Cutting Edge

About Cutting Edge

'Cutting Edge' is one of the Australasian Humour Network's research podcast series and part of the ‘5 in 15’ suite. This is a short-form content format where we bring on senior scholars who share their experiences and answer 5 questions in 15 minutes. Sounds fun? You bet! A tiny bit stressful? YES! We won’t deny it. But give it a listen and see how our guests do and stay tuned for more AHSN ‘5 in 15’ podcast formats and more 'Cutting Edge' episodes coming soon! Want to find out more about the AHSN, check out our website: https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ or follow us on Twitter-X @AHSN_Humour.

Publisher

Australasian Humour Studies Research Network

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Sept 2024

Latest episode

3 Aug 2025

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Aug 2025

   Episode 12: Professor Ron Stewart/The one about Cartoonists

   Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Jessica Milner Davis About our guest on this episode: Ronald, an Australian, is a professor in the Sociology Department of Daito Bunka University. He has lived and worked in Japan since 1998, earning his MA and PhD at Nagoya University on a Japanese government scholarship. Ronald is currently researching the work of Japan’s first professional cartoonist Kitazawa Rakuten (1876 – 1955) as part of a longer-term history of Japanese political cartooning project. His recent publications include: “Can Australian Cartoonists Monster the Gods of Asian Politics?” coauthored with Robert Phiddian in Moral Dimensions of Humour (2024); "Unlocking Verbal-Visual Puns in Late-Nineteenth-Century Japanese Cartoons” in The Palgrave Handbook of Humour, History, and Methodology (2021); and "Ito Hirobumi's Nose: Syphilis in Early 20th Century Japanese Cartoons," International Journal of Comic Art (2019). He also coauthored with CJ Suzuki the book Manga: A Critical Guide (2023). Ronald has been a member of the Japan Society for Studies in Cartoons and Comics since 2003. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’s Department of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book is called Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Jessica is an Honorary Associate in the School of Art, Communication and English, University of Sydney, and coordinates the AHSN. She is a member of Clare Hall, Cambridge and Research Affiliate with Brunel University London’s Centre for Comedy Studies Research. She has been Visiting Scholar at many universities in Europe and the USA, Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University (2012) and Senior Visiting Fellow at Bologna University (2013). Her interdisciplinary work on humour was recognised with Fellowship of the Royal Society of NSW in 2017 and the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the ISHS. An editorial board member for leading humour research journals and book series, her latest book is “Humour in Asian Cultures: Tradition and Context” (Routledge, 2022). Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch about something else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au)(AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/),YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference)or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour. Special thanks and all credit for editing and sound engineering goes to Jacob Craig/USYD FASS media room studios.

2. 

   27 Jul 2025

   Episode 11: Dr Will Noonan/The one about Translation

   Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Rodney Taveira About our guest on this episode: Will is a lecturer in English studies and translation at the University of Burgundy, where he is assigned to the Interlanguage Centre - Text, Image, Language (UR 4812) laboratory. Originally from Australia, he began his research career by studying the relationship between Francophone and Anglophone humour before gradually turning to issues related to the translation, adaptation and accessibility of audiovisual and digital products. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’sDepartment of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book iscalled Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Rodney is the AcademicDirector, Undergraduate Coordinator, and a Senior Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre. At The University of Sydney, he teaches across the American Studies program and his research areas include contemporary American fiction, film and television, the interrelation of literature and visual culture, humour, and post-World War II American cultural politics. Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch aboutsomething else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au)(AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour. Special thanks and all credit for editing and sound engineering goes to Jacob Craig/USYD FASS media room studios.

3. 

