Intro!

ction
( few activities to
encourage people to
consider the nature
and power of humour
and to loo# at
thenecessity and
danger of humorous
stereotypes
"rocess
, .n small groups!
investigate some of the
following8+ What
ma#es each of us
laugh9smile:+ (re
there many different
things:+ ;oes it depend
on mood: situation:
company:+ ;o we
laugh at things we are
afraid of or don/t #now
anything a"out:+ .s it
easy9difficult to ma#e
others laugh:+ <ow do
you ma#e others
laugh:2 (s# each
group to prepare
something for the
other groups The
aim is to ma#e them
laugh They
may prepare a story! a
drawing! a drama!
anything as long as it
ma#es people laugh
(fter some planning
time!give each group
the opportunity to
ma#e the others
laughFollowing
this! have a
discussion on how
each group made
decisions a"out what
to do and whether
theywere successful
=et people to consider
what factors they too#
into account! for
e*ample! type of
audience!how well
they #now each other!
etc5 (s# people to
form pairs Firstly
alone! using a sheet
of paper! get them to
thin# of a time when
theyfound something
really funny (s#
them to analy)e it
Why they found it
funny: What was it
actuallya"out: They
should then turn the
paper over and thin#
of a time when they
didn/t find something
funny atall! "ut they
still laughed or smiled
or 3oined in with the
3o#e This time they
should analy)e8 why
didn/tthey find it
funny: why did they
still laugh9smile: who
else was there:
Encourage people to
"e honest withthis!
even if it 4uite
difficult 0Many
people may well
claim (t first not to
"e a"le to thin# of any
situationli#e this .f
they cannot! as# them
to thin# of a situation
where they found
something funny and
others
clearly didn/t1
They should then
share these two
situations with their
partner and discuss
them a littlefurther-
ac# in the large
group! as# people not
to share the situations
"ut any general
reflections on what
thisshowed a"out
humour&  Many
3o#es and people/s
a"ilities to find
things humorous
depend on #nowing
the person
or understanding the
situation or "elonging
to a certain group of
people Much
humour ma#es little
sense tothose who are
not /in/ on them.n
small groups! as#
people to do the
following8Firstly!
consider8What are in
3o#es: <ow people not
/in/ react to them:What
do the mass media
have to do to ma#e us
laugh at the same time
at the same
thing:0Consider studio
audiences! canned
laughter! stereotypes!
etc1Secondly! as#
people to watch some
T7 entertainment
programmes or listen
to radio ;>/s %ead
somecartoons ?oo#
at advertisements
Then list some of the
stereotypes that are
fre4uently
usedThirdly! as#
groups to consider that
stereotypes must "e
instantly recogni)a"le
and allow for no
individualdifferences
 Thin# a"out
hospital nurses! upper
class women! radical
trade union leaders!
gay men andles"ians
or any other groups
that you have thought
of Then encourage
them to discuss the
following8<ow real
are the
stereotypes:Why do
you thin# that they
started:Why are
stereotypes sometimes
very useful:<ow would
you feel if you were a
mem"er of the group
tal#ed a"out in this
way: Or! if a mem"er
of your family
was:<ow would you "e
affected if you didn/t
#now anyone who was
a mem"er of that
group:<ow might you
react if you met or
heard of someone in
that group after years
of listening to the
stereotype:Why are
some groups singled
out for more 3o#es
than others:Why is it
more worrying when
3o#es are directed at a
whole community!
rather than rich people
or thosedoing a
specific 3o"! li#e
politicians:Fourthly!
as# groups to choose
one group who are
shown in a fairly
negative! stereotypical
way (s# themto
collect e*amples of
these stereotypes
together They
should consider how
these stereotypes
happenedThey
should thin# a"out
how mem"ers of this
group might feel a"out
it They could even
as# mem"ers of the
group or read things
from mem"ers of the
group to see how they
feel They could
thin# a"out
whether anything
could! or should! "e
done to try to alter the
stereotype(fter some
time wor#ing on this
in small groups they
should
present9demonstrate
their findings to the
largegroupSome
discussion should ta#e
place comparing the
types of stereotypes!
and reactions to them!
as well as possi"le
strategies for changing
them
Conc#!sion
One or all of these
activities could "e
used Their purpose
is to get people to
thin# a little "it more
a"outwhether some
/harmless fun/ really
is so harmless if it is
directed at certain
individuals or
groups .t
alsohighlights how
humour can "e used as
a propaganda
weapon -ecoming
conscious of it! and
trying tominimi)e its
harmful effects! is
something very
practical that all
individuals can do 
(ny wor#
onvulnera"le groups!
respecting difference
and conflict can
"enefit from some
attention to humour