Social Change and Creative Activism in the 21st Century

Colleagues,

I am highly conscious of the limited number of posts written. The last few months have been difficult, and I am just about to take on a new trade union role (of which I shall post separately) but for now just wanted to plug an exciting new book (Social Change and Creative Activism in the 21st Century by Silas Harrebye) which aligns with a core feature of my doctoral research.

Here is a good review of the book here: https://networkmovements.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/book-report-social-change-and-creative-activism-in-the-21st-century/

Although Harrebye's key interests are creative actors able to facilitate a transition beyond traditional modes of protest and action, my interest is the overlap between his definition of creative activism, and my research focus on embodied learning and embodied activism.

Harrebye creates what I argue is a false dichomotomy between what he argues is an older, redundant tradition of workplace/street-based activism, and that generated and populated by a distinct cohort of cultural and artistic activists. He cites his parents generation as representative of the former, and casts them as part of a grey, monolithic bloc, and fails to engage with, given his Danish heritage, the monumental achievements of the Danish trade union movement/left as part of the Nordic 20th century social movement that created a foundational welfare state.

It is a very interesting book, and as I transition to a trade union for actors, entertainers and creatives I am hoping to make a link between my existing research interests and what will be a new, exciting area of work for me.

In Solidarity

Ian