Aleksandar Takovski
Biographic Data
| ID | 318015 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Aleksandar Takovski |
| GIVEN NAMES | Aleksandar |
| FAMILY NAME | Takovski |
| SIGNATURE | TAKOVSKI A |
| AFFILIATIONS | AAB College |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5797-2404 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 16 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
“When does Ethnic Humour become Racist? – When it Migrates to US and UK”: Cross Cultural Distinctions between Racist and Ethnic Humour
The meanings of race and ethnicity vary across cultures and states. The differences are a result of different histories of colonization, migration, and, in consequence, racialization. The concept of race is a more encompassing category in Western European societies and the USA, where it is also a political commodity that structures social and political relations and views. The same concept in the Western Balkan states, organized along ethnic line…
Laugh or not 2 love: Disparagement humour and Macedonian humour ideologies
Views and evaluations of humour are governed by sociocultural assumptions about what humour is, how it works, and where its limits lie. These assumptions are shaped by various forces, including states’ political histories, sociopolitical views and identities, humour traditions, and more. All these factors inform popular humour ideologies—sets of beliefs and attitudes—about what humour is and how it works or should not work. In a sense, humour ide…
How ethnic is ethnic humor? Theorizing a relationship between ethnic humor and identity
Ethnic humor uses a small number of universal stereotypes such as stupidity, laziness, etc., to ridicule a large number of ethnic groups, thereby setting boundaries between them and maintaining ethnic-based hierarchies in society (Hill 1995. Junk Spanish, covert racism, and the (leaky.) boundary between public and private spheres. Pragmatics 5(2). 197–212, Hill 1998. Language, race, and white public space. American Anthropologist 100(3). 680–689;…
Grandpa was fatally administered by the Bulgarians1: Family narratives, national identity, and state history
Grandparents' World War Two (WWII) stories are emotionally powerful, intimate accounts of firsthand experience that can shape grandchildren's ideas of state history, nation, and identity. This effect, I argue, manifests most intensively in critical times when national history and identity are threatened. Such was the case when former Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev relayed a controversial version of Macedonian national history and identity i…
Political alliance with Covid-19: Macedonian politics and the strategic use of the pandemic
The emergence of COVID-19 in Macedonia in March 2020 overlapped with a period in which the country was run by a technical Government tasked to organize premature elections. In circumstances of highlighted inter-party conflict predating the health crisis, the newly emerged health emergency has only added to the political confrontation and the existing political crisis. COVID-19 and the resulting discourses on health crisis in this respect, I argue…
Historični seminar 14
The volume Historični seminar 14 ('Historical Seminar 14'), issued in the time of transformed reality of what we knew and took for granted, draws attention to the fact that the image we cultivate of ourselves and our history may sometimes be too simplified to be entirely real. At first, the volume both revises already known chapters of Church history and introduces hitherto unknown ones. Simon Malmenvall’s analysis of the characters of the noble …
Lubricating culture awareness and critical thinking through humour
There is an ample evidence supporting the benefits of instructional humour, among which increased attention and interest, information retention and learning speed, more productive learning environment, a more positive image of the instructor, more efficient acquisition of linguistic and cultural competencies, an increased conversational involvement, enhanced cultural awareness and more stimulated critical thinking. However, most of the research f…
Right Then, Left Now: Constructing “Macedonia” in the Macedonian Diasporas in Australia and Europe
In the XX century, especially after WWII, a great number of ethnic Macedonians have migrated to Australia and the US, while recently, after the 1991 dissolution of Yugoslavia, the direction of the migration influx has changed its course mainly towards Europe. While the first diaspora community was motivated by economic reasons drawing rural and urban citizens alike in pursuit of better life, the second wave of migration was led by political circu…
Reclaiming Women’s Perspective: Feminist Anthropology and the Androcentric Bias
The past few decades have been marked by an increasing discussion on the role of dialogue in anthropology, especially following the anthropological turn of the 80s, when the discipline was looked upon as one “writing a culture” rather than understanding it from the insider’s perspective, while the ethnographer was thought of as the epistemic dictator, incapable of establishing a dialogical relation with his subjects of inquiry. The power relation…
Coloring social change: Humor, politics, and social movements
