Comedy is one of the most classical literary categories and, at the same time, one of the most elusive. It is difficult to define (despite numerous attempts to describe it) and has undergone multiple transformations — both aesthetic and extra‑literary (sociological, cultural, etc.). In volume 36 of Colloquia Litteraria, we wish to explore comedy across different historical periods, literary genres, and its various functions.

An important aspect of reflection on comedy is the question of how it is studied — both today and throughout the history of literature and its reception. The variety of methodologies sheds light on one of the key questions surrounding comedy: is it an immanent literary category, or does it require an extra‑textual approach? This is a significant question in today’s literary studies discourse.

The broad scope of issues related to comedy prompts us to invite literary scholars — theorists and historians — Polish philologists, and drama specialists to reflect on comedy in all its variety. This reflection will focus on essential questions:

In an age of species extinction, can comedy still be expressed in traditional forms? Have modern media entirely dominated the ways audiences are made to laugh? In the age of streaming platforms, can literature still be a source of entertainment? Are memes really an entirely modern genre? These, in turn, raise further questions: does comedy still exist? Can modern genres (and are they indeed so modern?) dominated by irony and grotesque still make us laugh?

We suggest considering the following topics in literature:

• The problematics of research on literary comedy;
• Pastiche, parody, rewriting, variation – issues of genres and literary devices;
• Comedy as a motif;
• Comic characters and their reception;
• Verbal humour as an essential component of literature;
• Comedy and the history of its study;
• Functions of comedy;
• Modes of reception of comedy;
• The media – friend or foe of literary comedy?;
• The meme and its comic function;
• Cabaret, song, satire;
• Stand‑up – must literature be written?

Colloquia Litteraria is a peer‑reviewed scholarly semiannual in literary studies, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities at Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw. Since 2006, it has been published in thematic issues devoted to various areas of literary scholarship and to interdisciplinary subjects. The journal is indexed in: BazHum, CEJSH – The Central European Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, IC Journals Master List, and PBN – the Polish Scholarly Bibliography. It has been awarded 40 points on the Polish Ministry of Education and Science list of ranked journals. Thanks to funding from the Ministry (within the “Science Dissemination Activities” module), five special issues containing archival articles from CL translated into English have been published.

We will be accepting submissions until 29 February 2024. Before that, by 30 December 2023, please send the title of your article along with a short proposal (approx. 1,000 characters). Articles may be written in Polish, Italian, or English.

Information on editorial requirements and additional elements for submitted articles can be found on our website: www.czasopisma.uksw.edu.pl

Please send submissions to: b.boh-sulecka@uksw.edu.pl

Associate Professor (dr hab.), University Professor Paweł Stangret