First published in 1996, this volume is a sequel to Humour in Society: Resistance and Control which was edited by George E.C. Paton and Chris Powell.

1. The Politics of Laughter. Arthur Asa Berger. 2. Puritanical and Politically Correct? A Critical Historical Account of Changes in the Censorship of Comedy by the BBC. Christie Davies. 3. The Status of Verbal Humour in British Society: Contextual Aspects of English Humour. Richard J. Alexander. 4. 'Down with Skool!': The Perspective of Youth in Contemporary Western Humour. Jessica Milner Davis. 5. Humour at Work and the Work of Humour. George E.C. Paton and Ivan L. Filby. 6. Laughing on the Other Side of your PACE? An Analysis of Cartoons Appearing in Police Review 1979-1993. Chris Powell. 7. Mixed Feelings: Ambivalence, Sexuality and Cartoon Humour. Ruth Waterhouse. 8. 'It's Only a Joke': the Role of Humour in Mother-in-Law Relationships. Pamela Cotterill. 9. The Sick Disaster Joke as Carnivalesque Postmodern Narrative Impulse. Richard J. Ellis. 10. Laughter in its Place. Stephen Hester. 11. Laughter, Footing and the Tolerantial Self. Greg Smith. 12. Stepping into Wayne's World: Exploring Postmodern Comedy. Jason Rutter. 13. Everything Else is Propaganda: the Politics of Alternative Comedy. Stephen Wagg.