2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Uncovering the suppressed potential in spontaneous self-induced laughter through Deleuze, affect and posthuman philosophy
| Project/Area Number |
20K00003
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| Research Institution | Nagoya University |
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Principal Investigator |
Weeks Mark 名古屋大学, 教養教育院, 特任准教授 (70514222)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | laughter / solitude / becoming / affect / Deleuze / Nietzsche |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
During the 2020 year I continued examination of themes broached in an article published in The European Journal of Humour Research at the beginning of the year titled "Affect philosophy meets incongruity: about transformative potentials in comic laughter." To do this, I undertook further literature searches. I also applied the concept of affect, which is central to the present project, to a chapter published in the book Dickens and the Anatomy of Evil at the end of the year titled Exploding “Dark Shadows”: coded territories and laughing nomadic bodies in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club." During the year, I was also requested to review a book for The European Journal of Humour Research. In this review of the book Philosophy, Humor, and the Human Condition: Taking Ridicule Seriously I encountered elements related to my own project, specifically laughing at oneself. This review allowed me to consider such issues critically and articulate a position on them. The review has been accepted for publication in late 2021.
I applied to give a presentation on my work so far at the annual conference of the International Society of Humor Studies in June-July of 2020; however, this conference was completely cancelled. Nevertheless, I have been able to pursue my research alone.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
Research progress was not stopped despite the virus pandemic situation, and this is why I have not requested a deferral of the grant. The main impediment to research has been the cancellation of the annual conference of the International Society of Humor Studies planned for June-July of 2020 in Italy. I had proposed a paper for the conference, but was unable to deliver that paper as there was no conference at all, not even an online version. There has since been a further setback since recently the 2021 conference has also been cancelled, or at least postponed until 2022. The practical effect of this is that I have been unable to garner the feedback and other input on my work in progress that I would expect from giving a conference paper. I am also unable to meet researchers working in my area. Since I live outside the main hubs of humor research in the United States and Europe and have not been able to establish an online presence or network, I am isolated in my endeavour.
On the other hand, I am fortunate in not relying on in-person meetings or physical experimentation in my research. This has allowed me to continue to work and I have also been able to publish works during this research period. I should also acknowledge that since solitude is part of my research project, I have been provided with a unique opportunity to explore the subject through personal experimentation.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The postponement twice of the annual conference of the International Society of Humor Studies has forced me to make considerable changes to my initial study plan. Because of the lack of feedback and input from other researchers on my work in progress, I still need to confidently establish a theoretical basis for my work. Nevertheless, I will continue my research of literature across research disciplines on central strands of the project, specifically the notion of solitude in recent and contemporary cultures, the concept of affect, and the notion of solitary laughter. On top of that, I will continue to examine the works of Deleuze and scholars related to that philosopher in order to uncover other concepts through which the idea of a transformative kind of laughter in solitude might be elucidated.
While I understand that self-experimentation is not an approach typically valued in the present scientific research environment, I have been exploring techniques for consciously fostering the ability to generate laugher in solitude as well as the effect of that upon one's ontological, existential perspectives. I do believe this has value despite being difficult to verify, and I will continue to do this over the next year.
Related to that, I wrote and offered an article for publication in a major US newspaper on the potential for solitary laughter and a more genuinely "comic" mode of being in the context of general isolation and hardship. This article was rejected, but I will continue to pursue such publication in order to disseminate the ideas to a broader audience.
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| Causes of Carryover |
The amount set aside for the 2021 research period was at the beginning of the year earmarked for expenditure, along with the amount unused in the 2020 research period, for attendance at the annual conference of the International Society of Humor Studies to be held in Italy. However, this has since been postponed until June in 2022. Since submitting my budget for the 2021 period, I have therefore been forced to change my plans. However, I wish to retain the budgetas it stands as I am seeking alternative conferences for delivery of the planned research-in-progress paper over the coming year.
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