Course Schedule and Catalog
Course Schedule - Fall Semester 2026
Meeting location information can now be found on student schedules in ESTHER (for students) or on the Course Roster in ESTHER (for faculty and instructors).Additional information available here.
Meeting location information can now be found on student schedules in ESTHER (for students) or on the Course Roster in ESTHER (for faculty and instructors).Additional information available here.
HUMA 142 001 (CRN: 16229)
CAN YOU TAKE A JOKE?
Long Title: CAN YOU TAKE A JOKE?: THE HOW AND WHY OF POLITICAL HUMOR - A BIG QUESTIONS COURSE
Department: English and Creative Writing
Instructors:
Meeting: 2:00PM - 3:15PM MW (24-AUG-2026 - 4-DEC-2026)
Part of Term: Full Term
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Seminar
Language of Instruction: Taught in English
Distribution Group: Distribution Group I
Method of Instruction: Face to Face
Credit Hours: 3
Course Syllabus:
Course Materials: Rice Campus Store
Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s):
Undergraduate Professional
Visiting Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Section Max Enrollment: 99
Section Enrolled: 8
Waitlisted: 0 (Max 99)
Current members of the waitlist have priority for available seats.
Enrollment data as of: 27-APR-2026 3:00AM
Final Exam: No Final Exam
Description: What makes something funny, socially, politically, and aesthetically? This course guides students through both the critical study of humor and the creative production of comedy in a diverse range of media forms, from stand-up to TikTok. By studying theories of humor and crafting original jokes in a community of peers, students will navigate firsthand the complicated ways that humor gets at the heart of questions of social difference. What does the need to laugh teach us about the human condition? Why do we find some things funny? How do jokes both create group belonging and police group boundaries? How do we account for differences in sense of humor? Is there such a thing as politically correct humor—or should there be? When should we laugh? When shouldn’t we laugh? Who gets to decide?