Author(s): Pascal Gielen + Philipp Dietachmair

VALIZ | VALIZ

The Art of Civil Action Civil space covers a heterogeneous field of action that is under constant negotiation. It exists beyond government regulations and market forces, and serves people and communities to engage with socioeconomic and political issues that concern them. The manifold crises of the past decade have made civil space more relevant again as a place of expressing controversy and dissent. The arts, with their ability to project alternative realities, can play a key role in addressing issues within this context. Looking at various artistic practices, activist platforms and new citizens' initiatives, this book asks how cultural workers and artists can determine the civil domain. How do they put the 'art' of civil action into practice? What strategies can such initiatives adopt in order to increase their local influence and gain more global significance? Cultural theorists, activists and artists explore how they can provide the building blocks for a locally rooted civil society in a globally connected setting. Book jacket.