The University of Newcastle, Australia

Laughter is the best medicine and from today the University of Newcastle will host a three-day conference dedicated to things that give us the giggles.

The 19th Colloquium of Australasian Humour Studies Network will bring together more than 50 national and international experts, academics and practitioners who study humour as a cultural form and as a creative activity.

Topics include analysing the humour in dad jokes, animations, political satire, limericks, comics, feminist art, stand-up comedy and religious jokes.

Themed Humour and Creativity, this year’s Colloquium is co-convened by the University of Newcastle’s Conjoint Professor Michael Ewans from the Faculty of Education and Arts and Mr Michael Meany from the Faculty of Science and IT.

“We have presentations from people studying humour from many disciplinary points of view. Humour is an area of research that attracts psychologists, sociologists, linguists, literary theorists – just to name a few,” Professor Ewans said.

“This year the conference will also draw on the research being undertaken at the University of Newcastle by Dr Phillip McIntyre and his team into the theory and practice of creativity,” Mr Meany said.

The 19th Colloquium of Australasian Humour Studies Network will be held at University’s City Precinct from February 7- 9, 2013.

For more information: Mr Michael Meany on 02 4985 4525 or 0438 604 764 or Professor Michael Ewans on 02 4921 5004.