Political Humor in a Changing Media Landscape: A New Generation of Research

by Jody C Baumgartner (Editor), Amy B. Becker (Editor), Jody C Baumgartner (Contribution by), Amy B. Becker (Contribution by), Mark Boukes (Contribution by)

Overview

In the past decade various studies have examined how political humor may influence various political attitudes and voting behavior; whether it affects learning, cognition and media literacy, how it might shape political participation; how people process different forms of political humor; and more. This book is devoted to anticipating and addressing where the field of political humor and its effects will move in the next generation of scholarship, exploring the continued evolution of the study of political humor as well as the normative implications of these developments. It includes research accounting for important changes and developments "on the ground" in the political humor landscape. These include the fact that the cadre of late-night television hosts have completely changed in the past 3 years; there are now more late night television choices; and many hosts have become more overtly political in their presentations. Recommended for scholars of communication, media studies, and political science.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498565103
Publisher:	Lexington Books
Publication date:	07/07/2020
Series:	Lexington Studies in Political Communication
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.09(h) x 0.76(d)

About the Author

Jody C Baumgartner is Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of political science at East Carolina University.

Amy B. Becker is associate professor in the Department of Communication at Loyola University Maryland.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Still Good for a Laugh? Political Humor in a Changing Media Landscape

Jody C Baumgartner and Amy B. Becker

Section I: Comedy, Advocacy, Journalism, or Something Else Entirely? It’s Not Just Entertainment Anymore

Chapter 1: The Rise of Advocacy Satire

Don J. Waisanen

Chapter 2: Journalist or Jokester? An Analysis of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Julia R. Fox

Chapter 3: Partisan Trends in Late Night Humor

S. Robert Lichter and Stephen J. Farnsworth

Section II: Impacting Citizenship: The Effects of Exposure to Political Comedy on Democratic Engagement

Chapter 4: The Limits of Attitude Change: Political Humor during the 2016 Campaign

Jody C Baumgartner

Chapter 5: Interviews and Viewing Motivations: Exploring Connections between Political Satire, Perceived Learning, and Elaborative Processing

Amy B. Becker

Chapter 6: Inoculation against/with Political Humor

Josh Compton

Section III: Humor Appreciation: Audience Responses to Political Comedy

Chapter 7: The Political Ethology of Debate Humor and Audience Laughter: Understanding Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Their Audiences

Patrick A. Stewart, Reagan Dye, and Austin Eubanks

Chapter 8: The Joke is on You: Satire and Blowback

Sophia A. McClennen

Chapter 9: What is Funny to Whom? Applying an Integrative Theoretical Framework to the Study of Political Humor Appreciation

Christiane Grill

Section IV: It’s Gone Global: International Perspectives on Political Comedy

Chapter 10: Political Entertainment in Comparative Perspective: Exploring the Applicability of the Gateway Hypothesis across Media Systems

Michael A. Xenos, Patricia Moy, Gianpietro Mazzoleni, and Julian Meuller-Herbst

Chapter 11: The Causes and Consequences of Affinity for Political Humor

Mark Boukes

Chapter 12: Freedom of the Press in Israeli and American Satire

Edo Steinberg

Section V: Prospects for a New Generation of Laughter: The Evolution of Political Comedy

Chapter 13: A New Generation of Satire Consumers?: A Socialization Approach to Youth Exposure to News Satire

Stephanie A. Edgerly

Chapter 14: The Context for Comedy: Presidential Candidates and Comedy Television

Michael Parkin

Chapter 15: The Ides of September: Jimmy Fallon, Donald Trump, and the Changing Politics of Late Night Television

Jonathan S. Morris

Conclusion: Looking Ahead to the Future: Why Laughing Will Matter Even More in the Decade to Come

Amy B. Becker and Jody C Baumgartner

Index

About the Contributors

Editorial Reviews

In Political Humor in a Changing Media Landscape: A New Generation of Research, Baumgartner and Becker have succeeded in compiling a theoretically and methodologically rich body of work from today's preeminent scholars of political humor and satire. The volume features cutting edge experimental and survey research as well as content and rhetorical analysis to explore the predictors and effects of exposure to political humor and the strategic use of humor by political figures. This important work is a must-have for those working in the area of political humor content, processing, and effects.

Dannagal G. Young

In Political Humor in a Changing Media Landscape: A New Generation of Research, Baumgartner and Becker have succeeded in compiling a theoretically and methodologically rich body of work from today's preeminent scholars of political humor and satire. The volume features cutting edge experimental and survey research as well as content and rhetorical analysis to explore the predictors and effects of exposure to political humor and the strategic use of humor by political figures. This important work is a must-have for those working in the area of political humor content, processing, and effects.

--Dannagal G. Young, University of Delaware

This book comes just at the right time. A critical mass of political humor scholarship has formed in the discipline and we need an assessment of where we stand at the moment. This edited collection provides researchers with a clear sense of what we know and what we need to address with continued research.

--R. Lance Holbert, Temple University

This timely volume reflects the truly diverse and interdisciplinary nature of the study of political humor: a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches that update theory and understanding of humor in an increasingly hybrid media environment. That several chapters engage in comparative analyses makes the book valuable beyond the typical US context.

--Lindsay H. Hoffman, University of Delaware

From the Publisher

This book comes just at the right time. A critical mass of political humor scholarship has formed in the discipline and we need an assessment of where we stand at the moment. This edited collection provides researchers with a clear sense of what we know and what we need to address with continued research.

R. Lance Holbert

This timely volume reflects the truly diverse and interdisciplinary nature of the study of political humor: a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches that update theory and understanding of humor in an increasingly hybrid media environment. That several chapters engage in comparative analyses makes the book valuable beyond the typical US context.

Lindsay H. Hoffman