   20 Jul 2025

   Episode 10: Professor Tony Moore/The one about Comedy History

   Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Matilda Knowles About our guest on this episode: Tony is the Lead Chief Investigator for the ARC Linkage Grant ‘Comedy Country’. Based at Monash University’s School of Media, Film and Journalism, he has a background in leading large-scale projects and is an experienced cultural and media historian focusing on the intersection of countercultures, popular culture and politics and the translation of research into digital media outputs. Tony’s books include Fringe to Famous – Australian Cultural Production After theCreative Industries (https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/fringe-to-famous-9781501334894/) (Bloomsbury, 2024), Dancing with Empty Pockets: Australia’s Bohemians Since 1860  (https://www.murdochbooks.com/browse/book/Tony-Moore-Dancing-with-Empty-Pockets-9781741961447)(2012 Allen & Unwin), Death or Liberty:  Rebels and Radicals Transported toAustralia 1788-1868  (https://www.murdochbooks.com/browse/book/Tony-Moore-Death-or-Liberty-9781741961409)(adapted as major ABC screendocumentary), and The Barry McKenzie Movies (https://www.currency.com.au/books/australian-screen-classics/the-barry-mckenzie-movies/) (Currency Press 2005). Tony has enjoyed previous careers in media and book publishing as a documentary maker and current affairs producer at ABC TV, and commissioning editor of Pluto Press and Cambridge University Press. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’sDepartment of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book iscalled Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Til is a PhD candidate at Monash University inMelbourne, Australia. Her PhD research focuses on the influence of suicide jokes told by stand-up comedians in post-2000s Australia. She’s interested in the role of authenticity, community, mediation and confession in contemporary performance comedy.  Til’s Master's research, “Larrikins, listeners and Lifeline: inside Australian comedy chatcast The Little Dum Dum Club” (https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/items/367f5fbb-13dd-4b3d-b411-970b03c6c915), examined the performance of cultural conventions and community in comedy podcasts. Til is also a pop culture writer, speculative fiction nerd, and host of the ‘Serrated Edge’ AHSN ECR podcast. Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch aboutsomething else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au)(AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour. Special thanks and all credit for editing and sound engineering goes to Jacob Craig/USYD FASS media room studios.

4. 

   13 Jul 2025

   Episode 9: Dr John Cook/The one about Games

   Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Geoffrey Lee About our guest on this episode: John is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, researching climate misinformation. He wrote and drew the cartoons in the book Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change, and developed the Cranky Uncle smartphone game, which combines cartoons and gamification to build resilience against misinformation. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’s Department of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book is called Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Geoffrey Lee is a second-year PhD student at the University of Sydney. His thesis will explore how humour is transferred from the livestreaming platform Twitch onto other connected social media platforms. You can find him on @geoffreylee.bsky.social‬ and check out his blog here: https://geofflearnstobefunny.wordpress.com/ (https://geofflearnstobefunny.wordpress.com/) Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch aboutsomething else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au)(AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour. Special thanks and all credit for editing and sound engineering goes to Jacob Craig/USYD FASS media room studios.

5. 

   6 Jul 2025

   Episode 8: Associate Professor Ian Maxwell/The one about Theatre

   Associate Professor Ian Maxwell explores how individuals employ creative practices to interpret their lives, particularly in challenging situations, and considers performance as a lens for understanding humanity in this interview with Ben Nickl and Rodney Taveira.

6. 

   9 Feb 2025

   Episode 7: Dr Tatiana Bur/The one about Classicists

   Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Anna-Sophie Jürgens About our guest on this episode: Tatiana is a Lecturer at ANU in Canberra and joined the university’s Centre for Classical Studies in 2023. Prior to this, she was the Moses and Mary Finley Research Fellow at Darwin College, University of Cambridge. Tatiana is a graduate of the University of Sydney where she completed her undergraduate studies and MPhil. Tatiana is French-Australian and has lived in France, Australia, Spain, England and Portugal. She is passionate not just about ancient Greece and Rome, but about languages and cultures (ancient and modern) more broadly, talking to us about how the academic studies of humour, technology, and Classics go together like you wouldn’t believe! About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’s Department of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book is called Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Anna-Sophie is a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science of the Australian National University, and the founder and head of the ‘Popsicule – ANU’s Science in Popular Culture and Entertainment Hub’. Her research explores the cultural meanings of science, the history of (violent) clowns and mad scientists, science and humour, and the interface between science and (public) art. Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch about something else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au) (AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour. Special thanks and all credit for editing and sound engineering goes to Jacob Craig/USYD FASS media room studios.

