Humor as Crisis Communication: The Evolution of Ukrainian Wartime Humor

Summary

The large-scale crisis in Ukrainian society, caused by the full-scale war and pandemic, along with the sharp aggravation of socio-economic problems, has significantly affected the Ukrainian information space. The analysis is focused on the explicit or implicit protest messages in social media presented in humorous forms (wordplay, jokes, epigrams, Internet memes, etc.). The study examines humor both as a linguistic tool through which Ukrainian society influences the authorities and as a symptom of growing social tension as well as a means of interaction among different political and social groups. The evolution of Ukrainian wartime humor during 2022–2025 is demonstrated: from mobilization and identification practices aimed at delegitimizing the enemy and strengthening collective resilience to more reflective forms expressing emotional fatigue, social criticism, and internal contradictions of society. Special attention is paid to the expansion of a thematic spectrum of humor. Within the framework of communication theory, humor is shown to function as a mechanism of collective meaning-making, emotional regulation, and identity construction in the context of prolonged crisis. It not only reflects social reality but also actively reinterprets it, facilitating adaptation of the society to a state of uncertainty and constant threat. Ultimately, humor emerges as a multifunctional communicative practice of resistance, critique, survival, and social cohesion.