This texts examines the potential of the documentation of socially engaged art to affect change. It looks at how it can extend the goal of political action inherent in much socially engaged artwork, particularly with reference to Corrie Peters thesis exhibition: All the rooming houses on my street have had their front door removed. / October 2015

This dissertation claims that the reciprocal exchange of voice—an element for constructing community and strengthening political recognition—may be fostered in small-scale farming communities by (1) the appropriation and transformation of information and communications technologies, (2) artistic intervention, and (3) cross-community research. This study contributes to participatory research methodologies, particularly those that seek to tackle the diverse challenges faced by small-scale farmers from a broad, complex perspective. The main issue identified in this dissertation is as follows: The hegemony of economic behaviors, which stands as a cornerstone of neoliberal capitalism, constitutes the latest stage of a historical process in which the voices of small-scale farmers seem to have been progressively and systematically silenced, their traditional practices largely invalidated, and their reciprocal forms of social, political, and economic organization marginalized. The purpose of this study was to explore whether an open-ended, sociotechnical methodology could be designed and applied in small-scale farming communities with the aim of strengthening their reciprocal practices while amplifying the voices of their members. The author's research addressed the question of how the role of information and communications technologies can contribute to the creation of enabling environments in which subsistence farmers may exercise their own values and make their voices heard. Another goal was to study whether the reciprocal exchange of voice could relate to the construction and dissemination of a knowledge commons and improve the resilience of small-scale farmers in the context of complex and pressing challenges such as anthropogenic climate change. Consequently, the ERV (Enabling Reciprocal Voice) Methodology was developed and applied in small-scale farming communities in order to respond to the questions of this study. The ERV Methodology sought to redefine the modes of usage of information and communications technologies in order to help communities establish a shared communicational praxis and strengthen their reciprocal relations. The ERV Methodology stands in contrast with the technological determinism found in the purely solutionist, short-term initiatives that are generally implemented in small-scale farming communities. Instead of offering rapid solutions to isolated problems, the ERV Methodology sought to consolidate the social networks of farmers through online and offline interaction. The case studies examined in this dissertation were carried out in two small-scale farming communities in Tanzania and Mexico. Following the ERV Methodology, mobile phones and the Internet were used by farmers in those communities as tools for the collaborative creation of a knowledge commons focused on local agriculture. It was found that the ERV Methodology, carried out as artistic intervention, may encourage technological appropriation, induce reciprocity, and amplify voice under certain sociotechnical conditions. These findings suggest that such a methodology might benefit farmers by becoming a significant aid to increase their resilience and their capacity to face complex challenges in the longer term. However, another conclusion was that the ERV Methodology should be applied carefully, with a strong awareness of the local context, and that greater efforts must be made in order to integrate other communities, such as local authorities and scientific researchers, into the reciprocal dynamics enabled by the methodology.

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This is the first study to approach, both historically and theoretically, the emergence and development of performance art in Greece from the 1970s to the 2010s. Drawing on an interdisciplinary framework - including feminist theory, philosophy, sociology, art history, and more - the study aims to address an evident gap in histories of contemporary Greek art. The research begins with the emergence of performative artistic practices in the 1970s, in the conditions set out by the seven-year Dictatorship (1967-1974) and follows, selectively, the complex trajectory of these practices while investigating their connection with wider socio-political and economic developments. The thesis should not be read as a survey, despite being the first book-length analysis of Greek performance art in both English and Greek. The material included here has been selective (drawn out of years of field research) and yet presents, and represents, the spectrum of themes and positions making up the history of performance art in Greece. My contention is that the rise and establishment of performance art in Greece reflected both the political ferment of the time (early 1970s) and an enquiry into the possibility of flight from traditional media. The dual aim of this study is, first, to facilitate and encourage the integration of performance art in a revised Greek art history; and, second, to contribute to an expansion of performance art histories in an international context through the negotiation of hitherto unknown material synthesised in a study of adequate length. This thesis has required large-scale in situ research and overcoming the major obstacle of the absence of relevant publicly held archives. This was one reason why even an elementary linear history of performance art had been such an overwhelming task in the past; a second reason is the overall marginalisation of performance art theory in the Greek context. Through the Greek paradigm, the thesis illuminates new aspects not only of performance but also of post-performative participatory practices, engaging new conceptualisations. By identifying fundamental issues in the production, dissemination, and reception of performance art in Greece, I provide a critical analysis not only of its achievements and potential but also of its impasses and failures. My intention in undertaking this research has been to disprove the notion - implied or stated as a matter of fact in histories of contemporary Greek art - that performance art has had only a sporadic and inconsistent presence in this 'periphery' scene. I argue that the artists investigated in this study are conclusively part of the history of performance in the 20th and 21th centuries, thereby setting the terms and calling for further research on the subject.

