Why Humour Literacy?

Humour is a powerful tool. It can make us laugh, challenge norms, raise awareness, or even defuse conflict. But it can also be misunderstood, misused, or weaponised. Humour that resonates with one group might confuse or offend another. In the age of global digital communication, the impact of humour can cross borders instantly — but not always safely or successfully.

Despite its cultural importance, humour literacy has never been systematically and cross-culturally studied. HUMLIT fills this gap by analysing humour on three interconnected levels:

1. Production – how humorous content is created (e.g. by stand-up comedians, actors, mime artists, cartoonists, journalists, humorous writers, social media creators, meme creators)
2. Content – what content and from humour takes, and how these messages are shaped by language, context, and culture
3. Reception – how humour is received by audiences, and what meanings are attributed to it

Project Goals

The central objective of HUMLIT is to understand how humour can:

• Promote constructive dialogue in the public sphere
• Bridge differences between diverse cultural groups
• Help identify and reduce the risks of miscommunication, offence, or discrimination
• Encourage responsible and inclusive humour in both media and education

To achieve this, the project is grounded in research, practice, and international exchange between academic experts and cultural practitioners.

What Will HUMLIT Do?

HUMLIT activities include:

• Interviews with humour producers (comedians, cartoonists, meme creators, humorous writers)
• Collection of humour database and analysis of humour content
• Surveys and focus groups with audiences in various cultural settings, including visitors to humour museums and festivals
• Developing educational and training materials to improve humour literacy among educators, communicators, and the general public
• Online and offline exhibitions by partner museums enhancing humour literacy with scholarly commentary
• Cross-sector staff exchanges among the 25 partner institutions over 48 months (2025–2028)
• Preparing and publishing academic articles on humour production, content and reception which will result from interdisciplinary research collaboration in areas such as linguistics, sociolinguistics, folkloristics, second language teaching, political communication, and AI-based content analysis

Who Is Involved?

The project is implemented by a consortium of 25 partners from 15 countries (12 EU and 3 non-EU), including:

• 17 academic institutions (universities and research centres)
• 8 non-academic partners (including museums, cultural organisations, and independent institutions)

The geographical spread and diverse expertise of the partners ensure a wide, inclusive perspective on humour and its social role. Key partners include institutions in Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Denmark, Kosovo, Norway,  Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Poland with its coordinating institution – the Jagiellonian University.

Project Timeline

• Start date: 1 January 2025
• End date: 31 December 2028
• Duration: 48 months

Why It Matters

In an increasingly polarised and globalised world, humour plays a central role in how we express ourselves, challenge authority, and form communities. But as the lines between public and private, satire and offence blur, our ability to understand and engage with humour responsibly becomes critical.

HUMLIT is not just about comedy. It is about building a shared language for interpreting humour across borders, identifying risks, encouraging empathy, and embracing the complexity of communication.

By the end of the project, HUMLIT will deliver:

• A new framework for humour literacy
• Practical resources for educators
• Research findings that enhance our understanding of humour's role in social cohesion and public discourse