"Since the Russian Federation began its "special military operation" to "liberate" Ukrainians on Feb. 24, 2022, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, millions have fled their homes, cities have been destroyed, and water and land have been contaminated. But people in Ukraine still laugh. Laugh to overcome pain, express solidarity and resilience, and hope for the victory."
"Throughout history, satirists and cartoonists have faced punishment, prison and even executions. Lenin and Stalin, like Mao and Hitler, allowed no laughter at the expense of themselves or their regimes. The power of humor lies in its capacity to mobilize people for a common cause. It is a weapon of the powerful as well as the powerless."
"I have studied humor in authoritarian and democratic states for many years. I have been fascinated by humor's power to overcome pain and liberate from absurdity and oppression. In Ukraine, war humor has mobilized people, expressed their resistance and helped them overcome daily hardships."
Humor has become a vital survival mechanism for Ukrainians enduring Russia's full-scale invasion since February 2022. Despite massive casualties, displacement, destroyed infrastructure, and energy crises, Ukrainians employ jokes and satire to process trauma, express solidarity, and maintain resilience. Historically, humor has served as both a weapon of resistance against authoritarian regimes and a tool of state propaganda. Satirists and cartoonists have faced severe punishment under authoritarian leaders like Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Hitler for challenging state narratives. In Ukraine's current conflict, war humor mobilizes people, articulates resistance, and helps communities endure daily hardships. This demonstrates humor's enduring power to liberate people from absurdity and oppression.
#ukrainian-resistance #war-humor-and-satire #authoritarian-oppression #coping-mechanisms #social-resilience
Read at The Conversation
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