Using Art for Social Transformation

Social arts are manifold and are initiated by multiple actors, spaces, and direction from many directions and intentions, but generally aim to generate personal, familial, group, community or general social transformation which can maintain and enhance personal and community resilience, communication, negotiation ,and transitions, as well as help with community building and rehabilitation, civic engagement, social inclusion, and cohesion. Occurring via community empowerment, institutions, arts in health, inter-ethnic conflict, and frames of lobbying for social change, social art can transform and disrupt power relations and hegemonic narratives, destigmatize marginalized groups, and humanize society through creating empathy for the other. With the focusof each chapter is on its methods, and theoretical orientation, the book can be used both in academic settings and for training social and art practitioners, as well as for social practitioners and artists in the field--