kamal, Noura 2026. “Exploring wit in oppressive and conflictual environments. The significance of agentic forms of humor” Focaal—Journal of Global and Historical Anthropology 104 (2026): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3167/fcl.2026.1040101
Abstract
This introduction locates the theme section “Humor, coping, and resistance” in relation to anthropological literature on agency, power, and social suffering as well as the field of humor theory, including anthropological approaches to humor. It asks about the role of humor in theories of agency and, vice versa, the role of agency in theories of humor. Discussing the three case studies, it develops an argument about the significance of agentic forms of humor, ranging from subtle coping to outright resistance, in oppressive and conflictual environments. Yet, it also points to the limits of the agency of humor due to censorship and grave power asymmetries that nevertheless can have the effect of making people resort to another agentic quality of humor that accentuates ambiguity and elusiveness.