Anarchism and Art: Democracy in the Cracks and on the Margins (SUNY series in New Political Science)

Overview: Situated at the intersection of anarchist and democratic theory, "Anarchism and Art" focuses on four popular art forms DIY (Do It Yourself) punk music, poetry slam, graffiti and street art, and flash mobs found in the cracks between dominant political, economic, and cultural institutions and on the margins of mainstream neoliberal society. Mark Mattern interprets these popular art forms in terms of core anarchist values of autonomy, equality, decentralized and horizontal forms of power, and direct action by common people, who refuse the terms offered them by neoliberalism while creating practical alternatives. As exemplars of central anarchist principles and commitments, such forms of popular art, he argues, prefigure deeper forms of democracy than those experienced by most people in today s liberal democracies. That is, they contain hints of future, more democratic possibilities, while modeling in the present the characteristics of those more democratic possibilities. Providing concrete evidence that progressive change is both desirable and possible, they also point the way forward." "Situated at the intersection of anarchist and democratic theory, Anarchism and Art focuses on four popular art forms--DIY (Do It Yourself) punk music, poetry, slam, graffiti and street art, and flash mobs--found in the cracks between dominant political, economic, and cultural institutions and on the margins of mainstream neoliberal society. Mark Mattern interprets these popular art forms in terms of core anarchist values of autonomy, equality, decentralized and horizontal forms of power, and direct action by common people, who refuse the terms offered them by neoliberalism while creating practical alternatives. As exemplars of central anarchist principles and commitments, such forms of popular art, he argues, prefigure deeper forms of democracy than those experienced by most people in today's liberal democracies. That is, they contain hints of future, more democratic possibilities, while modeling in the present the characteristics of those more democratic possibilities. Providing concrete evidence that progressive change is both desirable and possible, they also point the way forward"--Page [4] of cover Contents 6 Acknowledgments 8 1 Introduction 10 Strategies for Progressive Change 11 Art and Popular Culture 17 Art, Prefiguration, and Everyday Life 20 2 Anarchism and Democracy 26 Social Organization 27 Political Action 31 Power 35 Equality 39 Freedom 42 3 DIY (Do It Yourself) Punk Music 48 Social Organization 50 Political Action 53 Power 59 Equality 62 Freedom 64 Prefiguring Democracy 66 4 Poetry Slam 70 Social Organization 73 Political Action 76 Power 79 Equality 82 Freedom 85 Prefiguring Democracy 88 5 Graffiti and Street Art 90 Social Organization 95 Political Action 97 Power 100 Equality 105 Freedom 107 Prefiguring Democracy 111 6 Flash Mobs 114 Social Organization 117 Political Action 120 Power 122 Equality 127 Freedom 130 Prefiguring Democracy 133 7 Prefiguring Progressive Change 136 Social Organization 136 Political Action 137 Power 138 Equality 140 Freedom 141 Prefiguration and Social Movement 142 Notes 148 Bibliography 174 Index 190