#artandsocialpractice

A

CTIVISM

ac•tiv•ism |ˈaktəˌvizəm|

"Activism." Def. 1. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary, 2009. Web. 10 Nov. 2012.  Noun

The doctrine or practice of vigorous action or involvement as a means of achieving political or other goals, sometimes by demonstrations, protests, etc.

Philosophy 

---------a. a theory that the essence of reality is pure activity, especially spiritual -------------activity, or process.

---------b. a theory that the relationship between the mind and the objects of ---------------perception depends upon the action of the mind.

Origin

1905–10;  < German Aktivismus. See active, -ism

— n a policy of taking direct and often militant action to achieve an end, esp a political or social one  

"Activism." Def. 1. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Wikipedia.com. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing businesses, rallies, street marches, strikes, sit-ins, and hunger strikes.

Some activists try to persuade people to change their behavior directly, rather than to persuade governments to change or not to change laws. The cooperative movement seeks to build new institutions which conform to cooperative principles, and generally does not lobby or protest politically, and clergymen often exhort their parishioners to follow a particular moral code or system.

As with those who engage other activities such as singing or running, the term may apply broadly to anyone who engages in it even briefly, or be more narrowly limited to those for whom it is a vocation, habit or characteristic practice. In short activism is not always an action by Activists.

Activism Introduction (in progress):

Activism is an art form that many artists and/or political actors have been using throughout history. Activism consists of efforts to promote, hinder, socio-poltical, economic, and environmental change. Historically, activism has taken on a wide range of forms from documenting via traditional methods of art struggles, orchestrating social sculpture, to letter writing,collaboration, organizing happenings, boycotts, rallies, marches and strikes. Social movement historian, Doug MacAdam explains the success of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. comes from being "a genius for strategic dramaturgy."

The practice has accelerated in the recent history. Artists are becoming synonymous with activists, and activists are being equated with artists. The language of visual semiotics, story telling, theatricality, institutional critique, etc., are all being used to that movement of activists and artists alike. As Artistic Activism states: "working artfully makes activism effective." 

List of Forms of Activism as perceived by the public via Wikipedia

KKK Rally Gets Clowned

The rise of the Artist as Social Activist, D Magazine Article.

WOMEX Article and global participation on "La Bala." Remezcal Article about "La Bala" by Calle 13 Watch the Video on youtube.

Favianna Rodriguez http://www.favianna.com/  Favianna and The Voice of Art 

Voice of Art

Center for Artistic Activism

Art Activism

Actipedia