This Isn’t Funny: How Humor Helps Advance Freedom in Times of Crisis
Date & Time: February 25, 2026 | 04:00 PM – 05:30 PM
Location: Greg Sutliff Auditorium, Lewis Katz Building
Join us for a talk by Dr. Sophia McClennen, professor of international affairs and comparative literature and director of the Center for Global Studies; and Dr. Joseph Wright, professor of political science.
In moments of democratic backsliding, repression, and political fear, humor often looks trivial—or irresponsible. Yet, in practice, it isn’t. In this talk, McClennen and Wright draw on their collaborative research to show how laughter can expose authoritarian absurdities, sustain civic engagement, and lower the costs of dissent when traditional forms of opposition are dangerous or blocked. While humor may not be the perfect foil for repression in every circumstance, their work challenges the idea that resistance must always be solemn—and makes the case that humor can be one of democracy’s most resilient defenses.
This event is free and open to the public.
Sponsored by the Central PA chapter of the ACLU, the Penn State School of International Affairs, and the Penn State Center for Global Studies.
For those unable to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed via Zoom.