Still trickster after all these years: A commentary on comedy, criticality, and literacy

This invited concluding commentary and capstone synthesis revisits the author’s journey since the publication of 3 influential special issues on comedy a decade ago. This article revisits Gerald Vizenor’s foundational idea of the trickster as a catalyst for change. It also argues that educational scholars and practitioners need to reconceive themselves as tricksters so their teaching and scholarship can serve as sites of advocacy and resistance beyond traditional academic goals. By combining personal insights, historical examples, and the latest research, this special issue provides a strong foundation for understanding how playful chaos and lighthearted disruption can dismantle power imbalances in contemporary education.