AHSN 2023: A Human Right to Humour

The 29th Conference of the Australasian Humour Studies Network will take place on 6-7 (Zoom, online only) and 9-10 (in-person only) February 2023.

The conference focuses on the theme ‘A Human Right to Humour’, with particular regard to questions such as the following:

  • Can humour be harmful?
  • Does humour have a legitimate place in human rights? What is that place?
  • In the face of evil and atrocities as seen the world over, can we ever laugh – or articulate a response other than shock, horror, trauma, and condemnation or outrage?
  • Where does, at a strictly human rights level, humour – perhaps even the most unsavoury joke – deserve protection, for it can be helpful to foster critical thinking?
  • How do we bring together humour and human rights at a time when the suppression of humour and human rights is on the rise?
  • And what do we make of the feeling of being offended, feeling belittled, hurt, or dehumanised, because of humour?

Please click here for more information on the program and registration.