This study examines how religion and religiosity have become subjects of humor in Türkiye's increasingly popular stand-up comedy scene in recent years. A total of 25 stand-up performances published on YouTube were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study identified recurring religious themes, narratives, and sociocultural references within these performances. Two key findings emerge from the analysis. First, the individualization, flexibility, and interpretive openness of religion in the neoliberal and postmodern cultural context have rendered it more susceptible to humorous treatment. Comedians often adopt an ambivalent, ironic, and distanced tone when addressing topics such as God, prophets, angels, and rituals, thereby making visible their loosely defined relationship with faith. Second, this form of humor cannot be understood independently of Türkiye’s broader sociopolitical polarization. The identities of comedians and the jokes they tell, which often center on specific cities and symbols, reveal that the cultural divide is increasingly being staged through humor. In this sense, stand-up comedy becomes a potent expressive medium for negotiating both religious transformation and cultural conflict.

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“Loose” Muslim “Strict” Opponent: Religion as an Object of Humor in Social Media Stand-Ups

  • Hüseyin Çil

摘要

This study examines how religion and religiosity have become subjects of humor in Türkiye's increasingly popular stand-up comedy scene in recent years. A total of 25 stand-up performances published on YouTube were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study identified recurring religious themes, narratives, and sociocultural references within these performances. Two key findings emerge from the analysis. First, the individualization, flexibility, and interpretive openness of religion in the neoliberal and postmodern cultural context have rendered it more susceptible to humorous treatment. Comedians often adopt an ambivalent, ironic, and distanced tone when addressing topics such as God, prophets, angels, and rituals, thereby making visible their loosely defined relationship with faith. Second, this form of humor cannot be understood independently of Türkiye’s broader sociopolitical polarization. The identities of comedians and the jokes they tell, which often center on specific cities and symbols, reveal that the cultural divide is increasingly being staged through humor. In this sense, stand-up comedy becomes a potent expressive medium for negotiating both religious transformation and cultural conflict.