Humor and Nonviolent Struggle in Serbia (Hardcover)

If I had no sense of humour, I should long ago have committed suicide," wrote the late Mahatma Gandhi, expressing the potent power of humour to sustain and uplift. Less obvious is humour's ability to operate as a cunning weapon in nonviolent protest movements. Over the last few decades, activists are increasingly incorporating subversive laughter in their protest repertoires, realizing the ways in which it challenges the ruling elite's propaganda, defuses antagonism, and inspires both participants and the greater population. In this highly original and engaging work, Sombatpoonsiri explores the nexus between humour and nonviolent protest, aiming to enhance our understanding of the growing popularity of humour in protest movements around the world. Drawing on insights from the pioneering Otpor activists in Serbia, she provides a detailed account of the protesters' systematic use of humour to topple Slobadan Milosevi? in 2000. Interviews with activists, protest newsletters, and documentaries of the movement combine to illustrate how humour played a pivotal role by reflecting the absurdity of the regime's propaganda and, in turn, by delegitimizing its authority. Sombatpoonsiri highlights the Otpor activists' ability to internationalize their nonviolent crusade, influencing youth movements in the Ukraine, Georgia, Iran, and Egypt. Globally, Otpor's successful use of humour became an inspiration for a later generation of protest movements.

General

Imprint:	Syracuse University Press
Country of origin:	United States
Series:	Syracuse Studies on Peace and Conflict Resolution
Release date:	October 2015
Authors:	Janjira Sombatpoonsiri
Dimensions:	229 x 152mm (L x W)
Format:	Hardcover - Cloth over boards
Pages:	296
ISBN-13:	978-0-8156-3407-2
Categories:	Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Communication studies > Media studies Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Interdisciplinary studies > Peace studies > General Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political ideologies > General Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political activism > Demonstrations & protest movements Promotions
LSN:	0-8156-3407-2
Barcode:	9780815634072

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