Humour and enjoyment reducers in cinema and theatre comedy

Author(s): Arie Sover / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2014

In this research, I am trying to define a new concept which I shall call Enjoyment Reducer, referring to verbal or visual content, incorporated into comic situations, which may offend or disturb the viewer’s enjoyment. There are comic situations that are only partially enjoyable and, at times, even cause embarrassment to the point of adversely affecting our enjoyment. These types of comic situations include what I term Enjoyment Reducers since they operate contrary to the function for which the comic situations were intended, which is to cause the viewer enjoyment. It should be noted that practically every comic situation includes Enjoyment Reducers because they are based on incongruities which disrupt our normal order or values. The fact that we laugh at humorous situations means that their enjoyable effect is stronger than the Enjoyment Reducers’ effect. Additionally, Enjoyment Reducers are both culture-dependent and contingent upon the viewer’s personality traits. Therefore, what one person perceives as an Enjoyment Reducer might be understood differently by another. The research findings reveal various types of Enjoyment Reducers that relate to human values, prohibitions and taboos. In addition, I will refer to another concept that is quite known, Enjoyment Enhancers, which might shed light on the main focus of the present research, which is Enjoyment Reducers. This research focuses mainly on comedy film, although the results are also relevant to theatre and all types of comic shows.

Book review

Author(s): Efharis Mascha / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2014

Logic and reasoning in jokes

Author(s): Graeme Ritchie / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2014

It has often been remarked that jokes involve some form of distorted logic, but the details ofthis joke logic have not been fully explored. We offer a contribution to the methodology of thisexploration by clarifying some abstract theoretical distinctions. Firstly, we separate twocrucially different notions of “reasoning” which are relevant to joke comprehension: internallogic and audience inference. Internal logic is a system of logical rules, in the traditionalsense, which define relationships within the fictional world of the joke, particularly therelation of consequence. Audience inference is a dynamic process which the recipient of ajoke undertakes in order to make sense of it. Previous writings on the topic of logic in jokesseem to conflate these two very different concepts. Another distinction which is sometimesoverlooked is between internal logic and other joke techniques with different functions, suchas strategies for presenting information. We also consider whether the logic of jokes requiresa qualitatively different inference mechanism from that of conventional logic, concluding thatthere is not yet any evidence to suggest this. Finally, we reflect on how we might go on toaddress the open question of what is possible as pseudo-logic within a joke.

Influence of Social Networks on the Supporters Communities in Bulgaria in the 2020/2021 Season

Author(s): Hristina Yordanova,Minko Pondev / Language(s): English Issue: 4s/2021

The development of technology and the transformation of the Internet into a dominant channel of communication have led to intense and diverse changes in the behavior of moderate and extreme supporters of sports teams. The report presents a brief overview of the characteristics of the communities of supporters in Bulgaria: profile, structure and dynamics of formal and informal fan organizations throughout the country and abroad. The global pandemic and the closure of sports facilities have led to an intensification of the importance of cyberspace as a substitute for real events and phenomena. This report focuses on the features and dynamics of open and closed fan groups on social networks. For this purpose,150 pages of organizations and groups of supporters of the most active communities in Bulgaria were studied through the method of content analysis. The report presents a brief overview of the socio-psychological characteristics of fan communities and makes a typology of groups and pages in the Bulgarian virtual space by deriving four main types with their basic characteristics: common pages, national groups, regional factions and leaders' pages. The analysis focuses on their mechanisms of influencing the attitudes and behavior of both extreme and moderate supporters, through identified behavioral patterns online and live in the relatively short period of attending sporting events.

THE E-TOURISM BEYOND COVID-19: A CALL FOR TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION

Author(s): Mohsin Raza,Hazlina Abdul Hamid,Luigi Pio Leonardo Cavaliere / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2021

The upsurge of Covid-19 changed lifestyles and hit almost every sector. The tourism sector is one of the most affected sectors due to social distancing, ban on crowding, restrictions to visit public places, and grounded airplanes. The study proposed a shift to e-tourism until the Covid-19 get fully curbed. Therefore, this study aims to focus on the tourist’s experiences in Thailand during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study provides insight with the support of literature to help practitioners and researchers to understand, manage, and improve the tourism industry and induce technological transformation to curb the impact of the outbreak. The paper proposes a way to turn Covid-19 into a transformational opportunity. The study used Smart PLS software for analysis and data was collected from the tourist who had intentions to visit Thailand and the ones already in Thailand. The study fills the gap of the call for a transformation of e-tourism and explains the impact of the pandemic on the industry. The study presents the theoretical and practical implications to promote the tourism industry and the transformation of the technology in the Covid-19 pandemic.

