Week # 13 - November 19, 2009

“Three clergymen – one Catholic, one Jewish, and one Episcopalian” Religious humor: sacred vs secular. Sacred clowns and not-so-sacred jokes. Between appropriateness and hostility. Diversity focus: • Institutionalized religious humor (e.g., Native Americans, Catholic Poles). • Humor about religions (e.g., Muslims, Mormons, Catholics, Episcopalians) – how far is too far? • Humor about religions – inclusion or exclusion? Assignment # 5 (take home; to be turned on December 3, 2009).

Readings for Weeks #13 & 14:
Apte, Mahadev L.: Cultural Expressions of Humor (Humor in Religion. Humor and Language. The Trickster in Folklore.) In Humor and Laughter. An Anthropological Approach. Cornell University Press. 1985. Pp. 151-238.

Cohen, Ted: Jewish Jokes and The Acceptance of Absurdity. Taste, Morality, and The Propriety of Joking. In
Jokes. Philosophical Thoughts on Joking Matters. The University of Chicago Press. 1999. Pp. 45-86.

Koller, Marvin, R.: Religious Humor. In Humor and Society: Explorations in the Sociology of Humor. Cap and Gown press, Inc., Houston. 1988. Pp. 177-194.