The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media Environment

This paper argues that through an engagement with cross-media hybridity, Irish comedy duo The Rubberbandits have established a dynamic cross-media forum that aims to restore the Irish public’s capacity for critical social and political engagement. Central to this process is The Rubberbandits’ abilit...

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Main Author: Faye Mercier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Asociación Española de Estudios Irlandeses 2021-03-01
Series:Estudios Irlandeses
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ed-MERCIER-FINAL.pdf
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author Faye Mercier
author_facet Faye Mercier
author_sort Faye Mercier
collection DOAJ
description This paper argues that through an engagement with cross-media hybridity, Irish comedy duo The Rubberbandits have established a dynamic cross-media forum that aims to restore the Irish public’s capacity for critical social and political engagement. Central to this process is The Rubberbandits’ ability to use their absurdist satire as a foundational tool that can serve as the basis of this cultural forum, while also facilitating the negotiation of social and political issues across a variety of media. Given that this cultural forum exists across different media, platforms, and formats, this paper sets out to analyse the various ways in which the duo have adapted their satirical style to suit the demands of these different media forms, and what implications this process of adaption has had on their work. Beginning with an analysis of the social and critical functions of satirical comedy more broadly, this paper will then focus on the specific brand of satirical social commentary employed by The Rubberbandits, paying particular attention to the role of absurdity in their critical engagement with prominent issues facing Irish society. As this paper will demonstrate, by embracing the hybridity of the cross-media environment, all the while maintaining their absurdist satirical style, The Rubberbandits have established a dynamic and carnivalesque cross-media forum that aims to restore the Irish public’s capacity for critical social and political engagement.
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spelling doaj.art-1c33b70bd9ee41ee8fae18fc4f31fb5a2022-12-21T20:17:36ZengAsociación Española de Estudios IrlandesesEstudios Irlandeses1699-311X1699-311X2021-03-01161679949984The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media EnvironmentFaye Mercier0 Media Studies, University of Amsterdam This paper argues that through an engagement with cross-media hybridity, Irish comedy duo The Rubberbandits have established a dynamic cross-media forum that aims to restore the Irish public’s capacity for critical social and political engagement. Central to this process is The Rubberbandits’ ability to use their absurdist satire as a foundational tool that can serve as the basis of this cultural forum, while also facilitating the negotiation of social and political issues across a variety of media. Given that this cultural forum exists across different media, platforms, and formats, this paper sets out to analyse the various ways in which the duo have adapted their satirical style to suit the demands of these different media forms, and what implications this process of adaption has had on their work. Beginning with an analysis of the social and critical functions of satirical comedy more broadly, this paper will then focus on the specific brand of satirical social commentary employed by The Rubberbandits, paying particular attention to the role of absurdity in their critical engagement with prominent issues facing Irish society. As this paper will demonstrate, by embracing the hybridity of the cross-media environment, all the while maintaining their absurdist satirical style, The Rubberbandits have established a dynamic and carnivalesque cross-media forum that aims to restore the Irish public’s capacity for critical social and political engagement.https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ed-MERCIER-FINAL.pdfcross-media specificitysatiresocial commentaryabsurdismcarnivalesquecultural forumthe rubberbandits
spellingShingle Faye Mercier
The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media Environment
Estudios Irlandeses
cross-media specificity
satire
social commentary
absurdism
carnivalesque
cultural forum
the rubberbandits
title The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media Environment
title_full The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media Environment
title_fullStr The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media Environment
title_full_unstemmed The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media Environment
title_short The Rubberbandits’ Guide to Satire: Absurdism and Social Commentary in a Cross-Media Environment
title_sort rubberbandits guide to satire absurdism and social commentary in a cross media environment
topic cross-media specificity
satire
social commentary
absurdism
carnivalesque
cultural forum
the rubberbandits
url https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ed-MERCIER-FINAL.pdf
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