Lecture, Barnard's Inn Hall, Thursday, 26 Feb 2026 - 18:00
That's Not Funny: The Ethics of Satire
It used to be taken for granted that satire uses nasty means to good ends: it ridicules its targets in order to bring about reform. However, in recent years, the role of satire has been challenged and satirists themselves have quite literally come under attack. Some shocking incidents have prompted serious debate about the relations between free speech and hate speech. This lecture will consider the rights and wrongs of satire in a historical context and in the light of our present situation.
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