Impartial humour in war times: global and national cartoons on Russian full-scale aggression in Ukraine

This article examines the use of impartial humour in political cartoons on the Russian-Ukrainian war. The dataset includes 18 political cartoons from Australia, the USA, Algeria, Morocco, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Greece, Taiwan, Qatar, Iran, Ukraine, and Russia. This dataset is a selection from a corpus of 3,780 political cartoons from 65 countries in Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, and Australia as a part of the research project “Laughter During the War: Russian Aggression in Ukraine in Political Cartoons and Memes”. The analysis of impartial humour is based on the corresponding parameters of political cartoons (goal-target, frame of reference-focus, and means-presentation) supplemented by two criteria: a) the author’s attitude toward the conflict parties and b) the author’s position toward the war and its consequences in general. Methodologically, it is supported by quantitative content analysis (MAXQDA2024). It highlights the unique characteristics of this humor and its significance within the study of political cartoons. The authors conclude that even if political cartoonists do not take a clear stance on the conflict parties, their work still reflects a vision of war as a global evil without borders. The paper offers insights into political cartoons as a vital element of modern culture, providing a platform for dialogue and discourse.