31st AHSN Conference,19-21 February 2025
Flinders University, Adelaide
The 31st AHSN Conference will take place in-person from 19-21 February 2025 at Flinders University, Adelaide (in the new CBD campus) on Floor 14 of the Festival Plaza Tower at One Festival Tower, Station Road. The conference will begin early afternoon on Wednesday 19 February, enabling delegates from Aotearoa/New Zealand and interstate to travel to Adelaide that morning if they wish.
The conference theme will be ‘The Evolutions of Humour’. Humour is a dynamic set of practices, capable of adapting to shifting cultural norms and new methods of delivery. AHSN2025 invites presentations on the various evolutions of humour. Where has humour come from and where is it going? What aspects of humour remain stable and what have changed forever? Presentations addressing any aspect of the changing forms of humour are especially welcomed for this conference. As in previous AHSN conferences, however, papers are welcome on any and all aspects of social laughter and humour, and from diverse disciplinary perspectives including not only humour studies as such, but also literary studies, linguistics, cultural studies, politics, psychology, biology and physiology, philosophy, history, comedy studies, law, creative practices, sociology, communication studies and others.
Please note that the conference will be preceded on the Monday and Tuesday by an international round-table on the Study of Political Cartoons, hosted by the ARC-funded Cartoon Nation project. Conference attendees who would like to join the round-table should contact Robert Phiddian at Robert.Phiddian@flinders.edu.au.
Further details on the conference and the round-table will be available at a later date via the Digest and AHSN emails. To receive these, please ensure you are subscribed to the AHSN Digest.
Keynote speakers
Stephen Skalicky, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, “Yet Another Talk About Satire: But This One’s Different (Seriously)”
Ronald Stewart, Daito Bunka University, Tokyo, “Japanese Political Cartooning: A Different Trajectory”
Full details of the keynotes in the January 2025 Digest
Draft program available here.
Important Dates
Abstract submission opens: 29 April 2024
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 31 August 2024
Proposals should be submitted via email to Dr Alex Cothren at: alexander.cothren@flinders.edu.au
Registration opens 1 September 2024
Registration fees
Full (waged/faculty) AUD 400.00
Concession (unwaged/student) AUD 325.00
Travel and Accommodation
It is recommended that those planning to attend AHSN 2025 book travel and accommodation as early as possible. The conference is deliberately designed to occur alongside the opening of Adelaide’s Fringe Festival, allowing attendees to experience the city at its cultural best. While there will certainly be plenty of accommodation options available, your preferred location may be harder to book than usual, so early bookings are advised.
For those looking to plan their stay, the location of the new Flinders City Campus can be found here.
See additional information on accommodation and activities in Adelaide.
NB. The AHSN conference conveners have secured a group discount accommodation rate at the 4-star Vibe Hotel in Adelaide which is a pleasant walk (approx.25 mins—less if you hop on the free city tram) to the conference location. The room rate for a King or Twin room is AUD189.00 per room/per night, with breakfast for one AUD199.00 per room/per night. If AHSN delegates would like to join the group booking they should contact Rebecca Carpenter-Mew to add their name to the booking list: Rebecca.carpentermew@flinders.edu.au. Individuals will pay for their accommodation and other charges on checkout.
For conference enquiries, please email Alex Cothren at: alexander.cothren@flinders.edu.au
AHSN2025 Committee
Prof. Robert Phiddian, Flinders University (co-convenor)
Dr Alex Cothren, Flinders University (co-convenor)
Review Procedures for AHSN Conference Proposals
Abstract submissions (see above)
