Christie Davies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christie Davies
|
|
|---|---|
.JPG)
Christie Davies – 2014
|
|
| Born |
John Christopher Hughes Davies
25 December 1941 Cheam, Surrey
|
| Died | 26 August 2017 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Alma mater | Emmanuel College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Academic, Sociologist, Author |
|
Notable work
|
Ethnic Humor Around the World: a Comparative Analysis Jokes and their Relation to Society The Mirth of Nations |
| Spouse(s) | Jan |
John Christopher Hughes "Christie" Davies (born December 25, 1941 – died August 26, 2017) was a British sociologist. He was a professor at the University of Reading in England. He wrote many articles and books. His work covered topics like crime, how society views right and wrong, and especially humour. He also taught as a visiting professor in countries like India, Poland, the United States, and Australia.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Christie Davies was born in Cheam, Surrey. His parents were from Wales. His father worked as a school inspector, and his mother was a teacher. He went to Dynevor School in Swansea, Wales.
After school, he studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. While there, he joined the Cambridge Footlights, a famous comedy group. Other well-known people like Germaine Greer and Eric Idle were also part of it. He earned a top degree in Economics. Later, he received a PhD from Cambridge University for his published writings.
His Career Journey
In 1964, Davies started teaching Economics. He taught at the University of Adelaide in Australia. After that, he returned to the UK. He worked for two years at the BBC as a radio producer.
He then went back to teaching at universities. He lectured at the University of Leeds for three years. He also spent time as a visiting lecturer in India. In 1972, he joined the University of Reading as a Sociology lecturer. He became a full Professor in 1984. He retired in 2002 and was named Professor Emeritus. This title means he was a respected professor even after retiring.
Besides his academic work, Davies also wrote fun fantasy stories. These were collected in a book called Dewi the Dragon.
Studying Humour
Christie Davies was very interested in how humour works. He wrote several books about it. In his 2002 book, The Mirth of Nations, he shared his ideas. He thought that humour isn't just about conflict or feeling superior to others. Instead, he believed humour is a type of play. It's a playful way of dealing with ideas of aggression, superiority, or things that are usually considered taboo.
He also looked at Jewish jokes. Some people thought these jokes were mostly about making fun of oneself. But Davies argued they came from a tradition of thinking deeply and being aware of oneself. A famous folklorist named Alan Dundes praised his book. He called it a "provocative critique" of earlier studies on humour.
In another book, Jokes and Targets, Davies discussed jokes that some people might find offensive. He argued that in a free society, people should be able to share jokes they like. He believed that trying to stop people from telling certain jokes was not helpful. Davies was also a past president of the International Society for Humor Studies. This is a group for people who study humour.
A Funny Idea for Hong Kong
In 1983, Davies had a unique idea. Britain was going to return Hong Kong to China in 1997. He was concerned about the future of Hong Kong's 5.5 million people. He jokingly suggested creating a new "city state" for them. This new city could be near Magilligan Point in Northern Ireland.
This idea, though a joke, caused some discussion. Government officials in the UK even talked about it. A retired diplomat later said it was a "spoof" among colleagues who had a good sense of humour. It shows how even a funny idea from an academic can get people thinking!
Books by Christie Davies
- 1973: Wrongful Imprisonment
- 1973: The Reactionary Joke Book, ISBN: 0-7234-0494-1
- 1975: Permissive Britain: Social change in the Sixties and Seventies
- 1978: Censorship and Obscenity
- 1990, 1996: Ethnic Humor Around the World: a Comparative Analysis, ISBN: 0-253-21081-X
- 1998: Jokes and their Relation to Society
- 1998: The Corporation under Siege
- 2002: The Mirth of Nations, ISBN: 0-7658-0096-9
- 2003: (with Goh Abe) Esuniku Joku, Kodansha
- 2005: Jokes and groups. Monograph Series, 44. Institute for Cultural Research, London, ISBN: 0-904674-39-8
- 2005, Dewi the Dragon, a collection of humorous fantasy stories
- 2006: The Strange Death of Moral Britain
- 2011: Jokes and Targets, Indiana University Press, ISBN: 0-253-22302-4