ЕКОФЕМИНИЗАМ И ЕТИКА

Author(s): Danica B. Milošević / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 72/2020

Inclined towards consumerism, modern patriarchal society suffers from denaturalisation which reflects itself through the processes of natural oppression and animal exploitation. Logic of domination upon which patriarchy acts and by which it imposes a superior attitude over nature and nonhuman species, destroys internal values that animals and nature possess, which are not recognized at the capitalist stage where value is regarded through the prism of instrumentalism. This paper aims to disclose the opposite practice which employs the ethics of care and partnership with nature and its elements, through the postulates of ecofeminism oriented towards the life-affirming principle, not the destructive force that patriarchy is prone to. By analysing different ecofeminist approaches, this paper reveals the importance of nature and animals as a unique potential and subjectivity, with a right to freedom and existence. In view of maintaining biodiversity, the animal is redefined from the absent referent, that is, inferior and subdued phenomenon endangered by the masculine hegemony, into a siginificant constituent of human reality by introducing the language of empathy and moral responsibility with the capacity to build a close relationship with the environment from the angle of ecofeminism. It is important to develop ecological consciousness, and accept the time flow needed for renewal of nature, by understanding the importance of the natural surroundings in which man is only a small particle. In such a language, the culture of meat eating has an alternative in the form of vegeterianism, whereas animal and nature become part of moral community, so that hunting, and laboratory exploitation of animals, as well as the use of natural resources are reduced to necessity, not the indispensable. Meat consumption is an attack on animals and an act of support to consumer culture, whereas the refusal of meat is an act of defiance to patriarchal power in the contex of ethics towards nature and its living beings.A conclusion is reached through argumentation that ecofeminism sees the practice ofanimal killing as justified only in special/extreme cases, that is, in situations when it is necessary to save human lives, or when the terrain does not offer other options for human diet. On the other hand, the exclusion of animals from laboratory practices is considered desirable for two reasons: firstly, because animals can feel pain due to their neural structures in the brain, and secondly, because there is no guarantee that a good effect of research on animals will give good results in humans. Following Ynestra King who claims that there is no hierarchy in nature, and that man is not imposed as a superior being over other species by any laws of nature, a conclusion is reached that man has no right as a rational and conscious being with a highly de- veloped system of communication to use that position as an argument or an excuse for demonstrating his agression towards animals which have an equal right to live and be free. The system of nature is declared a sacred space in the value system of ecofeminism in which the life of each individual being is invaluable. Man as a spe- cies has the greatest impact on nature, environment and diversity and, at the same time, he is the only one who can assist nature in the act of renewal, by limiting his appetites so as to sustain the world of nature, including animals as valuable species in it. Protection of animals is; therefore, needed in all segments – they should not be regarded as guinea pigs, meat or trophies, but looked upon as specific beings with their needs and instincts.

Book review

Author(s): Vasia Tsami,Vasiliki Saloustrou / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2021

NTERCULTURAL EDUCATION IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES

Author(s): IRIMIA Andreea / Language(s): English Issue: 12/2019

ntercultural education is one of the new focuses of the 21stcentury. We try to understand what intercultural education is and how it can be integrated into foreign language classes. We are interested in the ways in which teaching methods can be adapted to accomplish intercultural education and what teaching methods can be used to include both foreign language teaching and intercultural education.

Съвременната българска литература като средство за формиране на оценъчни способности у подрастващите за девиациите в поведението

Author(s): Daniel Polihronov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2021

The problem of formation of assessment abilities in adolescents for deviations in behaviour through contemporary Bulgarian literature is relevant and insufficiently studied in our country from a pedagogical point of view. Based on an interpretive content analysis of interviews conducted with contemporary Bulgarian authors, summaries and trends about the state of the problem and its application in pedagogical practice are presented.

The Cosplay Phenomenon in Intentions of Art Marketing

Author(s): Oľga Púchovská,Dana Hodinková,Lucia Račkovičová / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2021

Since the 1980s, the cosplay phenomenon has become a significant aspect of popular culture mainly in Japan, but also in other parts of Asia and in the Western world as well. Nowadays, cosplay events are the most common feature of various fan conventions and there are also dedicated conventions, such as local and international competitions. Websites, social networks, and other forms of social media centred on cosplay activities are just as popular places for the presentation of cosplayers work, and also for cosplay fan conventions. We encounter the definition of this phenomenon mainly in sociological studies, but in its definition from a marketing point of view, and also in term of art studies is less frequent in an academic environment. In the presented study, we look at the cosplayer as an artist with the possibility to become a brand. Cooperation with cosplayers is attractive for different categories of products, not only directly connected with popular culture, e.g., cooperation with bank institutions. On the other hand, it is really necessary to underline the connection with products and texts of popular culture. In the case of self-promotion of cosplayers, games, movies and other pop-culture festivals and events take really important place. This study aims to present a theoretical reflection of the cosplay phenomenon from the perspective of art marketing, as a potential basis for the further research in this area. The situation is illustrated by practical examples.

