Our thematic selections : Humor

Anyone who has grown up in an Arab country well knows the good-natured humour of the popular language.
From the traditional Nasreddin stories to the development of the current Hirak movement in Algeria, along with Egyptian noqta, humour in the Arab world is at its wittiest when it is self-deprecating, when wielded with finesse to laugh about the idiosyncrasies of a society ridden with contradictions.
To laugh at oneself, but also to lampoon the powerful: In countries where freedom of expression is sometimes restricted, press cartoons, satirical articles, slogans and sketches by comedians make life more bearable, buoying up spirits that censorship would like to quash.

This selection is just a taste of the AWI's rich heritage.

You can find out more about these subjects by exploring this portal or by visiting the Institute.