As many social movements demonstrate, humor can serve as an important resource to resist oppression, fight social injustice and bring social change. Existing research has focused on humor’s role within social movements and its positive effects on the free expression of criticism, reduction of fear, communication, mobilization of participants and so on. However, the current literature on the activist use of humor also expresses some reservations a…
Battlefield EU: Macedonian parties’ representations in times of crisis
EU is a discursive field where multiple meanings and representations are created, negotiated and contested. Research has shown that the concept possess an interpretive power often used as an instrument of political confrontation. Such is the case, this study argues, with the two largest Macedonian parties – VMRO-DPMNE and the Social Democrats – who in a pursuit of changing or maintaining the power structuration in the society have produced a disc…
Representing Sexuality through Folklore: Erotic Folktales and Online Jokes as 'Mirrors' of Gender Hierarchies
Gender roles, relations, and structures are aspects of human sexuality that are (re)constructed, negotiated, and even contested through a variety of discourses, including folklore. Erotic tales and sexual jokes are folk genres in which human sexuality is most explicitly presented. In this respect, the two key questions this study seeks to answer are: what kind of sexuality (gender roles, relations, and structures) is constructed through these gen…
Extending ethnic humour theory: Genuine vs. functional ethnic jokе scripts
Most ethnic humour that has been studied so far consists of jokes which use ethnically non-specific qualities such as stupidity or canniness in order to ridicule an ethnic group and thus to preserve and perpetuate ethnically based social hierarchies in western industrial societies. In light of this dominant logic in ethnic humour theory, the objective of this study is to problematize the relation of such non-ethnic qualities and the notion of eth…
Macedonia outside “Macedonia: Denying name, silencing identity and obliterating presence
The name dispute between Republic of Macedonia and Greece manifests itself in Greece’s objections to the use of the noun “Macedonia” or the adjective “Macedonian” to refer to any other ethnicity, culture, tradition and history except Greek. In order to promote itself as a sole claimant to the name, Greece has constructed a discourse which legitimizes its exclusive right to it, while at the same time it delegitimizes such right to Macedonia. Howev…
The humor of Skopje 2014: Between effects and evaluations
In 2010, the Macedonian government commissioned a controversial urban project titled Skopje 2014, designed to aesthetically revamp the look of the capital’s center. The announcement gave rise to conflicting views, both supportive and critical of the idea. Part of the criticism leveled at the project was expressed through on-line humor which produced no major sociopolitical effect, public debate or counter-humor production. Yet its production and …
From joker to the butt and back: Ethnic identity construction through humour
Ethnic humour research has mostly conceived and studied ethnic humour as a humour that sets boundaries between jokers and joke targets and that ridicules the targeted ethnicities by assigning them (non) ethnic, universal qualities like stupidity, cunningness or asexuality. By relying on such universal categories this approach has not produced a satisfactory account of how humour can function as a mode of expressing, negotiating and even questioni…
Redefiniranje nacionalnog identiteta u Makedoniji. Analiza suprotstavljenih mitova o postanku i interpretacija kroz hegemonijske reprezentacije
UvodU ovome se radu analiziraju planovi, interpretacije i odaziv na nedavni arhitektonski pothvat u Skoplju, glavnome gradu Republike Makedonije
Coloring social change: Humor, politics, and social movements
As many social movements demonstrate, humor can serve as an important resource to resist oppression, fight social injustice and bring social change. Existing research has focused on humor’s role within social movements and its positive effects on the free expression of criticism, reduction of fear, communication, mobilization of participants and so on. However, the current literature on the activist use of humor also expresses some reservations a…
How ethnic is ethnic humor? Theorizing a relationship between ethnic humor and identity
Ethnic humor uses a small number of universal stereotypes such as stupidity, laziness, etc., to ridicule a large number of ethnic groups, thereby setting boundaries between them and maintaining ethnic-based hierarchies in society (Hill 1995. Junk Spanish, covert racism, and the (leaky.) boundary between public and private spheres. Pragmatics 5(2). 197–212, Hill 1998. Language, race, and white public space. American Anthropologist 100(3). 680–689;…
The humor of Skopje 2014: Between effects and evaluations
In 2010, the Macedonian government commissioned a controversial urban project titled Skopje 2014, designed to aesthetically revamp the look of the capital’s center. The announcement gave rise to conflicting views, both supportive and critical of the idea. Part of the criticism leveled at the project was expressed through on-line humor which produced no major sociopolitical effect, public debate or counter-humor production. Yet its production and …
Battlefield EU: Macedonian parties’ representations in times of crisis