This thesis analyzes the decade-long collaboration between The Silent University and Tensta konsthall, investigating its role as a lasting, solidarity driven, educational, socially engaged art project within an art institution. Utilizing qualitative methods and institutional ethnography, the study examines the relationship between The Silent University within Tensta konsthall. The research uses three guiding questions: 1) How can The Silent University and its integration into Tensta konsthall be interpreted as a socially engaged, transformative, and performative artwork?; 2) How has the implementation of The Silent University at Tensta konsthall evolved since its inception?; 3) What is the current status of The Silent University as a socially engaged project and artwork within the context of Tensta konsthall? The first question is answered by employing Umberto Eco's concept of "open" works and Claire Bishop's analysis of socially engaged art and uses secondary sources as material. The second question is approached through interviews with Fahyma Alnablsi and Emily Fahlén. Drawing from Michel de Certeau’s concepts of "tactics" and "strategies," as well as Sara Ahmed's notions of the "stranger" and community building, the second chapter explores the project's evolving dynamics and potential tensions since its establishment. In response to the third question, the discussion synthesizes The Silent University's journey at Tensta konsthall, underscoring its evolution and present condition. Findings highlight The Silent University's classification as an "open" and transformative artwork. It has transitioned from a primarily educational focus to a more socially engaged approach within the framework of Tensta konsthall. The project's sustainability is closely intertwined with Alnablsi’s involvement and engagement, thus posing both a strength and a challenge. In essence, this thesis dissects The Silent University's role within Tensta konsthall, delving into its transformative artistic, educational, and social facets, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of the interplay between socially engaged art, institutions, and community dynamics.

L’objectif de ce mémoire est de comprendre comment s’articule la réception d’expositions socialement engagées dans un contexte muséal contemporain et québécois. Afin de mener à bien cette recherche, deux études de cas seront analysées : Art et féminisme (1982) et Pour la suite du Monde (1992). Comme l’exercice du mémoire commande un développement restreint, nous avons sélectionné des manifestations qui se sont déroulées dans une seule institution, le Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. Avant d’aborder directement le phénomène de réception et afin de bien cerner le contexte artistique et théorique des années 80 et 90, le premier chapitre sera consacré aux différentes théories et pratiques de l’exposition, telles que développées au cours de cette période. Ainsi, nous parcourrons des théories relatives à l’exposition d’art et à son commissariat de Jérôme Glicenstein, Mieke Bal, Yves Michaud, Nathalie Heinich et Michel Pollak ainsi que Daniel Buren. Ensuite, les deuxième et troisième chapitres seront exclusivement voués à Art et féminisme et Pour la suite du Monde. Outre l’examen de leur réception, nous décrirons leur contexte de mise sur pied, et ce, tant du point de vue conceptuel que sociohistorique. Le but de cet exercice sera de bien comprendre comment s’énonce le propos d’une exposition lorsqu’il est lié de près à sa réalité politique, culturelle et institutionnelle. / The present thesis aims to understand how audience and critical reception of politically and socially engaged art exhibitions articulates itself in the museum context in Quebec. In order to do so, two case studies will be examined: Art et féminisme (1982) and Pour la suite du Monde (1992). Within the scope of this thesis, a thorough study will be facilitated by selecting exhibitions which took place in a single institution, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. Before directly addressing reception and in order to better define the artistic and theoretical context of the 1980’s and 1990’s, the first chapter will be dedicated to the different theories and practices regarding exhibitions as they were developed in that period. As such, the work of exhibition practitioners and theorists Jérôme Glicenstein, Mieke Bal, Yves Michaud, Nathalie Heinich and Michel Pollak, as well as Daniel Buren, will be summarised. The second and third chapters will exclusively address the Art et féminisme and Pour la suite du Monde exhibitions. While their reception will be examined, the specific conceptual and socio-historical context in which they were deployed will be detailed. The aim of this exercise is to fully comprehend the way in which an exhibition enunciates its subject matter when the latter is closely linked to its political, cultural and institutional reality.