ПАРИЗ И БЕРЛИН КАО КУЛТУРНЕ ПРЕСТОНИЦЕ ИЗМЕЂУ ДВА СВЕТСКА РАТА И ЊИХОВ УТИЦАЈ НА КУЛТУРНЕ ПРИЛИКЕ У СРБИЈИ

Author(s): Ana M. Vujović / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 75/2021

La place et le rôle de Paris et de Berlin en tant que capitales de deux pays importants de l’Europe, mais aussi en tant que capitales des événements culturels dans la première moitié du XXe siècle, et en particulier entre les deux guerres mon- diales, peuvent être étudiés sous différents aspects. Leur énergie créatrice et la forte influence culturelle qu’ils avaient sur le reste du monde sont incontestables, même avant et après cette période. Dans cet article, nous voudrions évoquer les éléments essentiels de leurs activités culturelles, comparer leurs actions culturelles et identi- fier ce qui les a rendus si attrayants pour d’autres pays. Vu les points de départ très différents dans nos relations avec ces pays, le but de cet article est d’analyser leur influence sur la situation culturelle de la Serbie en tant que partie du Royaume de Yougoslavie et plus particulièrement de sa capitale, Belgrade. Alors que la France était un allié traditionnel et un grand ami après la Première Guerre mondiale, l’attitude à l’égard de l’Allemagne a été sensiblement différente et alourdie par les conflits de guerre et les souffrances du peuple serbe. Il est possible de conclure que, dans la période donnée, l’influence culturelle de la France a été dominante, ce pays passant pour un ami à qui certaines omissions pouvaient être pardonnées, tandis que, d’autre part, l’Allemagne a été longtemps considérée avec suspicion, puis une plus grande confiance et une coopération se sont développées, pour être finalement remises en question à la veille d’une nouvelle guerre mondiale.

УТИЦАЈ ЕЛЕМЕНАТА ИНТЕРКУЛТУРНОСТИ И ИНТЕРКУЛТУРНОГ ОБРАЗОВАЊА НА РАЗВОЈ ИНТЕРКУЛТУРНЕ ОСВЕШЋЕНОСТИ И ФОРМИРАЊЕ ЛИЧНОСТИ УЧЕНИКА НОВОПАЗАРСКИХ ШКОЛА

Author(s): Adnan H. Bjelak / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 76/2021

The goal of the analysis is to confirm the hypothesis that the elements of interculturalism and intercultural education influence the development of intercul- tural awareness and the formation of the overall personality of students in schools оf Novi Pazar. In a survey conducted in October of the school year 2020/21. 83 students participated in Novi Pazar primary and secondary schools (43 primary school stu- dents and 40 secondary school students). The research was conducted by surveying students of Novi Pazar schools, in which case the survey consisted of closed and open questions, and examined students’ attitudes about the concept of interculturality and intercultural education, where we by quantitatively-qualitative analysis confirm our initial hypotheses that interculturality and intercultural education affect the cultural awareness of students, their generation of attitudes, which lead to the development of the overall personality of students, their acceptance of cultural differences, anti- discriminatory behavior, tolerance and mutual dialogue.

Реторика и управление на комуникационните кризи в образованието в периода 2020 – 2021 г.

Author(s): Yana Sabeva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2022

The pandemic has posed serious challenges to all spheres of public, economic and political life. This necessitated the development and implementation of a number of measures related to the new organization of work of companies and institutions. Communications – with external and internal audiences – have begun to play a key role not only in the immediate survival of organizations, but also in their successful recovery from the crisis. Crisis communications are especially important in this process. One of the sectors facing the biggest challenges during the Covid pandemic was education. Those working in the field had to prepare completely new communication programs aimed at process management. They also had to adapt their current communication strategies to meet the requirements of the environment. The material will consider the main characteristics in the communication of the restrictive measures of educational institutions in Bulgaria in the period 2020 – 2021. Some techniques and methods of rhetoric applied during this period will be presented.

