El humor de la política o la política del humor en los productos culturales del México contemporáneo

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes humorous cultural products composed in present-day Mexico. Humor has at its core transgressive and critical qualities that challenge ordinary expectations and common perceptions. In Mexico, humorous cultural products are perceived as a frivolous and superficial expression that is subordinate to the solemnity of “serious” works. This study challenges the notion of incompatibility between humor and thought by presenting the rich tradition of humor and its constant dialogue with social and political events in Mexico. In addition, it considers works by renowned Mexican authors which demonstrate and reflect upon the subversive character of humor. This project focuses on literary works, films and political cartoons as cultural products especially suited to help understand contemporary Mexico. The focus on humorous cultural products highlights representations of politics, society and the state in a way that denaturalizes predominant narratives and discourses. The works of David Toscana emphasize the creation and imposition of social and political conventions, and simultaneously show their questionable legitimacy and fragility. In addition, novels by Bernardo Fernández (Bef), Jorge Vázquez Ángeles, Juan Pablo Villalobos, and Juan Villoro draw from the tradition of the detective novel to question the official discourse surrounding the Mexican Drug War by providing a nuanced representation in which criminality and authority are problematized. Furthermore, these novels address the relationship between neoliberal economic policies that produce inequality and environmental degradation instead of the economic development they promise. Films by Alfonso Cuarón, Luis Estrada, Fernando León Rodríguez, and Emilio Portes, provide a satirical approach to the institutions of power, such as the state, television networks, and the Church. Through the representation of historical and present events, these works depart from the hesitant satire of the 20th-century to produce cinematic works that are increasingly critical and in very direct terms. Political cartoons by Rafael Barajas Durán (el Fisgón), Cintia Bolio, Bulmaro Castellanos (Magú), Antonio Helguera, and José Hernández emphasize the democratization of the country while addressing persistent issues like gender inequality and corruption.