Samenvatting

In their book on Sharia4Belgium, an organization that during its short existence from 2010 to 2012 criticized what it perceived as anti-Muslim discourse and promoted the introduction of the sharia in Belgium, the authors Pim Aarns and Ineke Roex focus on the use of political humor by the spokespersons of the organization. They offer a nuanced interpretation of the political humor in a large number of online videos, distinguishing between, among other things, the ridicule of right-wing nativist opponents, a ludic critique of sexual mores, and the mockery of other Muslims who do not accept the group’s version of Islam. The focus on humor is refreshing, because in today’s liberal, secular democracy devout believers, and fundamentalist Muslims in particular, are often believed to be lacking a sense of humor. Although failing to offer a broader analysis of political humor in current political discourse, the book successfully shows that radical religious ideology and political humor are not mutually exclusive.