Beyond a Joke

'We all enjoy a good joke but we seldom take humour seriously, examining its role in expressing our anxieties and attitudes to life. This collection of essays, skilfully put together by Sharon Lockyer and Michael Pickering, will not dampen your spirits but cause you to "stop and think" about the place of the joke - and humour generally - in contemporary society.' - Geoff Lealand, Associate Professor of Screen and Media Studies, University of Waikato, New Zealand

'Beyond A Joke is a timely reminder that cultural analysis can illuminate how the best and worst comedy find their mark on the faultlines of society. This superb collection of essays is indispensable for understanding why debates about humour are central to the politics of public expression.' - Simon Cross, Lecturer in Communication, Culture& Media, Nottingham Trent University, UK

'This is a serious book about a serious and important topic. Jokes must be permitted in order to be funny - but are all jokes permissible? What about violently racist jokes, or subtle sexism in television sitcoms? The contributors to this volume explore the ethics of humour, from Sex and the City to the Alf Garnett syndrome. They reject the 'just a joke' excuse for the dodge that it is, but humour gets its own back by refusing to be pinned down with easy answers.' Moira Smith, editor of the Journal of Folklore Research