International Workshop for PhD Students (3 ECTS): Humour Matters: Laughter and Democracy

Humour Matters: Laughter and Democracy is an international, interdisciplinary workshop that brings together PhD students to explore humour as both a democratic resource and a site of conflict. Humour can enable critique, solidarity, and resistance—but it can also foster exclusion, polarization, and harm.

The workshop examines these tensions through humour theory, legal perspectives, political satire, platform governance, and civic education. Its central aim is to identify key research questions at the intersection of humour and democracy and to equip doctoral researchers with conceptual tools and methodological approaches relevant for future research projects.

The programme combines lectures by leading international scholars, hands-on workshops (such as drawing political cartoons), panel discussions with major international research projects, and informal networking events. A tentative programme is attached.

We warmly encourage doctoral researchers working on humour, democracy, media, law, political communication, cultural studies, education, or related fields to participate. Upon full participation in the workshop programme, participants will be awarded 3 ECTS credits.

Participation and priority

Participation is open to PhD students. Places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while observing the following order of priority:

• PhD students of Estonian universities (accommodation and travel costs will be covered by DELIAH project).
• PhD students who are members of DELIAH, Larpocracy, and Democracy in Action and PhD students from ENLIGHT partner universities (whose expenses must be covered by their home institution).

Applicants outside these categories may be considered subject to availability.

Registeration form is open until February 22.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Organising committee: Anastasiya Astapova, Ismet Suleimanov (University of Tartu, Horizon Democratic Literacy and Humour (DELIAH) project), Anastasiya Fiadotava (Estonian Literature Museum), Guillem Castañar Rubio (Tallinn University).

The project “Cooperation between universities to promote doctoral studies” (2021–2027.4.04.24-0003) is co-funded by the European Union.

Schedule and detailed information