Abstract :
The article provides a critical analysis of the concept of irony and how it relates toglobal justice. Taking Richard Rorty as a lead, it is suggested that irony can foreground a senseof doubt over our own most heartfelt beliefs regarding justice. This provides at least one idealsense in which irony can impact the discussion of global ethics by pitching less as a discourseof grand universals and more as a set of hopeful narratives about how to reduce suffering. Thearticle then extends this notion via the particular – and particularly – ethnocentric case ofBritish Irony. Accepting certain difficulties with any definition of British Irony the article readsthe interventions of three protagonists on the subject of global justice – Chris Brown, Banksyand Ricky Gervais. It is argued that their considerations bring to light important nuances inirony relating to the importance of playfulness, tragedy, pain, self-criticism and paradox. Theposition is then qualified against the (opposing) critiques that irony is either too radical, or, tooconservative a quality to make a meaningful impact on the discussion of global justice.Ultimately, irony is defended as a critical and imaginative form, which can (but does notnecessarily) foster a greater awareness of the possibilities and limits for thinking/doing globaljustice.‘‘The comic frame, in making a man the student of himself, makes it possible for him to‘transcend’ occasions when he has been tricked or cheated, since he can readily put suchdiscouragements into his ‘assets’ column, under the heading of ‘experience’. . . . In sum, thecomic frame should enable people to be observers of themselves, while acting.1Blackadder: Baldrick, have you no idea what irony is? Baldrick: Yes, it’s like goldy and bronzy only it’s made out of iron.’’
