Global History of Humor and Visual Culture
Objectives
1. To raise awareness of the use of non-verbal historical sources, namely all types of iconographic expressions.
2. To problematize the meanings of the use of images in the history of communication or in political, social and cultural history, in perspectives that are not necessarily artistic.
3. Promote autonomous work based on iconographic sources and better knowledge of its existence and conservation.
4. Identify, discuss and compare different forms of visual culture and graphic humor in a global context.
5. Question the power, impact and meanings of images in the political and social context of the contemporary world.
6. Understanding images not just as illustrations, but as a language with an autonomous epistomology capable of helping to understand contemporaneity.
7. Study the different processes of production, copying, printing, circulation, use, function, invention and appropriation of different types of image.
8. Ability to explain orally and in writing the learning outcomes.
General characterization
Code
01110286
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Paulo Jorge Chalante Azevedo Fernandes
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 168
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
Available soon
Bibliography
- Attardo, Salvatore, Encyclopedia of Humor Studies, 2 vols., SAGE Publications, 2014.
- Burke, Peter, Eyewitnessing: The Uses of Images as Historical Evidence, Reaktion Books, 2001.
- Conrad, Sebastian, O que é história global?, Lisboa, Edições 70, 2019.
- Rose, Gillian, Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials, 4th edition, Sage Publications, 2016.
- Scully, Richard; Quartly, Marian (ed.), Drawing the Line: Using Cartoons as Historical Evidence, Monash University ePress, 2009.
- Scully, Richard, “Towards a Global History of the Political Cartoon”, International Journal of Comic Art, Vol. 16, No. 1, Spring 2014, pp. 29-47.
- Scully, Richard; Fernandes, Paulo Jorge; Khanduri, Ritu Gairola (ed.), Cartoon Conflicts: Contemporary Controversies and Historical Precedents, Palgrave Macmillan, 2025 (forthcoming).
- Sturken, Marita; Cartwright, Lisa, Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Third edition, Oxford University Press, 2018.
Teaching method
Teaching through lectures (50%) and practical classes (50%). The lectures will be conducted by the teacher using the interpretation and reading of selected texts. Practical classes consist of analysing and discussing iconographic materials through case studies.
Evaluation method
Continuous assessment - Evaluation will consist in two main instruments: oral presentation and problematisation of a historical source (any type of image) selected by the teacher in conjunction with the student (40%); written essay on the historical source (any type of image) presented orally in class (40%) and written exam (20%).(100%)
Subject matter
1 Introduction to the study of images in history. Methods and perspectives.
2. The importance of Visual Culture.
3. Humour, satire and laughter. Theories of humour and their limits. The main authors.
4. From classical to contemporary satire: key authors and main works.
5. Caricatures, cartoons, comics and memes. Concepts and methodologies. Their importance as a historiographical source.
6. Censorship, freedom of expression and political correctness. Modern forms of censorship
7. History of the satirical press from a global perspective.
8. Controversial topics: politics and politicians, religion, colonialism, racism, nationalism, war, populism. Black humour.
9. Humour and gender.
10. Comics and graphic novels: the American, Franco-Belgian and Japanese traditions.
11. History of the satirical press in Portugal. Main authors and publications in Portugal; from the origins to the 21st century.
12. Social midia and graphic humour
13. AI and the challenges of future.
14. Uses of graphic humor in classroom.