Manchester University Press
7 Conclusion
Abstract
The book’s conclusion reviews the implications of its study of humour and the performance of subjectivity for the study of world politics. It emphasises three conclusions in particular. The first is the importance of everyday intersubjective interactions to the relational systems and networks that constitute international relations. A focus on humour provides one way of tracing the symbiotic, transversal relationship between apparently mundane social practices and issues of global political concern. The second conclusion concerns the potential importance of humour to the making and unmaking of political subjectivities. Humour plays an active and sometimes important political role insofar as it is involved in the performance of political subjectivity and the (re)making of intersubjective social and political relations. Thirdly and finally, the conclusion emphasises the way in which a ‘parasitic’ understanding of comic-political subjectivity focuses analytic attention towards the political margins: towards the creation, reproduction, maintenance and contestation of political discourses, boundaries and orders.
Abstract
The book’s conclusion reviews the implications of its study of humour and the performance of subjectivity for the study of world politics. It emphasises three conclusions in particular. The first is the importance of everyday intersubjective interactions to the relational systems and networks that constitute international relations. A focus on humour provides one way of tracing the symbiotic, transversal relationship between apparently mundane social practices and issues of global political concern. The second conclusion concerns the potential importance of humour to the making and unmaking of political subjectivities. Humour plays an active and sometimes important political role insofar as it is involved in the performance of political subjectivity and the (re)making of intersubjective social and political relations. Thirdly and finally, the conclusion emphasises the way in which a ‘parasitic’ understanding of comic-political subjectivity focuses analytic attention towards the political margins: towards the creation, reproduction, maintenance and contestation of political discourses, boundaries and orders.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures vi
- Acknowledgements vii
- 1 Introduction 1
-
Part I Humour, subjectivity and world politics
- 2 ‘A way of operating’ 25
- 3 The parasite 51
-
Part II Parasitic politics
- 4 Aesthetic parasitism 79
- 5 Physical parasitism 113
- 6 Parodic parasitism 145
- 7 Conclusion 169
- Bibliography 179
- Index 203
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of figures vi
- Acknowledgements vii
- 1 Introduction 1
-
Part I Humour, subjectivity and world politics
- 2 ‘A way of operating’ 25
- 3 The parasite 51
-
Part II Parasitic politics
- 4 Aesthetic parasitism 79
- 5 Physical parasitism 113
- 6 Parodic parasitism 145
- 7 Conclusion 169
- Bibliography 179
- Index 203
