Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case Study

One of the most common functions of humour is the construction of identity, usually achieved by including certain individuals in a group sharing specific values and views, and by excluding others representing different values and views (Archakis and Tsakona, 2005). The aim of the present study is to...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Villy Tsakona
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Bucharest Publishing House 2017-06-01
Series:Styles of Communication
Subjects:
Online Access:https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxzdHlsZXNvZmNvbW18Z3g6NDdkZmYwYTdlOTEzODM5Yw
_version_ 1817998170409402368
author Villy Tsakona
author_facet Villy Tsakona
author_sort Villy Tsakona
collection DOAJ
description One of the most common functions of humour is the construction of identity, usually achieved by including certain individuals in a group sharing specific values and views, and by excluding others representing different values and views (Archakis and Tsakona, 2005). The aim of the present study is to investigate how online interactants create a local identity via the production of digital humorous texts, thus forming a group of people with common perceptions on a specific event reported by the media. In particular, Facebook participants formed communities supporting the right of a crocodile -non endemic to Greece- to live on the loose in a lake in Crete, Greece, and opposing local authorities wishing to capture the animal. Interlocutors draw on, and reframe, popular -and even stereotypical- aspects of the Cretan identity involving, among other things, a passionate love of freedom, resistance to official authorities, rebelliousness, and heroism (Herzfeld, 1985). Such cultural traits seem to be attributed to the crocodile so as not only to bolster the interlocutors’ own perspective, but also to create a humorous effect.
first_indexed 2024-04-14T02:49:48Z
format Article
id doaj.art-1f583fa13375468189e9e5475a690c17
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2065-7943
2067-564X
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-14T02:49:48Z
publishDate 2017-06-01
publisher University of Bucharest Publishing House
record_format Article
series Styles of Communication
spelling doaj.art-1f583fa13375468189e9e5475a690c172022-12-22T02:16:20ZengUniversity of Bucharest Publishing HouseStyles of Communication2065-79432067-564X2017-06-0192118147Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case StudyVilly Tsakona0Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Education Sciences in Early Childhood, Greece One of the most common functions of humour is the construction of identity, usually achieved by including certain individuals in a group sharing specific values and views, and by excluding others representing different values and views (Archakis and Tsakona, 2005). The aim of the present study is to investigate how online interactants create a local identity via the production of digital humorous texts, thus forming a group of people with common perceptions on a specific event reported by the media. In particular, Facebook participants formed communities supporting the right of a crocodile -non endemic to Greece- to live on the loose in a lake in Crete, Greece, and opposing local authorities wishing to capture the animal. Interlocutors draw on, and reframe, popular -and even stereotypical- aspects of the Cretan identity involving, among other things, a passionate love of freedom, resistance to official authorities, rebelliousness, and heroism (Herzfeld, 1985). Such cultural traits seem to be attributed to the crocodile so as not only to bolster the interlocutors’ own perspective, but also to create a humorous effect.https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxzdHlsZXNvZmNvbW18Z3g6NDdkZmYwYTdlOTEzODM5Ywhumouronline interactionFacebookcultural identityCreteresistance identity.
spellingShingle Villy Tsakona
Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case Study
Styles of Communication
humour
online interaction
Facebook
cultural identity
Crete
resistance identity.
title Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case Study
title_full Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case Study
title_fullStr Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case Study
title_full_unstemmed Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case Study
title_short Constructing Local Identities via/for Humour: A Cretan-Greek Case Study
title_sort constructing local identities via for humour a cretan greek case study
topic humour
online interaction
Facebook
cultural identity
Crete
resistance identity.
url https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxzdHlsZXNvZmNvbW18Z3g6NDdkZmYwYTdlOTEzODM5Yw
work_keys_str_mv AT villytsakona constructinglocalidentitiesviaforhumouracretangreekcasestudy