Preliminary Proposal

Humour and International Challenges (Part #2)

---

[Parts: First | Prev | Next | Last | All] [Links: From-K | From-Kx | Refs ]

---

The Union of International Associations considers that there are strong arguments for offering users a fresh way of exploring problem and strategy profiles on the Web, namely through relevant humour. Given that the existing UIA information is highly hyperlinked, it would be relatively straightforward to build up a humour database that would link from and to particular problems and strategies. The procedure might be extended to human value profiles and to profiles of approaches to human development.

Users of the problem and strategy information would then have the option of exploring it through jokes. Humour is seen as a vital supportive aspect of the learning process. Humour would help to reframe some problems creatively -- especially for those who have been over-exposed to them. The existence of this facility would attract a wider range of users and would also evoke relevant new jokes.

It is hoped to strike up working partnerships with bodies that would find this somewhat unusual approach to be relevant. Examples of such bodies include: Association for the Promotion of Humour in International Affairs, International Society for Humor Studies, International Centre for Humor and Health, the International Society for Luso-Hispanic Humor Studies, and the World Assembly of Technical and Creative Humorists, as well as equivalent national bodies such as the American Humor Studies Association .

This initiative would also seek to take advantage of the considerable investment in humour by particular cultural and ethnic groups. A prime example of this is the Nasruddin learning stories widely disseminated by Sufis in the Middle East and the Islamic world. In this case, an appropriate partner in establishing links to specific humour might be the Institute for Cultural Research. Analogous humour from other cultures would also be sought.

Also relevant to this project would be insights from bodies such as the American Association for Therapeutic Humor. Research work required The work would focus mainly on identifying humour which provided insight into problems or strategies, as do the Nasruddin learning stories (eg http://www.cse.ucsc.edu/*jyoti/mulla.html). Where such humour is available on the Web, a direct link could be made to them from the relevant problem or strategy. Where the copyright issues could be negotiated or avoided, jokes would be entered into a database to, and from, which links could be provided.

Some of the work would involve the administrative load of developing and maintaining partnership arrangements with interested bodies to facilitate the above task and to improve the quality of the jokes linked to specific problems, strategies or human values. It is expected that a significant, but useful, aspect of the work would involve negotiations with bodies sensitive to the political appropriateness of the humour used to illustrate particular problems and strategies. This challenge is discussed below.

As is widely recognized, a vast body of humour is available through the Internet. There are many sites that specialize in particular forms of humour. It is expected that those responsible for such sites might be appropriately challenged by the search for jokes relevant to problems or strategies.

---

[Parts: First | Prev | Next | Last | All] [Links: From-K | From-Kx | Refs ]