Cultural policy and the power of place, South Africa

Sitas, Rike

doi:10.4324/9781315718408-36

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…For instance, the ephemeral universe of interactions created by applied theatre, dance or collective writing and storytelling may foster relational learning, sharing others' perspectives and displaying collective cognition processes (Milkoreit and Mock, 2014;Hajer and Pelzer, 2018). Thus, such artistic laboratories may turn into spaces for shared creation and expression of direct democracy that allow collaboratively engaging participants to be active agents of their own futures (Sharp et al, 2005;Clements, 2008;Sholette, 2011;Sitas, 2017;Sitas and Pieterse, 2017). Extending these methods to be democratically participatory could enable a shift from individual transformations to transformative change at the collective or societal level (McGrath, 2002).…”

Section: A Adaptability Across Diverse Contextsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building capacities for transformative change towards sustainability: Imagination in Intergovernmental Science-Policy Scenario Processes

Pereira

Sitas

Ravera

et al. 2019

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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Scenario development has been recognized as a potential method to explore future change and stimulate a reflective process that can contribute to more informed decision-making. The assessment process under IPBES (the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) has however shown that the current predominantly biophysical and economic models and scenario processes for exploring the future of biodiversity, ecosystem services and their contributions to human wellbeing are insufficient to capture the complexity and context-specific nature of the problems facing these sectors. Several important challenges have been identified that require a more in-depth analysis of where more imaginative scenario efforts can be undertaken to address this gap. In this paper, we identify six key characteristics necessary for scenario processes: adaptability across diverse contexts, inclusion of diverse knowledge and value systems, legitimate stakeholder engagement that foregrounds the role of power and politics, an ability to grapple with uncertainty, individual and collective thinking mechanisms and relevance to policy making. We compared four cases of imaginative, arts-based scenario processes that each offer aspects of meeting these criteria. These approaches emphasise the importance of engaging the imagination of those involved in a process and harnessing it as a tool for identifying and conceptualising more transformative future trajectories. Drawing on the existing literature, we argue that there is value in fostering more inclusive and creative participatory processes that acknowledge the importance of understanding multiple value systems and relationships in order to reimagine a more inclusive and just future. Based on this, we reflect on future research to understand the transformative role that imagination can play in altering and enhancing knowledge-making for global assessments, including IPBES. We conclude that creative scenario co-development processes that promote imagination and create an opening for more empathetic responses should be considered as complementary tools within the suite of methodologies used for future IPBES scenario development.

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Section: A Adaptability Across Diverse Contextsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building capacities for transformative change towards sustainability: Imagination in Intergovernmental Science-Policy Scenario Processes

Pereira

Sitas

Ravera

et al. 2019

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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“…The same discourse of social inclusion can be found in cultural policies in South Africa, something that is unsurprising in view of global policy mobilities (Grodach and Silver, 2013; Sitas, 2017). The DAC states in its vision: ‘We are a thriving arts, culture and heritage sector contributing to sustainable economic development, leveraging on partnerships for a socially cohesive nation’ (DAC, 2013c).…”

Section: Art Instrumentalism and Culture‐led Development In South Afmentioning

confidence: 78%

Creative Cities, Graffiti and Culture‐Led Development in South Africa: Dlala Indima (‘Play Your Part’)

Sitas¹

2020

Int J Urban Regional Res

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Creative cities and culture‐led development discourses have come under increasing scrutiny as elite‐centric economic development agendas tend to trump ‘civic creativity’ ideals as imagined by Charles Landry. In South Africa, culture‐led development and cultural policy tends to primarily mimic that of the global North, largely focusing on culture as a catalyst for economic and property development. Public art commissioning processes tend to focus on decorative projects as part of urban upgrading, which are often associated with ensuing gentrification and displacement of the urban poor. In contrast to focusing on these kinds of regeneration strategies, this article investigates Dlala Indima, a hip‐hop‐led graffiti project in a rural township in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This article situates graffiti as a critical social and spatial practice to argue that this case challenges normative cultural planning paradigms. Dlala Indima's work is an alternative approach to cultural development by and for young people who are usually marginalized by the mainstream practice of culture‐led economic development. The project challenges dominant creative cities and culture‐led development discourses in three ways: first, it challenges the normative processes of regeneration; secondly, it grounds participatory practice; and finally, it shifts participation from ‘tyranny to transformation’ through the ubuntu of hip‐hop, the notion of ubuntu being based on the communitarian notion of ‘ubuntu, ngubuntu ngabantu’—‘I am because you are’.

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Australian cultural policy studies, South African exceptionalism

Tomaselli

2021

Continuum

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Cultural policy and the power of place, South Africa

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Building capacities for transformative change towards sustainability: Imagination in Intergovernmental Science-Policy Scenario Processes

Building capacities for transformative change towards sustainability: Imagination in Intergovernmental Science-Policy Scenario Processes

Creative Cities, Graffiti and Culture‐Led Development in South Africa: Dlala Indima (‘Play Your Part’)

Australian cultural policy studies, South African exceptionalism

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