7. 

   2 Feb 2025

   Episode 6: Dr João Paulo Capelotti /The one about the Law

   Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Alberto Godioli About our guest on this episode: João Paulo Capelotti is a Brazilian legal scholar and humour studies researcher with a PhD and Master of Laws from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). João is a member of the International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS) and the International Society for Luso-Hispanic Humor Studies. His work explores humour and the law, focusing on Brazilian court cases and their treatment of humour. His recent publications include chapters in Judges, Judging and Humour (SpringerLink) and the DeGruyter Handbook of Humor Studies. João’s work bridges legal theory, humour, and conflict, highlighting the intersection of laughter and jurisprudence in the Global South. Alberto Godioli is Associate Professor in European Culture and Literature at the University of Groningen and founder of the Forum for Humor and the Law (www.forhum.org (http://www.forhum.org)). His research focuses on humor and free speech jurisprudence, and he is leading a five-year project on this topic (Humor in Court, NWO Vidi grant, 2022-2027). In 2023 he co-authored the report Humor and Free Speech: A Comparative Analysis of Global Case Law (Columbia Global Freedom of Expression). In dialogue with experts from UNESCO and the African and European Human Rights Courts among others, Alberto is currently finalizing the toolkit What’s in a Joke? Assessing Humor in Free Speech Jurisprudence (Spring 2025). Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch about something else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au) (AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour. Special thanks and all credit for editing and sound engineering goes to Jacob Craig/USYD FASS media room studios.

8. 

   27 Jan 2025

   Episode 5: Associate Professor Kerry Mullan/The one about The Network

   Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Suchismita Saha Chowdhury About our guest on this episode: Kerry is an Associate Professor at RMIT in Melbourne and teaches French language and culture at all proficiency levels, and sociolinguistics. Her main research interests are cross-cultural communication and differing interactional styles – particularly those of French and Australian English speakers. She also researches in the areas of intercultural pragmatics, discourse analysis, language teaching and conversational humour. Kerry also heads the board of the global Australasian Humour Studies Network and talks to us about the research that its members do, how one can join, and what to expect from the annual network conference. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’s Department of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book is called Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Suchi is a PhD student at RMIT University, Melbourne, researching stand-up comedy in India and its engagement with the political. She is creating her data through interviews with comedians, ethnographic study of live comedy shows, and textual analysis of comedic material. Born and raised in India, Suchi moved to Melbourne 18 years ago and has worked in professional roles in TAFE and tertiary education. In her other life in India, she worked in advertising, journalism, and public relations. She graduated from Monash University with a master’s degree in communication & media studies in 2018. Earlier in 1999, in India, she graduated from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, with a Master of Arts degree in Comparative Literature. Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch about something else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au) (AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour. Special thanks and all credit for editing and sound engineering goes to Jacob Craig/USYD FASS media room studios.

9. 

   12 Dec 2024

   Episode 4: Dr Mark Rolfe/The one about Politics

   Academic expert Dr Mark Rolfe discusses Australian and American politics with hosts Ben Nickl and Geoffrey Lee, exploring the intersection of humor, satire, and leadership.

10. 

