Sociology of political satire: United States and China
Satire, in the broadest sense, is an art of using humor, irony, exaggeration to criticize and expose some ridiculous aspects of people’s behavior, stupidity, and vices. One of the crucial aspects of satire is the laughter that arises from the interaction between the producer (writer, comedian, cartoonist) and the audience through a number of mediums: print, cartoon, TV, audio, or online networks. Though the literature on the meaning and function of satire is extensive, most researchers seem to agree on the two most crucial components: humor and criticism (Phan, 2003). Given that the nature of satire and political satire is about using humor to criticize and expose some ridiculous, vicious, and stupid aspects of politics, this essay will look at the changes in the social landscape of political satire in the United States and China from a sociological perspective.