Book review

Author(s): Sara Martínez Cardama,Fátima García López / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

Новата „дигитална медиаморфоза“ на споделянето

Author(s): Margarita Pesheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5/2022

Travel-related humour and COVID-19:

Author(s): Anja Pabel,Maja Turnšek / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2022

This study aims to provide an overview of humorous travel-related memes shared during theCOVID-19 pandemic. A total of 80 Internet memes were content analysed for emergentthemes. The findings reveal three major themes: playful aggression, making fun of one’slonging for travel, and making fun of new travel realities. The identified themes were linked tothe existing literature to better understand the memes being studied. The analysis of memesprovides a methodologically agile way to study conditions that may otherwise be overlooked,e.g., peoples’ travel-related desires and concerns while in lockdown.

Krytyka w technopresji

Author(s): Michał Krzykawski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2 (20)/2022

In the article, it is argued that in order to rejuvenate critical theory we need to revive the critique of technology first and, by the same token, redefine the very concept of critique in the context of the digital reality, with an account of how digital devices impact our ability to think in general. The function and meaning of critique under new circumstances (conceptualized as technostress) is discussed in a dialogue with three thinkers: Immanuel Kant, Michel Foucault, and Bernard Stiegler. It also suggests how Bernard Stiegler’s philosophical critique can be fruitfully these combined with social theory developed by Hartmut Rosa.

Od krytyki do postkrytyki. Nowe możliwości interwencji społecznych literatury w „Limits of Critique” Rity Felski

Author(s): Tomasz Mizerkiewicz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2 (20)/2022

The article discusses a groundbreaking post-critical project in Anglo-Saxon literary studies formulated in Rita Felski’s book The Limits of Critique. Tomasz Mizerkiewicz offers a comprehensive analysis of the “hermeneutics of suspicion” carried out by Felski, showing its numerous limitations. Felski argues that criticism – understood as an emotionally uninvolved reading of literature being part of the panoptic system of power that subjugates individuals – should be modified to embrace an affective quality and a new vision of the ontology of a literary work. Felski believes that thanks to Bruno Latour’s actor-network theory, it is possible to begin to perceive the literary work as a causative non-human actor. The work then avoids participating in the sterile dispute between the idea of the autonomy of art and radical pragmatism, which assumes the full dependence of the meanings of this work on the context. Theorized in new phenomenological analyses, literature demonstrates a capacity to exert influence. At the same time, it does not do anything by itself, but in cooperation with other important human and non-human actors (readers, schools, reading family customs and others). The type of critique described in The Limits of Critique becomes a conscious participant in the social interventions of literature consisting in the joint discovery of the possibility of the emergence of new types of connections, networks and communities. Thus, critique and literature contribute to the development of particularly effective varieties of aesthetic, economic and political agency.

Głos ze świata. „Wersy o koniecznym oporze” Szczepana Kopyta

Author(s): Patryk Szaj / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2 (20)/2022

Patryk Szaj attempts to inscribe Szczepan Kopyt’s Wersy o koniecznym oporze [Verses about the Necessary Resistance] into the theoretical framework of the Capitalocene. The starting point is the reconstruction of the conditio of criticism in the Anthropocene. He opposes the beliefs expressed by some representatives of the Anthropocene discourse that criticism is ineffective in the face of the planetary challenges of this epoch. He argues that we criticism is till needed, as is also emphasized by the concept of the Capitalocene as an alternative to the Anthropocene. Next, Szaj moves on to a dialogue with Kopyt’s work. Using both the findings of critical theory and (new)materialistic concepts, Szaj points to Kopyt’s debt to both these traditions. He shows that Kopyt has managed to avoid the “speaking out of nowhere” that is associated with criticism. Kopyt speaks “from the world,” and his voice is that of a participant. This perspective, reconstructed in the article on the basis of Kopyt’s Wersy o koniecznym oporze, allows the poet to diagnose the anachronism of some Marxist heterodox practices (autonomism), as well as to note and creatively develop the positive and negative entanglements of human and inhuman actors in the era of Capitalocene.

TO STAUNCHLY “REMAIN A READER” AND BUILD UP A WORLD COMRADESHIP. Reflecting with Rabih Alameddine on World Literature

Author(s): Lisa Marchi / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2022

What is a classic? To what extent are books and book collections endangered goods? What is the role and meaning of literature and translation in times of hardship? In An Unnecessary Woman (2013), Rabih Alameddine addresses these questions, while also indirectly contesting traditional canonical practices based on rigid hierarchies and the logic of national and linguistic purity. Alameddine highlights the violence inscribed in the practices of book selection and canon formation. In doing so, he troubles perceived notions of the canon, the classics, and especially of world literature, offering an alternative conceptualization of this long-debated category as an intimate, cosmopolitan assemblage of worldly texts.