EU is a discursive field where multiple meanings and representations are created, negotiated and contested. Research has shown that the concept possess an interpretive power often used as an instrument of political confrontation. Such is the case, this study argues, with the two largest Macedonian parties – VMRO-DPMNE and the Social Democrats – who in a pursuit of changing or maintaining the power structuration in the society have produced a disc…
Representing Sexuality through Folklore: Erotic Folktales and Online Jokes as 'Mirrors' of Gender Hierarchies
Gender roles, relations, and structures are aspects of human sexuality that are (re)constructed, negotiated, and even contested through a variety of discourses, including folklore. Erotic tales and sexual jokes are folk genres in which human sexuality is most explicitly presented. In this respect, the two key questions this study seeks to answer are: what kind of sexuality (gender roles, relations, and structures) is constructed through these gen…
Macedonia outside “Macedonia: Denying name, silencing identity and obliterating presence
The name dispute between Republic of Macedonia and Greece manifests itself in Greece’s objections to the use of the noun “Macedonia” or the adjective “Macedonian” to refer to any other ethnicity, culture, tradition and history except Greek. In order to promote itself as a sole claimant to the name, Greece has constructed a discourse which legitimizes its exclusive right to it, while at the same time it delegitimizes such right to Macedonia. Howev…
Redefiniranje nacionalnog identiteta u Makedoniji. Analiza suprotstavljenih mitova o postanku i interpretacija kroz hegemonijske reprezentacije
UvodU ovome se radu analiziraju planovi, interpretacije i odaziv na nedavni arhitektonski pothvat u Skoplju, glavnome gradu Republike Makedonije
Redefiniranje nacionalnog identiteta u Makedoniji. Analiza suprotstavljenih mitova o postanku i interpretacija kroz hegemonijske reprezentacije
UvodU ovome se radu analiziraju planovi, interpretacije i odaziv na nedavni arhitektonski pothvat u Skoplju, glavnome gradu Republike Makedonije
From joker to the butt and back: Ethnic identity construction through humour
Ethnic humour research has mostly conceived and studied ethnic humour as a humour that sets boundaries between jokers and joke targets and that ridicules the targeted ethnicities by assigning them (non) ethnic, universal qualities like stupidity, cunningness or asexuality. By relying on such universal categories this approach has not produced a satisfactory account of how humour can function as a mode of expressing, negotiating and even questioni…
The humor of Skopje 2014: Between effects and evaluations
In 2010, the Macedonian government commissioned a controversial urban project titled Skopje 2014, designed to aesthetically revamp the look of the capital’s center. The announcement gave rise to conflicting views, both supportive and critical of the idea. Part of the criticism leveled at the project was expressed through on-line humor which produced no major sociopolitical effect, public debate or counter-humor production. Yet its production and …
Macedonia outside “Macedonia: Denying name, silencing identity and obliterating presence
The name dispute between Republic of Macedonia and Greece manifests itself in Greece’s objections to the use of the noun “Macedonia” or the adjective “Macedonian” to refer to any other ethnicity, culture, tradition and history except Greek. In order to promote itself as a sole claimant to the name, Greece has constructed a discourse which legitimizes its exclusive right to it, while at the same time it delegitimizes such right to Macedonia. Howev…
Extending ethnic humour theory: Genuine vs. functional ethnic jokе scripts
Most ethnic humour that has been studied so far consists of jokes which use ethnically non-specific qualities such as stupidity or canniness in order to ridicule an ethnic group and thus to preserve and perpetuate ethnically based social hierarchies in western industrial societies. In light of this dominant logic in ethnic humour theory, the objective of this study is to problematize the relation of such non-ethnic qualities and the notion of eth…
Reclaiming Women’s Perspective: Feminist Anthropology and the Androcentric Bias
The past few decades have been marked by an increasing discussion on the role of dialogue in anthropology, especially following the anthropological turn of the 80s, when the discipline was looked upon as one “writing a culture” rather than understanding it from the insider’s perspective, while the ethnographer was thought of as the epistemic dictator, incapable of establishing a dialogical relation with his subjects of inquiry. The power relation…
Coloring social change: Humor, politics, and social movements
As many social movements demonstrate, humor can serve as an important resource to resist oppression, fight social injustice and bring social change. Existing research has focused on humor’s role within social movements and its positive effects on the free expression of criticism, reduction of fear, communication, mobilization of participants and so on. However, the current literature on the activist use of humor also expresses some reservations a…
Battlefield EU: Macedonian parties’ representations in times of crisis
