Humor Against Authoritarianism: Call for Papers and Interactive Workshop
The MENTOR Project is pleased to announce two key upcoming activities exploring the power of humor as a form of non-violent resistance and a tool for democratic engagement in Europe.
First, the International Conference “Humor Against Authoritarianism: Memory, Resistance, and Democracy in Europe” will take place in February 2026, hosted by Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens, Greece. Scholars, researchers, civil society representatives, and practitioners are invited to submit original papers examining how humor has served as a means of expression, dissent, and collective memory under authoritarian regimes in 20th-century Europe.
Abstracts (300–500 words) should be submitted by 10 November 2025, with notification of acceptance by 30 November 2025. The deadline for full papers is 15 February 2026.
Find submission details and topic areas here.
Next week MENTOR will host an interactive online workshop titled “Collecting Stories, Preserving Memory” on Thursday, 13 November 2025 (16:00–17:30 CET | 17:00–18:30 EET). The session invites participants to share materials, stories, and testimonies that will become part of the project’s Digital Library, preserving voices of resistance and humor across generations.
Participation is free and open to all, with registration available here.
Together, these initiatives highlight MENTOR’s commitment to understanding humor not just as entertainment, but as a profound democratic practice of remembrance and resistance.
