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The Teacher
Political satire is not only for the interior pages of the newspaper anymore. Far from the obtuse (or obvious) black-and-white cartoons of yesteryear, modern political satire garners the attention of millions of viewers each year (Bibel 2013; Gorman 2011). What does this mean for the political science classroom? Today, satire is more accessible than ever and students are more likely to be exposed to it (Baym 2005; Pew Research Center 2004). However, does it follow that using satire is a good pedagogical move? Does satire communicate a dystopic political message that dissuades students from participating in politics, or might it make the political world accessible, understandable, and even interesting?
The classroom strategies described in this article attempt to minimize the cynical effects of satire and bolster the feelings of understanding and engagement that it can provide through three teaching techniques: regularly using satire, using a variety of satirical materials, and emphasizing critical evaluation of satire. A teaching experiment in online and in-person classes indicated that this approach is likely to be well received and may actually improve political efficacy.
THE PEDAGOGICAL RELEVANCE OF POLITICAL SATIRE
Although satire has a long and important tradition in political commentary as a socially acceptable outlet for criticism of elites and the politically powerful (Duff 1936; Jones 2010; Mann 1973; Meddaugh 2010), it is sometimes difficult to identify.1In fact, LaMarre, Landreville, and Beam (2009) found that interpretations of whether a work is considered satire are moderated by political ideology. The sometimes ironic effect is seen in studies like the one by Baumgartner and Morris (2008b), which found that Stephen Colbert's ultra-right-wing satire actually had a conservative effect on students. Drawing from the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of satire used in this article is "the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize incompetence or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues." By this definition, satire is a significant part of the political world that we encounter and construct daily (Edelman 1995; Ogborn and Buckroyd 2001).
Two of the most prominent satirical outlets today are Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. These television programs...