Laughter in Catastrophic Times

Abstract

The methodological foundation for studying laughter and trauma lies in the principal theories of laughter, along with the potential of anthropological – especially anthropocentric – approaches. The relevance of traditional philological terminology requires re-evaluation. Key concepts such as discourse, communication, and context (historical, social, communicative) are being redefined, alongside such notions as performance, oral text, and interpretation. The traditional roles and competencies of participants in the communicative triad are also addressed. Oral text is viewed as a form of discourse, and its performance is seen primarily as a response to the audience’s needs, shaped by the situational context and participants. New emphasis is also placed on fieldwork methodology and textual analysis. The main object of study – laughter culture across various historical periods (World War II, the Chornobyl disaster, the Maidan, the Revolution of Dignity, and the ongoing struggle for independence amid the Russian invasion) – is analyzed with attention to the actual social and communicative contexts in which emotions arise and verbal texts are shaped through interaction between speaker and audience. This approach allows not only the perspective of an external observer but also the researcher’s self-reflection as a participant, taking into account possible alternative viewpoints and interpretations from others with different communicative backgrounds. Laughter culture serves as a source of resilience and inner strength, functioning as a dynamic mechanism that enables performers to meet listeners’ communicative needs in times of crisis.