INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE I 7-9 April 2023, Sofia
Scary, Funny, Absurd, New Digital Absurdism
7 April 2023
Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sofia University
1000 Sofia, Moskovska str. 49
- 17.00–18.00 Welcoming. Presentation of the scientific project Pop-culture, pop-politics: the digital turn. Interdisciplinary analyses of the intersectionality between media, cultures and politics (with the financial support of The Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF) Н55/2, 15.12.2021) and the latest special issue of the online journal for cultural studies Seminar_BG (https://www.seminar-bg.eu/)
Ivaylo Ditchev, Department of History and Theory of Culture, Sofia University
Vencislav Dimov, Department of Radio and Television, Sofia University
- 19.00 – Dinner
8 April 2023
Mirror Hall, Sofia University
1504 Sofia, Tzar Osvoboditel blvrd. 15
10.00-11.40 – 1st SESSION: POP-FAKE/POP-CONSPIRACY[1]
Chair: Milla Mineva
Beyond Belief: The Seductive Appeal of Witticisms in Popular Culture
Todor Hristov, Literary Theory Department, Sofia University
“… No Dad, It Was Not Mein Kampf! It Was Minecraft!!!”
Julien Giry, PRIM, University of Tours
New Digital Absurdism
Ivaylo Ditchev, Department of History and Theory of Culture, Sofia University
#IAmAClown” How Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky Became President Through Digital Media
Matthias Schwartz, Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research
11.40-12.00 – Coffee break
12.00-13.40 – 2nd SESSION: POP-MUSIC/POP-POLITICS
Chair: Ivaylo Ditchev
The Role of Music in Protest Mobilizations in Bulgaria
Valentina Gueorguieva, Department of History and Theory of Culture, Sofia University
“Let’s Laugh Together”: Political Uses of Music in “A Song for Lena”
Vladislav Petkov, Department of History and Theory of Culture, Sofia University
Relationship Between Music and Politics on the Macedonian Cultural Scene in the Last Decade
Julijana Papazova, European Scientific Institute
Between Funny and Absurd – Verse Writers and Radio-“Parrots”
Vencislav Dimov, Department of Radio and Television, Sofia University
13.50–15.00 – Lunch break
15.00-16.10 – 3rd SESSION: POP-HUMOUR/POP-SATIRE
Chair: Jana Popova
How Funny is “Political Correctness” or Who Uses Humour as a Weapon?
Milla Mineva, Department of Sociology, Sofia University
Comedy is When You Fall into an Open Sewer and Die: When Political Humour Goes Meta
Alejandro Romero-Reche, Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology, University of Granada
Hunger for fun online
Nikoleta Daskalova, Media Democracy Foundation
16.30 – Coffee break
18.30 – 4th SESSION: POP-FUN
Chair: Niya Neykova
Humour during Crises: towards the Possibility of Virtual Authenticity
Luboslava Kostova, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Absurdity in Digital Intimacy
Niya Neykova, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Time to Laugh or Time to Be Silent. In Search of the Sense of Humor of “Horizont” Radio Channel Listeners in the Election Campaign for the Bulgarian 49th National Assembly
Lora Tarkoleva, Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sofia University
Mixing of “Socialism” and “Transition” Narratives in Satire Production of Post-2000 New Year’s TV Programs
Jana Popova, Department of Radio and Television, Sofia University
Balkan digital humor
Maria Ivanova, Department of History and Theory of Culture, Sofia University
[1] In each session there are 20 minutes per presentation and 20 minutes for final discussion.
Conference organizing committee: Jana Popova, Svetla Koleva, Niya Neykova
(within scientific project Pop-culture, pop-politics: the digital turn. Interdisciplinary analyses of the intersectionality between media, cultures and politics, with the financial support of The Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF) Н55/2, 15.12.2021)