Developing a rhetorical analysis of racist humour: examining anti-black jokes on the Internet

Abstract

Racist humour is frequently the subject of media and public debate in relation to issues of offence and acceptability. Despite this, little has been done to analyse it or its relationship to other forms of racism. I argue that an analysis of racist humour needs to account for the rhetorical structures of humour Á to consider humour as a rhetorical device similar to metaphor or metonym Á that has a persuasive potential. Using jokes from four US websites, the rhetorical aspects of humour are unpacked through the use of rhetorical discourse analysis and semiotic theories of humour. I then identify an important effect of racist humour. Zygmunt Bauman's ideas on the problem of ambivalence for dichotomous discourse and category formation are employed to argue that racist humour expresses racist dichotomies and has the potential, among others, to ''hide'' the ambivalence to which such dichotomies are prone. The article then considers the meaning and ambivalence of less severe racist joking.

Weaving the internet together: Imagined communities in newspaper comment threads

“…The 445 use of humour is rife in online spaces (see the use of irony in extract 01, and puns in extract 03). Humour may also derive from the presence of incongruity and unexpected outcomes -that which follows does not match that which precedes (Weaver, 2010).…”

I'm not joking! The strategic use of humour in stories of racism

“…With an application of Berger's typology, the rhetorical triangle and humour studies themes of Incongruity, Superiority and Relief a nuanced understanding of the rhetorical dynamics of this focus group emerge (Berger, 1995;Weaver, 2010a;2011a). Depending on the context for these Black coaches, techniques of humour may indeed entail a relief from tension, psychic harm, and a strengthening of a group…equally it may signify resistance to suffering.…”

“…Yet there was no question in this focus group, from any of the coaches for clarification or qualification, which would suggest that Kurt's story is one that reveals part of the lived reality for these Black coaches. He offers more on this story and draws on some tropes of Weaver's (2010a) rhetorical triangle in the story (argument), the way he told the story (arguer) and the coaches' reception of it (audience) to make his point:…”

“…To aid this process of analysis I draw on use of the 'rhetorical triangle' that considers the significance and influence of the arguer (teller), audience (receivers), and argument (story) (Weaver, 2011a: 5;2010a). This enables a more convenient examination of the context of the storyteller, the audience and the content and rhetorical structure of the argument.…”

Learning to make racism funny in the ‘color-blind’ era: Stand-up comedy students, performance strategies, and the (re)production of racist jokes in public

“…Weaver (2010aWeaver ( , 2011 also contends that racist humor, as a rhetorical device, can support racist discourse, while Santa Ana (2009) notes that racist jokes can impact on public perceptions of racial minorities, particularly when broadcast to millions of viewers regarding their perceived 'threats. '…”