Aarhus University Seal

Who's laughing now? Feminist tactics in social media

Zoom-talk by Professor Jenny Sundén. Contact: norcs@cc.au.dk

Info about event

Time

Thursday 25 February 2021,  at 15:15 - 16:15

Location

Zoom

Online sexism, hate, and harassment aim to silence women and other others through shaming and fear.

In Who's Laughing Now? 

Jenny Sundén and Susanna Paasonen examine a somewhat counterintuitive form of resistance: humor. Sundén and Paasonen argue that feminist social media tactics that use humor, laughter, and a sense of the absurd to answer name-calling, offensive language, and unsolicited dick pics can rewire the affective circuits of sexual shame and acts of shaming. The contagiousness of laughter drives the emergence of networked forms of feminism, bringing people together (although it may also create rifts). With this work, Sundén and Paasonen break new ground in exploring the intersection of networked feminism, humor, and affect, arguing for the political necessity of inappropriate laughter.

Sundén is Professor of Media and Communication Studies, Department of Geography, Media and Communication, Karlstad University, Sweden. The talk is based on a new book by Sundén and Paasonen: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/whos-laughing-now

Zoomlinkhttps://aarhusuniversity.zoom.us/j/68518266167

You are welcome to invite your students to participate as well. You don’t have to sign up for the event.