Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemony
Humour is multi-faceted, and this article demonstrates that one of these facets relates to the notion of ethnic identity. The ethnic humour of the Afrikaner is analysed and the conclusion is drawn that the Afrikaner has used ethnic humour as a hegemonic instrument for categorising “others” in predo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2004-12-01
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| Series: | Acta Academica |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/838 |
| _version_ | 1797270950532612096 |
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| author | Piet Erasmus |
| author_facet | Piet Erasmus |
| author_sort | Piet Erasmus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Humour is multi-faceted, and this article demonstrates that one of these facets relates to the notion of ethnic identity. The ethnic humour of the Afrikaner is analysed and the conclusion is drawn that the Afrikaner has used ethnic humour as a hegemonic instrument for categorising “others” in predominantly negative ways. At present Afrikaners constitute a minority group in the country, no longer possessing constitutional power, and their cultural values and opinions are no longer dominant. The article maintains that, if Afrikaners find it possible to discard the idea of “identity-as-negative-otherness”, they should be able to carve out a positive and empowering identity within the South African discourse by using humour. Furthermore, this same sense of humour may be employed as a literature of protest or as a “minority literature” to oppose the “new” hegemonic order in the country.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:42:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-034ba7a9868642d8bab70f96a9dc90ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0587-2405 2415-0479 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T02:12:25Z |
| publishDate | 2004-12-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Academica |
| spelling | doaj.art-034ba7a9868642d8bab70f96a9dc90ad2024-03-07T11:13:40ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Academica0587-24052415-04792004-12-01363Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemonyPiet Erasmus0University of the Free State Humour is multi-faceted, and this article demonstrates that one of these facets relates to the notion of ethnic identity. The ethnic humour of the Afrikaner is analysed and the conclusion is drawn that the Afrikaner has used ethnic humour as a hegemonic instrument for categorising “others” in predominantly negative ways. At present Afrikaners constitute a minority group in the country, no longer possessing constitutional power, and their cultural values and opinions are no longer dominant. The article maintains that, if Afrikaners find it possible to discard the idea of “identity-as-negative-otherness”, they should be able to carve out a positive and empowering identity within the South African discourse by using humour. Furthermore, this same sense of humour may be employed as a literature of protest or as a “minority literature” to oppose the “new” hegemonic order in the country. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/838 |
| spellingShingle | Piet Erasmus Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemony Acta Academica |
| title | Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemony |
| title_full | Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemony |
| title_fullStr | Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemony |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemony |
| title_short | Ethnic humour, identity, and the loss of Afrikaner hegemony |
| title_sort | ethnic humour identity and the loss of afrikaner hegemony |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/838 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pieterasmus ethnichumouridentityandthelossofafrikanerhegemony |