ABSTRACT
“The Joke’s on You: The Power of Satire” looks at the downside of satire, especially its potential to heighten boundaries between social groups. This chapter also covers the core critiques of satire’s social influence, some of which are unsubstantiated by research, and some of which expose its serious risks. Drawing on the latest research on the social impact of satire, this chapter surveys the scholarship and explains the real risks and rewards of political satire in the current political and media landscape.