EU is a discursive field where multiple meanings and representations are created, negotiated and contested. Research has shown that the concept possess an interpretive power often used as an instrument of political confrontation. Such is the case, this study argues, with the two largest Macedonian parties – VMRO-DPMNE and the Social Democrats – who in a pursuit of changing or maintaining the power structuration in the society have produced a disc…
Representing Sexuality through Folklore: Erotic Folktales and Online Jokes as 'Mirrors' of Gender Hierarchies
Gender roles, relations, and structures are aspects of human sexuality that are (re)constructed, negotiated, and even contested through a variety of discourses, including folklore. Erotic tales and sexual jokes are folk genres in which human sexuality is most explicitly presented. In this respect, the two key questions this study seeks to answer are: what kind of sexuality (gender roles, relations, and structures) is constructed through these gen…
Right Then, Left Now: Constructing “Macedonia” in the Macedonian Diasporas in Australia and Europe
In the XX century, especially after WWII, a great number of ethnic Macedonians have migrated to Australia and the US, while recently, after the 1991 dissolution of Yugoslavia, the direction of the migration influx has changed its course mainly towards Europe. While the first diaspora community was motivated by economic reasons drawing rural and urban citizens alike in pursuit of better life, the second wave of migration was led by political circu…
Historični seminar 14
The volume Historični seminar 14 ('Historical Seminar 14'), issued in the time of transformed reality of what we knew and took for granted, draws attention to the fact that the image we cultivate of ourselves and our history may sometimes be too simplified to be entirely real. At first, the volume both revises already known chapters of Church history and introduces hitherto unknown ones. Simon Malmenvall’s analysis of the characters of the noble …
Lubricating culture awareness and critical thinking through humour
There is an ample evidence supporting the benefits of instructional humour, among which increased attention and interest, information retention and learning speed, more productive learning environment, a more positive image of the instructor, more efficient acquisition of linguistic and cultural competencies, an increased conversational involvement, enhanced cultural awareness and more stimulated critical thinking. However, most of the research f…
Political alliance with Covid-19: Macedonian politics and the strategic use of the pandemic
The emergence of COVID-19 in Macedonia in March 2020 overlapped with a period in which the country was run by a technical Government tasked to organize premature elections. In circumstances of highlighted inter-party conflict predating the health crisis, the newly emerged health emergency has only added to the political confrontation and the existing political crisis. COVID-19 and the resulting discourses on health crisis in this respect, I argue…
Grandpa was fatally administered by the Bulgarians1: Family narratives, national identity, and state history
Grandparents' World War Two (WWII) stories are emotionally powerful, intimate accounts of firsthand experience that can shape grandchildren's ideas of state history, nation, and identity. This effect, I argue, manifests most intensively in critical times when national history and identity are threatened. Such was the case when former Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev relayed a controversial version of Macedonian national history and identity i…
Laugh or not 2 love: Disparagement humour and Macedonian humour ideologies
Views and evaluations of humour are governed by sociocultural assumptions about what humour is, how it works, and where its limits lie. These assumptions are shaped by various forces, including states’ political histories, sociopolitical views and identities, humour traditions, and more. All these factors inform popular humour ideologies—sets of beliefs and attitudes—about what humour is and how it works or should not work. In a sense, humour ide…
How ethnic is ethnic humor? Theorizing a relationship between ethnic humor and identity
Ethnic humor uses a small number of universal stereotypes such as stupidity, laziness, etc., to ridicule a large number of ethnic groups, thereby setting boundaries between them and maintaining ethnic-based hierarchies in society (Hill 1995. Junk Spanish, covert racism, and the (leaky.) boundary between public and private spheres. Pragmatics 5(2). 197–212, Hill 1998. Language, race, and white public space. American Anthropologist 100(3). 680–689;…
“When does Ethnic Humour become Racist? – When it Migrates to US and UK”: Cross Cultural Distinctions between Racist and Ethnic Humour
The meanings of race and ethnicity vary across cultures and states. The differences are a result of different histories of colonization, migration, and, in consequence, racialization. The concept of race is a more encompassing category in Western European societies and the USA, where it is also a political commodity that structures social and political relations and views. The same concept in the Western Balkan states, organized along ethnic line…
Sociology (14 works) · Politics (10 works) · Political science (9 works) · Humor Studies and Applications (8 works) · Ethnic group (7 works) · Psychology (7 works) · Social Psychology (7 works) · Aesthetics (6 works) · Art (6 works) · History (6 works)