The representation of societal critique in humour: The Case of Uykusuz Magazine

Humour exists within the society that creates it, and is a phenomenon which reflects that society. It innately encompasses the culture and history of the social environment in which it was created, and has a certain critical aspect. Laughter is a phenomenon frequently conjured in association with humour. Discussions regarding laughter are as old as mankind, as laughter itself carries qualities such as destructiveness and critique. Humour holds a special place in Turkish society; communication through humour is an important aspect of life in all societies. As a branch of humour, caricature may be defined as the art of creating humour through drawing. The significance of caricature is derived from its ability to convey meaning to the reader in a universal language, without reverting to pages of text or hours of conversation. Humour magazines contain both caricatures and humourous text, encompassing the qualities of humour, caricature, and laughter. Therefore, this study covers the humour magazine with the greatest circulation in Turkey, Uykusuz Magazine, and analyzes the cover pages of the magazine for their portrayal of current events. The study was conducted utilizing qualitative research methods, namely content analysis and document analysis. Additional data gathering was attempted by contacting the authors of the magazine, and the data was compared and interpreted with regards to the established literature through a critical approach. The findings were discussed regarding whether Uykusuz magazine may be considered a representation of social critique.