humor culture; medicine culture

blog items from Anthropologist About Town (London based collection of events and observations)
 
...the Southbank Centre for a new exhibition called 'The Culture of Laughing' that opens today and runs until mid-April [2008]. Using a hilarious combination of video, photography and interactive exhibitions, the collection investigates whether humour is transferable across cultures. With 30 artists from all over the world contributing, the curator argues that whilst laughter is universal, humour is socially specific -and wants visitors to see if they can find amusement on foreign jokes without specific social knowledge.
 
...new series on Channel 4 called Medicine Men Go Wild. It follows two identical twin British doctors in their investigations of indigenous medicine in various different communities around the world. Despite the slightly silly title, the programme retains a good balance between respect for other cultural forms of medicine, and what they can contribute to western understanding... you should be able to download it soon on 4 on Demand.