ISP 237
Comedy & Identity · 3 credits · Fall 2026
Requirements
Prerequisite: ENG 101
About this course
Comedy helps us understand identity through its unique embrace of similarity and difference, celebration and heartbreak, solidarity and isolation. From ancient to contemporary times - from Greek gender roles through Roman slavery, from Medieval cosmology through ethnic sitcoms to LGBTQ standup -- artists use comedy to explore and express their experience of identity. Some hide their vulnerability behind the mask of comedy; others use it as a megaphone to speak their truth. This interdisciplinary course draws examples of comedies of identity spanning time, place, and culture in a wide variety of artistic forms, such as drama, literature, poetry, film, the visual arts, cartoons, clowning, caricature, music, and dance.
Seat status as of Oct 3, 5:35 AM ET. Seats can change between refreshes.