The Great Reimagining: Public Art, Urban Space, and the Symbolic Landscapes of a 'New' Northern Ireland (Material Mediations: People and Things in a World of Movement, 4)

While Sectarian Violence Has Greatly Diminished On The Streets Of Belfast And Derry, Proxy Battles Over The Right To Define Northern Ireland’s Identity Through Its New Symbolic Landscapes Continue. Offering A Detailed Ethnographic Account Of Northern Ireland’s Post-conflict Visual Transformation, This Book Examines The Official Effort To Produce New Civic Images Against A Backdrop Of Ongoing Political And Social Struggle. Interviews With Politicians, Policymakers, Community Leaders, Cultural Workers, And Residents Shed Light On The Deeply Contested Nature Of Seemingly Harmonized Urban Landscapes In Societies Undergoing Radical Structural Change. Here, The Public Art Process Serves As A Vital Means To Understanding The Wider Politics Of A Transforming Public Sphere In An Age Of Globalization And Transnational Connectivity.-- Introduction: Landscapes Of Change In The Transitional City -- 1. A Place Apart? Sectarian Geographies, Shared Space And The Material Production Of A ‘new’ Northern Ireland -- 2. From ‘gunland’ To Globalization: The ‘space Of Flows’ Meets Place In A City ‘on The Rise’ -- 3. Neutral Space Is Shopping Space. Or Is It? The Choreography Of Consumption In Belfast City Centre -- 4. Beautiful Barriers: Contesting The Symbolic Reimaging Of Community Along A Belfast Peace Line -- 5. Transforming The Stone: Recasting Derry’s Diamond War Memorial For The Demands Of A Shared Future -- 6. Art On The Frontlines: Civilizing Derry’s Ebrington Military Barracks For A ‘city Of Culture’ -- Conclusion. The City As Civic Identikit? Twenty-first Century Public(s) On The Transnational Urban Stage Set -- Appendix. Interview Profiles. Bree T. Hocking. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 195-224) And Index. Contents Figures Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction: Landscapes of Change in the Transitional City 1 A Place Apart? Sectarian Geographies, Shared Space and the Material Production of a ‘New’ Northern Ireland 2 From ‘Gunland’ to Globalization The ‘Space of Flows’ Meets Place in a City ‘on the RISE’ 3 Neutral Space is Shopping Space. Or is it? The Choreography of Consumption in Belfast City Centre 4 Beautiful Barriers: Contesting the Symbolic Reimaging of Community along a Belfast Peace Line 5 Transforming the Stone Recasting Derry’s Diamond War Memorial for the Demands of a Shared Future 6 Art on the Frontlines Civilizing Derry’s Ebrington Military Barracks for a ‘City of Culture’ Conclusion: The City as Civic Identikit? Twenty-first Century Public(s) on the Transnational Urban Stage Set Appendix. Interview Profiles Bibliography Index