Recently, ethnic humor (targeting ethnoreligious identities) is increasingly questioned in European and Western countries, sparking controversy on online and traditional media platforms. Absent from the mediated and academic debate are the opinions from targeted subjects of the joke. This qualitative audience study aims to add to critical humor scholarship by providing insight into how targeted groups make sense of disputes of offense. We interviewed 35 participants (ages 15–24) with a minoritized ethnic identity (mostly a Moroccan or Turkish diasporic background) and religious identity (all identified as Muslim) on how they negotiate offensive (ethnic) humor. Moreover, we asked participants to reflect on the politics of offense (i.e. the power relations underlying the process of publicly claiming offense) and the role media play in the discussion of offended feelings in relation to (ethnic) humor. A thematic analysis of three focus groups indicates how participants’ negotiations were always influenced by contextual factors and tied to their identities, both on a sociopolitical and personal level. Further, participants were highly conscious about their minoritized position in debates on offensive ethnic humor and how this relates to societal power inequalities. As such, they recognized how the politics of offense regarding ethnic humor highlight boundaries between social groups.

中文翻译：

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'只是在开玩笑？' – 一项探索性观众研究，探讨具有少数民族身份的佛兰德青年如何理解民族幽默和冒犯政治

最近，民族幽默（针对民族宗教身份）在欧洲和西方国家受到越来越多的质疑，在网络和传统媒体平台上引发争议。调解和学术辩论中没有来自该笑话的目标对象的意见。这项定性受众研究旨在通过深入了解目标群体如何理解冒犯性争议，从而增加批判性幽默的学术研究。我们采访了 35 名具有少数族裔身份（主要是摩洛哥或土耳其侨民背景）和宗教身份（全部为穆斯林）的参与者（年龄 15-24 岁），了解他们如何应对攻击性（种族）幽默。此外，我们要求参与者反思进攻的政治（即 公开声称冒犯的过程背后的权力关系）以及媒体在讨论与（种族）幽默相关的被冒犯情绪时所扮演的角色。对三个焦点小组的主题分析表明，参与者的谈判如何总是受到背景因素的影响，并在社会政治和个人层面上与他们的身份联系在一起。此外，参与者高度意识到自己在关于冒犯性种族幽默的辩论中处于少数地位，以及这与社会权力不平等的关系。因此，他们认识到有关种族幽默的冒犯政治如何凸显社会群体之间的界限。对三个焦点小组的主题分析表明，参与者的谈判如何总是受到背景因素的影响，并在社会政治和个人层面上与他们的身份联系在一起。此外，参与者高度意识到自己在关于冒犯性种族幽默的辩论中处于少数地位，以及这与社会权力不平等的关系。因此，他们认识到有关种族幽默的冒犯政治如何凸显社会群体之间的界限。对三个焦点小组的主题分析表明，参与者的谈判如何总是受到背景因素的影响，并在社会政治和个人层面上与他们的身份联系在一起。此外，参与者高度意识到自己在关于冒犯性种族幽默的辩论中处于少数地位，以及这与社会权力不平等的关系。因此，他们认识到有关种族幽默的冒犯政治如何凸显社会群体之间的界限。