ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 examines the key characteristics of the EU Referendum, Brexit discourse and Brexit populism as dichotomous phenomena that create incongruities requiring rhetorical support. Humour and comedy are described as social activities that can provide this support for populism while also having the ability to undermine populism. The chapter begins with a discussion of the three historical theories of humour and comedy, which identify useful functions of humour when adopted by populists. After that, populist ambiguity, humour and comedy are connected in three ways. First, it is demonstrated that the social conditions in which populism emerges are integral to the conditions in which particular humour styles emerge. Second, it is shown that populism contains paradoxical tendencies for order-building and fragmentation/ambiguity. That is, humour and comedy are tools for the facilitation and alleviation of these processes. Third, populism is shown to be othering, and humour and comedy are key tools in this process. In Part Two of the chapter, the six key themes of Brexit populism are outlined. These themes all employ rhetoric and humour. These are the specific incongruities of Brexit populism, as stark oppositions appear between populism and its anti-populism. The key themes that are elaborated on are the establishment, economy, immigration, sovereignty, dishonesty and fear.
