Art and Social Change: The Role of Creativity and Wonder

Abstract

1) Social change "takes place as aresult of human agency and intention to affect a given social environment based on the view that existing social conditions or relations are untenable; (2) For example, artistic means are often used in protest and social movements; (3) And yet, creativity is rarely theorized here... (4) Social movements excel at both challenging and constructing new perspectives; (5) the use of artistic means in protest and activism uses perspectives explicitly to trigger imagination and foster collective creativity; (6) In many ways, the meta-postition specific for wondering is precisely what activists aim at. (7) HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: The story of early human development is one of slowly (and oftentimes painfully) realizing and engaging with difference; All the big developmental theorists (Freud, Piaget, Vygotyky, Winniecott) address this; In Piaget's terms, a process of decentration gradually takes place; being able to develop and take new perspectives.