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Pratiksha Thangam Menon

Pratiksha Thangam Menon is a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan’s Department of Communication and Media. A broadcast journalist in her previous life, her current research lies at the intersection of humor, pop culture, and politics.

An 18th Century pornographic cartoon featuring Marie Antoinette and the great French General and politician Lafayette, c. 1790
Education & Society

No Joke

Using humor to mask and normalize hatred and bigotry has a long, ugly history.
Elementary Students Taking Standardized Test
Education

Educate Thy Neighbor: Missouri’s Accidental Desegregation Win

The 2010 Turner v. Clayton judgment was a milestone on the path toward reimagining education as a community’s responsibility.
A circle of white claymation guys around a black claymation guy
Reading Lists

Racist Humor: Exploratory Readings

An introduction to the history and theory of racist humor and the social role it plays in Western societies.
Sophia McClennen, author of Trump Was a Joke
Public Intellectuals

Laughing Matters

Sophia McClennen, author of Trump Was a Joke, discusses how political satire decoded the chaos of the forty-fifth presidency.

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