ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between humor and protest through a study of the use of humor in the Spanish indignados/15M movement. It highlights how the Spanish indignados were to a large degree aware of a number of benefits associated with the use of humor that went beyond having fun and, therefore, organized several activities in order to obtain these benefits. The chapter seeks to stress the instrumental component of humor, which has generally been underestimated in the literature. It provides a brief theoretical introduction which aims to relate humor to the study of protest and social movements. In addition, activities carried out within social movements are partly expressive and partly instrumental and the motivations that lead individuals to participate in them are a mixture of instrumental motives and expressive ones. Moreover, the growing presence of humor in social movements also can be related to the spread of new information and communication technologies.
