This article analyses the Danish ‘cartoon crisis’ as a transnational ‘humour scandal’. While most studies conceptualize this crisis controversy about free speech or international relations, addresses question why was sparked by cartoons. First, discusses culturally specific regime’ in which cartoons were embedded. Second, it power dynamics of humour.Thirdly, how cartoon added new element to image Muslims completely Other and lacking modernity: they have no sense humour. Analysis humor...

This article charts key developments and cross-national variations in the coverage of foreign culture (i.e., classical popular music, dance, film, literature, theater, television, visual arts) Dutch, French, German, U.S. elite newspapers between 1955 2005. Such signals awareness among national elites degree direction “globalization from within.” Using content analysis, we examine degree, direction, diversity international orientation arts journalism for each country cultural genre. Results...

Using British and Dutch interview data, this article demonstrates how people from different social classes draw strong symbolic boundaries on the basis of comedy taste. Eschewing omnivorousness described in recent studies cultural consumption, audiences make negative aesthetic moral judgements taste, often harsh without disclaimers, apologies ambivalence so typical ‘taste talk’ contemporary culture. The how, particular, middle class use their taste to communicate distinction superiority. We...

Abstract At the 2006 conference of International Society for Humor Studies (Danish University Education, Copenhagen), several panels addressed issues raised by Muhammad cartoon story. Among these, a colloquium organized Paul Lewis and decorously titled “Transnational Ridicule Response” focused on implications humor research events surrounding publication cartoons. Along with other materials, panelists were encouraged to review summaries timelines story available from BBC Wikipedia. Of...

Humor is strongly related to group boundaries. Jokes and other humorous utterances often draw on implicit references inside knowledge; they tend refer sensitive topics which may offend people; ideally incite laughter, one of the strongest markers social solidarity emotional attunement. Hence, a shared sense humor generally sine qua non for sustained relationships. Inversely, people who do not share one's are shunned (Kuipers, Good Bad Taste: A Sociology Joke, 2006). Laughing together,...

How are hierarchical relationships between taste cultures possible in a fragmented, popular and accessible medium like television? This article explores this question by looking at Dutch television comedy. A survey of 340 people showed four humour tastes, two which were related hierarchically: lowbrow style disliked educated informants, highbrow mostly unknown to less-educated informants. Interview materials used understand the mechanisms behind asymmetric pattern knowledge dislike. Whereas...

This article analyzes cultural globalization as the emergence of a transnational field, integrating Bourdieusian field theory with theory. Drawing on interview materials and secondary data analysis, it compares “opening up” national television fields in France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland formation TV (partly) its own standards, practices, geography. Cultural intermediaries, such buyers, are crucial to this mediating maintaining relations between arenas. These professional create practices...

Why are things different on the other side of national borders and how can this be explained sociologically? Using as its point departure Dutch cycling culture, a paradigmatic example non-state-led similarity, article explores these questions. The first section introduces Norbert Elias’ concept ‘national habitus’, using notion to critique comparative sociology argue for more processual approach comparison. second discusses four processes that have contributed increasing similarity within...

This article analyses the professional ethos and practices of television buyers in France, Italy, Poland Netherlands. During interviews ethnographic observations, this ‘cosmopolitan tribe’ proved to be remarkably similar across national backgrounds. discusses relation between personal taste buying, pointing specific forms capital’ central process. Moreover, it develops a typology buyers, each type representing different solution tensions culture economy, consumption production transnational...

Abstract How serious are ethnic jokes? This article investigates this question by looking at the relation between jokes and relations in Netherlands. It analyzes two corpora covering range of collected using an (almost) identical survey among high school students 1995 (

The joke cycle about bin Laden and the attack on World Trade Center is first of Internet disaster jokes. This article argues that both traditional oral jokes visual are best understood as a reaction to media coverage disasters. For jokes, this connection with culture even stronger than for collages, assembled from phrases pictures popular which derive their humorous effect combination elements innocuous genres media, commercial or references disaster. It argued need genre play mainly...

This article discusses reactions to two forms of ‘dangerous’ digital entertainment: ethnic humor and online pornography. It compares the way in which dangers these entertainments are socially constructed discussions by Dutch American internet users. Ethnic is virtually absent widely considered dangerous on part internet, but circulates Anglophone internet. Online pornography mostly manageable users, has become subject moral panic United States. The comparisons between four cases show...

Abstract This article reviews consumption practices concerning vintage, a fashion style based on used or retro‐style garments. Existing studies connect vintage with authenticity, nostalgia and identity. We explore how the deploys comments consumer culture, bypassing producers by wearing old garments to communicate ‘authentic’ identities. argue that existing theories consumption, subculture cannot fully explain practices. Bypassing dichotomies one‐dimensional explanations of these theories,...

How do national institutional contexts mediate the global? This article aims to answer this question by analyzing screen translation—the translation of audiovisual materials like movies and television programs—in four European countries: France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland. A cross-national, multi-method research project combining interviews, ethnography, a small survey found considerable cross-national differences in norms practices, sometimes leading very different translated versions same...

In this essay, I analyse how humour drives people apart, in politics and society at large. Since the early 2000s, many politicians across world have embraced to position themselves politically chastise provoke establishment. This "clown style" is mostly used by on populist right, occasionally left. analyze over 100 cases of political utterances from years 2015-2020 Dutch, English Italian-speaking world, that are 1. signalled as non-serious verbal or non-verbal cues; 2. recognized humorous...

In a post-truth context where environmental claims of scientists and politicians are increasingly contested, this article explores how satirical climate fiction facilitates the imagination engagement with change. Taking Don’t Look Up (2021) as case study, it presents thematic analysis 640 Reddit contributions. The reveals that movie served meaningful text, decoded in various ways, invited audience to engage online public debate. ‘participatory culture debate’, became popular cultural capital...