    3 Oct 2024

    Episode 3: Dr Goh Abe/The one about Anthropology

    Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Jessica Milner Davis About our guest on this episode: Professor Goh Abe is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering and Design at Kagawa University, Japan. He is a long-standing member of the Japan Society for Humour and Laughter Research and has presented at many conferences of the JSLHS as well as the International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS)as well as at the AHSN in Australia. His own research interests include rituals of laughter in Japan, ethnic jokes, intercultural communication between African-Americans and Anglo-Americans in the USA, and an anthology of anthropological knowledge. In this episode, Goh talks to us about Australian humour from the perspective of a cultural anthropologist and why developing one’s intercultural awareness is so important for researchers in the field of humour studies. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’s Department of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book is called Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Jessica is an Honorary Associate in the School of Art, Communication and English, University of Sydney, and coordinates the AHSN. She is a member of Clare Hall, Cambridge and Research Affiliate with Brunel University London’s Centre for Comedy Studies Research. She has been Visiting Scholar at many universities in Europe and the USA, Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University (2012) and Senior Visiting Fellow at Bologna University (2013). Her interdisciplinary work on humour was recognised with Fellowship of the Royal Society of NSW in 2017 and the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the ISHS. An editorial board member for leading humour research journals and book series, her latest book is “Humour in Asian Cultures: Tradition and Context” (Routledge, 2022). Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch about something else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au) (AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour.

11. 

    23 Sept 2024

    Episode 2: Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens/The one about Science

    Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Will Visconti About our guest on this episode: Anna-Sophie is a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science of the Australian National University, and the founder and head of the ‘Popsicule– ANU’s Science in Popular Culture and Entertainment Hub’. Her research explores the cultural meanings of science, the history of (violent) clowns and mad scientists, science and humour, and the interface between science and (public) art, which is what we talk to her about in this episode. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’s Department of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book is called Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Will is the coordinator of the Italian major at the University of Technology Sydney. His research focuses primarily on gender, sexuality, representation and transgression, and his first book, Beyond the Moulin Rouge: The Life and Legacy of La Goulue, was published in 2022 by the University of Virginia Press. Will’s current research projects include examinations of obscenity in Victorian literature, the material culture of nineteenth-century sex work, and the comic potential of the cancan. He is also co-editor and co-author of the forthcoming study Comedy, Humour, and Laughter: A Documentary History, 1800-1920 (Routledge). Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch about something else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au) (AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour.

12. 

    5 Sept 2024

    Episode 1: Professor Alan McKee/The one about Fun

    Episode hosts: Ben Nickl and Will Visconti About our guest on this episode: Alan is Head of School of Art, Communication, and English at The University of Sydney and Professor in Media and Communication. He is an expert on entertainment and healthy sexual development. His most recent book reporting on sexually explicit material and its audiences is called What Do We Know About the Effects of Pornography After Fifty Years of Academic Research (Routledge, 2022). Alan talks to us about fun and entertainment, and how both feature in his current research. He also shares publication advice for early-career researchers and how to communicate to the public. About the episode hosts: Ben is a Senior Lecturer in The University of Sydney’s Department of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. He works on popular technologies of mediation like humour and laughter and is the research coordinator for the Australasian Humour Studies Network. His latest book is called Moral Dimensions of Humour (Tampere University Press, open access, 2024). Will is the coordinator of the Italian major at the University of Technology Sydney. His research focuses primarily on gender, sexuality, representation and transgression, and his first book, Beyond the Moulin Rouge: The Life and Legacy of La Goulue, was published in 2022 by the University of Virginia Press. Will’s current research projects include examinations of obscenity in Victorian literature, the material culture of nineteenth-century sex work, and the comic potential of the cancan. He is also co-editor and co-author of the forthcoming study Comedy, Humour, and Laughter: A Documentary History,1800-1920 (Routledge). Acknowledgement of Country: We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which the University of Sydney has been built, and which were taken from them without their consent, treaty or compensation. Most episodes of this podcast were recorded on this land. This land has always been a learning space for many Aboriginal nations, and as teachers and students, and people of all kinds of origins, we can draw strength and guidance from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, one of the oldest knowledge systems in the world. Want to come on as a guest or co-host, or get in touch about something else? Simply email benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au (mailto:benjamin.nickl@sydney.edu.au) (AHSN research coordinator and ‘Cutting Edge’ host), visit the AHSN website https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/ (https://ahsnhumourstudies.org/)  and follow/subscribe to us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/ (https://www.facebook.com/AHSNHumour/), YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference (https://www.youtube.com/@ahsnconference) or Twitter/X @AHSN_Humour.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

6,738

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

35

Social presence

0

YouTube

74

Engagement

0