CALL FOR PAPERS/BOOK CHAPTERS – **ISLAM AND HUMOUR*

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Seeking submissions for an edited volume on Islam and Humour.

We propose a pioneering essay collection on a topic of great scholarly and public interest, aimed at exploring in greater depth the links between Islam and humour.

The idea that Islam resists and perhaps even opposes humour is widespread in the West. This view is based in part on the public outrage in Muslim countries over the *Jyllands Posten *caricatures of 2006 (also known as the Muhammad
cartoons controversy) and the deadly attacks on cartoonists at *Charlie Hebdo* in 2015. Strict blasphemy laws and other restrictions on free speech in Muslim countries have further nurtured the idea that Islam is averse to humour, an outlook compounded and reinforced by persistent stereotypes that frequently circulate throughout western media.

Against this backdrop, we invite contributors to address a range of themes  on this topic, including the following:

  • – humour in the lives of Muslims around the world
  • – joking as an oppositional strategy in Muslim contexts
  • – how Muslim comics use jokes to counteract oppression, in either Muslim majority or minority contexts
  • – how Muslim comics use humour as a tool for social integration into new communities
  • – the historical role of humour in Arabic culture and other Muslim contexts
  • – systematic study of the kinds of humour that are tolerated and those that are not tolerated in Muslim societies, including discussions on the distinction between “permissible” and “impermissible” laughter
  • – what Muslim scriptures say about laughter
  • – comparing and contrasting what constitutes a “sense of humour” with respect to Muslim and non-Muslim communities
  • – the role and/or presence of humour in contemporary mass media in Muslim countries
  • – laughter in formal religious settings such as mosques and madrasas
  • – manifestations of “Muslim humour” in western countries (USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, etc.), such as Muslim stand-up comedians and TV shows with Muslim settings and/or themes

Authors are invited to submit by 1st August 2019 a 500-word chapter proposal and a short bio to the two editors listed below. The deadline for chapter submissions is 1st June 2020. Final chapters are expected to be between 5,000-8,000 words (including all notes and references).

We look forward to hearing from you and to receiving your submissions!

Thank you.

Lina Molokotos-Liederman: mololied@gmail.com
https://arts-london.academia.edu/LinaMolokotosLiederman

Bernard Schweizer: Bernard.Schweizer@liu.edu
https://longisland.academia.edu/BernardSchweizer

Co-founders of Humour and Religion Network:
https://groups.yahoo.com/humour-religion