Agenda Empowering women for gender equity SA's Dirty Laundry and The Things We Do for Love: Love and artivism as process-protest (original) (raw)

Singing the Women Back Up: Art for Social Change and the Empowerment of Women

Curtin University, 2020

This thesis examines art for social change as a decolonising methodology for women of colour and Indigenous women. Through four case studies set in the southern hemisphere, the thesis explores both the successes and limitations of art for social change in the empowerment of women in these two categories, who are, in both different and similar ways, seriously affected by systemic inequality, poverty and violence globally. While international policy attempts are being made to achieve gender equality and empower women, these efforts often stem from colonial systems which perpetuate entrenched disadvantage. One response to nurturing women's empowerment has been the 'art for social change' movement-a creative and participatory methodology that uses different modalities of art for working with, and in, communities. Paradoxically, art for social change has been inspired by concepts from the global South yet has been mainstreamed by policy frameworks and funding in the global North. The thesis begins by foregrounding my own experiences as a woman of colour involved in art for social change and by engaging briefly with the practice's contested evolution in parts of the global South and North. It goes on to examine feminist critiques of the concept of empowerment, drawing on the decolonial thinking of feminist scholars from the global South. At the heart of the thesis are four case studies that focus on the voices and experiences of women who have been involved in art for social change as participants, artists, and in art leadership roles. Through conversational interviews, participant observation, and archival sources, the participants' experiences in art for social change are contextualised against their daily struggles, as well as centred in their ongoing resistance and defiance of oppression. Two of the case studies are based in the settler-colonial state of Australia, my current home, and two cases in Chile, my birthplace and the training ground for global neoliberal policies. In the chapters on Chile I

Street, Behavior, Art: Advocating Gender Rights and the Innovation of a Social Movement Repertoire

Chinese Journal of Sociology, 2014

In the media, the year 2012 has been named the 'First Year of Chinese Feminist Activism'. By closely examining the widely influential gender-related media events, this article documents and analyzes the rise and development of 'street behavioral art' as a new contentious action repertoire in current Chinese society. In contrast with the flourishing literature on contentious politics in recent years, there is a visible gap in the study of social movement repertoires in China. In order to help fill this gap, the research used in-depth interviews and document analysis to collect data from individuals and organizations that had been participating in today's Chinese feminist activities. The article first reviews the current theoretical perspectives and related studies in this field, then briefly presents the background of the political contentions in contemporary China around the emergence of street behavioral art. Using empirical data from street activism for gender equality, the article then focuses on analyzing the three key components of this contentious repertoire -street, behavior, and art -by looking at how each contributed to the success of this contentious action repertoire. It is argued that, in considering the rise of street behavioral art, there is a need to examine it in the context of the globalization of social movements (particularly, the flow of social movement discourses and tactics) interacting with the reality of contemporary Chinese society and its particular opportunities and constraints. In conclusion, the author discusses the impact of street behavioral art in advancing a social movement's agenda in terms of policy advocacy, participation mobilization, and cultural change.

Art and Activism

2021

Art is aesthetically pleasing to human's eyes, touching each heart, and interpreting by own understanding. Because art is usually for aesthetics, other artworks are not recognized as a change or as meaning for everyone. Art mirrors each image of society, art is for everyone, not just painting, but all kinds of art. And all artists have a responsibility in inspiring and waking people up on what is happening to the world. All artists should be activists. Art and Activism become Artivism. Making art or doing art to protest about rights and contributes to oppressed to be free. Spreading your art to be heard and to fight about political issues. This paper study explored and described Art and Activism, Artivism, through researching studies about Activism and Artivism. The researcher chose this topic because she conducted a research about Artivism a few years ago and wanted to see the changes happen after three years. Artivism as a practice for nonviolence protests.

Aesthetics of South African Women’s Embodied Activism: Staging Complicity

Contemporary Theatre Review, 2018

Feminism is a complex subject in Africa, and the relationship between gender studies scholars based in Africa and those based in North America and Europe has been strained because of 'the differences in political environments and experiences of racism as well as interpretations of feminist ideologies and different political alliances and coalitions'. 1 Many African women prefer to speak of 'African feminism' 2 or 'Africana womanism', 3 which highlights the specific legacies of colonialism in the current oppressions experienced by Africana women. 4 However, Gwendolyn Mikell 5 identifies the following issues as being of particular concern to women in Africa: political sovereignty, their nation's economies and domestic cultures, production and reproduction, motherhood, child mortality, marriage and bride-price, female circumcision, polygamy, access to education, and the clash between local and global values and identities. Like any ideology, African feminism is nuanced according to how it is formulated and negotiated within the details of a particular environment. As there are 58 countries, over 2000 languages and many more cultures, approaches to African feminisms differ according to context. For the purposes of this article, I am going to focus on how two South African women artists post-1994 are negotiating their understandings of their own sexualities, cultures, and identities in order to transcend what Jane Bennett and Charmaine Pereira call 'the beleaguered, and ever narrowing, spaces. .. of "gender and development" or "empowerment"'. 6 I begin by contextualising South African women practitioners, and this moment in feminist practice. During apartheid, Temple Hauptfleisch argued, 'most. .. women operated mainly in the private and commercial

Art, Social Action and Social Change

Community Psychology and the Socio-economics of Mental Distress, 2012

ABSTRACT Different forms of social oppression permeate our everyday lives and require ongoing effort to challenge and to resist. Disadvantaged communities experience multiple forms of social oppression which have accumulated over time. The internalisation of this social oppression contributes to feelings of powerlessness and futility. Engaging such communities in a process of active resistance cannot be imposed but requires ongoing collaboration. Participatory action research is premised upon this active involvement of the participants in a process of personal and social transformation. Through individual and collective action the participants can reassess their worlds and consider new ways of challenging various forms of social oppression. This chapter considers the background to understanding the social psychological character of communities and of community change as well the role of art in facilitating local action and broader social change. Several examples are considered to illustrate the importance of facilitating critical awareness within disadvantaged communities and the relevance of developing interventions that are contextualised within local people's shared values, concepts and experiences and are supported by broader social processes. Dimensions of community Social action that aims to enhance the quality of life of groups and communities starts with an understanding of how they view the world and are viewed by others as well as a clear grasp of the broader socio-political context within which the community is situated. While change can be promoted through collaborative social action the sustainability of this change requires