Unthinkable Laughter
(Re)Imagining Anti-Racist Education

By (author) Laura Lindo

ISBN13: 9781487551094

Imprint: University of Toronto Press

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Published: 11/05/2025

Availability: Not yet available

Description
Does anti-racist education need to rely so heavily on feelings of anxiety, anger, or guilt? Can comedy, and more specifically, African American “race comics,” help us rethink our approach to anti-racist education? At a time when critical race theory is under attack, the need for new approaches to anti-racist education is urgent. Unthinkable Laughter addresses this need, highlighting the power of humour and race comedy as valuable alternative strategies. Drawing on her experiences in politics – as a former member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario, anti-racism critic for the province, and chair of Ontario’s first-ever Black Caucus – Laura Mae Lindo offers a fresh perspective on rethinking anti-racism work in educational settings. The book applies critical race theory and culturally relevant pedagogies to Canadian experiences in education and politics, addressing a significant representational gap that often fosters the misleading belief that racism in education is a problem unique to the United States. By introducing this theoretical framework to Canadian contexts, Lindo offers a more inclusive, global perspective on both critical race theory and culturally relevant pedagogies in education. Ultimately, Unthinkable Laughter calls for a shift in how we approach anti-racist education, urging the exploration of humour and race comedy as powerful and effective alternative strategies.
Acknowledgments Prologue Introduction 1. A Critical Reality: Race, Racism, and Canadian Schooling 2. What Comedy Made Them Do (A.K.A., the Student Teacher’s Story) 3. The Power of Comedy and Laughter in Anti-Racist Education (A.K.A., Comedians Laugh at the Darnedest Things) 4. Pushing the Boundaries: The Roots of the Race Comic 5. The Birth of the “Race Comic” 6. What Comedy Made Me Do: A Teacher Educator’s Story 7. Uncomfortable Laughter and the Un-Spoken Rules of the (Race) Game Bibliography Index
  • ELT: teaching theory & methods
  • Teaching skills & techniques
  • Professional & Vocational
  • Tertiary Education (US: College)
Height:229
Width:152
Spine:25
Weight:1.00
List Price: £17.99