L’objectif de ce mémoire est de comprendre comment s’articule la réception d’expositions socialement engagées dans un contexte muséal contemporain et québécois. Afin de mener à bien cette recherche, deux études de cas seront analysées : Art et féminisme (1982) et Pour la suite du Monde (1992). Comme l’exercice du mémoire commande un développement restreint, nous avons sélectionné des manifestations qui se sont déroulées dans une seule institution, le Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. Avant d’aborder directement le phénomène de réception et afin de bien cerner le contexte artistique et théorique des années 80 et 90, le premier chapitre sera consacré aux différentes théories et pratiques de l’exposition, telles que développées au cours de cette période. Ainsi, nous parcourrons des théories relatives à l’exposition d’art et à son commissariat de Jérôme Glicenstein, Mieke Bal, Yves Michaud, Nathalie Heinich et Michel Pollak ainsi que Daniel Buren. Ensuite, les deuxième et troisième chapitres seront exclusivement voués à Art et féminisme et Pour la suite du Monde. Outre l’examen de leur réception, nous décrirons leur contexte de mise sur pied, et ce, tant du point de vue conceptuel que sociohistorique. Le but de cet exercice sera de bien comprendre comment s’énonce le propos d’une exposition lorsqu’il est lié de près à sa réalité politique, culturelle et institutionnelle. / The present thesis aims to understand how audience and critical reception of politically and socially engaged art exhibitions articulates itself in the museum context in Quebec. In order to do so, two case studies will be examined: Art et féminisme (1982) and Pour la suite du Monde (1992). Within the scope of this thesis, a thorough study will be facilitated by selecting exhibitions which took place in a single institution, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. Before directly addressing reception and in order to better define the artistic and theoretical context of the 1980’s and 1990’s, the first chapter will be dedicated to the different theories and practices regarding exhibitions as they were developed in that period. As such, the work of exhibition practitioners and theorists Jérôme Glicenstein, Mieke Bal, Yves Michaud, Nathalie Heinich and Michel Pollak, as well as Daniel Buren, will be summarised. The second and third chapters will exclusively address the Art et féminisme and Pour la suite du Monde exhibitions. While their reception will be examined, the specific conceptual and socio-historical context in which they were deployed will be detailed. The aim of this exercise is to fully comprehend the way in which an exhibition enunciates its subject matter when the latter is closely linked to its political, cultural and institutional reality.

The access to technology, the effects of instant information and the emergence of an increasingly empowered global citizen have contributed to the fundamental shift of the global political and economic landscape over the last twenty years. In consequence, the soft-power resources are becoming more and more important components of nation's foreign policy. Foreign policy instruments of public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy can effectively utilize such soft-power resources in order to assert foreign policy goals by purposefully supporting wide range of cultural and artistic activities. It is the aim of the thesis to examine both the direct and indirect impacts of artistic production on societies with various degrees of democratic culture and in connection to elaborate on the relevance of the right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity. The essential aim of this thesis is to look at the role that art production plays in the development of a democratic society.

This research started as a quest to understand better the ethics of doing Theatre for Development/Applied Theatre with under-served, marginalized and vulnerable populations especially in post-conflict zones in the Global South. As a theatre practitioner-researcher from Africa who has lived and worked in post-conflict zones, I was interested in fostering appropriate ethical protocols for arts-based practices for social engagement, advocacy and social justice. Thus, in this dissertation, I focus on two concepts in applied theatre practice: participation and ethics. I examine how participation can be re-conceptualized in applied theatre practice and focus on the ethics around conducting research among vulnerable populations especially on refugees and internally displaced persons. On participation, I use existing case studies from various fields to argue that participation in community engagement and socially-engaged art practices can become a tool to reposition voices on the margin to the centre in order to unsettle centres of power. However, for this to happen, participation needs to engage a communicative action that is both epistemic and ontic in its approach. An epistemic discourse provides a way of seeing the world while an ontic discourse provides people with a way of being in the world. The former is a ‘theoretical’ discursive practice that is fundamentally epistemological, and the latter is an ‘embodied’ praxis that is fundamentally ontological. I examine the famous Ngugi wa Thiongo’s Kamiriithu Community Theatre project in Kenya and Michael Balfour et al’s refugee project in Australia to foreground this new thinking on verb-oriented and noun-oriented notions of participation. On ethics, I raise a series of critical questions around interventionist or humanitarian performances. It is hoped that these questions will deepen discourses in applied theatre practice and further challenge practitioners to rethink why we do what we do. Using narrative inquiry, I glean lessons from my field research facilitating drama workshop among secondary school students who have been internally displaced due to an ongoing socio-political crisis in Nigeria. I also reflect on my other applied theatre experiences in Canada and Sudan. I propose an ethical practice that is built on relational interaction. In the context of working in post-conflict zones or in places of war, I argue that precarity becomes a determining factor in framing the ethics of practice. The questions around ethics are raised to also draw attention to decolonizing ethical practices. Finally, I articulate the connection between participation and ethics in that participation becomes a tactic to ensure that applied theatre researchers/practitioners conduct their work in ethical ways. This is because through participation, concerned communities can challenge unethical practices and transform the research to create outcomes that are beneficial. Thus, as an example of reflective practitioner research, the projects in this dissertation offer opportunities to examine critically how participation has been conceptualized and the need for a decolonizing understanding towards ethics in applied theatre practice especially in post-conflict zones. / Graduate