Sexual Humour in Africa: Gender, Jokes, and Societal Change

This book explores the types, discourse modes, and effects of sex jokes in African contexts, from the internet to music, books, films, advertising, and images. It argues that sex jokes serve various functions in African society, such as perpetuating violence against women, constructing spaces, resisting oppression, creating conformity, building affiliations, and subverting morality. The book examines jokes from Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia in different forms, including queer sex jokes, rape jokes, performed sex jokes, gender-based humor, and resistance sex humor. It emphasizes the impact of new media platforms and anonymity on these jokes.

Format: Hardback
Length: 284 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the diverse realm of sex jokes across various African contexts, encompassing a wide array of cultural forms such as the internet, music, books, films, advertising, and images. By addressing the existing gap in literature on this topic, the contributors aim to shed light on the multifaceted purposes and effects of sex jokes in African society. They argue that sex jokes serve multiple functions, including perpetuating violence against women, constructing spaces of resistance, challenging oppression, fostering conformity, fostering affiliations, and subverting moral norms. The book explores a rich collection of jokes from Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia, encompassing a range of genres, including queer sex jokes, rape jokes, performed sex jokes, gendered humor, and resistance sex humor.

Furthermore, it emphasizes the significant impact of new media platforms and the anonymity they offer on the dissemination and reception of sex jokes. By providing a detailed and insightful analysis of this tabooed yet culturally significant aspect of everyday life, this book appeals to scholars from diverse disciplines, including anthropology, gender studies, literary studies, and sociology. It offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between culture, sexuality, and social norms, contributing to a deeper understanding of African culture and society.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367776244