2025 Global Social Work Midterm
Question 2
Consider how the Vieques project, the Dancing in Jaffa project, and Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using “imagination” all can be examples of advancing peace and social justice using the arts and transforming social narratives. Recall also the Malence Ted Talk about teaching persons who experience poverty to be clothing designers so they can become entrepreneurs without reinforcing negative stereotypes and exploitation of Africa’s bountiful resources (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYVqpylLhs).
a. a) Describe the principles for building justice-focused arts interventions that you see as key, based on those examples.
b. b) Briefly describe an arts-based, justice-focused project you could implement or have seen implemented in your country.
• Community Engagement & Cultural Relevance – Projects should be rooted in the experiences, traditions, and narratives of the communities they serve. For example, Dancing in Jaffa leveraged the shared love of dance to bridge cultural divides between Israeli and Palestinian children.
ReplyDelete• Empowerment Through Skill-Building – Justice-focused arts interventions should provide participants with tools for self-sufficiency and agency. Malence’s TED Talk highlights how teaching fashion design to those in poverty creates sustainable opportunities without reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
• Challenging Dominant Narratives – Projects should reshape oppressive or marginalizing narratives. The Vieques Project used the arts to protest military occupation, transforming storytelling into a tool for activism and community healing.
A project I could implement would be a Storytelling Through Theater initiative for at-risk youth in Chicago. It would provide a space for young people to write, direct, and perform plays about their experiences with systemic injustice—such as gun violence, racial profiling, or economic inequality—while also teaching them theatrical skills and public speaking. This project could serve as both a therapeutic outlet and a platform for advocacy.
When discussing implementations on justice-focused projects, there are multiple principles that international social workers should consider when doing so. Firstly, considering the efforts in which international social work can be conducted is an important foundation to identify before building peacebuilding between groups. As Nader Ahmandi illustrates in his article “Globalisation of Consciousness and New Challenges for International Social Work” specific types of international social work may include “bi-lateral cooperative projects encompassing social services, social-worker exchange programmes, consulting missions, joint ventures in education and development assistance projects” (Ahmandi, pg. 15). Based on these examples, the principles that I see as key for peace-building efforts are:
ReplyDelete- Combining positive community relations and recognizing cultural backgrounds & historical tensions. In order to create peace between communities, it’s important to put an emphasis on future goals and creative practices in conjunction with the historical context of these groups. For instance, during the Dancing in Jaffa project, they made sure to recognize potential points of tension between Israeli and Palestinian communities while also implementing interactive practices such as ballroom dancing in order to create new, positive interactions between these groups.
- Utilizing the arts to promote justice and service amongst communities. By Puerto Rican artists creating compositions to spread awareness of the discrimination Vieques was facing from military occupation, activists and other humanitarian efforts were better able to collaborate with these artists in order to create change and restore justice for members of the Vieques community. Efforts similar to the Vieques project can provide a safe, peaceful space for vulnerable individuals to speak on current issues facing their community, which can allow for other individuals to do the same.
- Learning new skills in order to increase sustainability and teamwork. Mentioned in Malence’s TED talk, educating impoverished individuals how to make clothing/other wearable items is an example of how justice-based programs can provide folks a sense of agency and purpose for their lives. This effort—and efforts like these—can also creating new practices that can be shared within different members of a community, bridging the gap that cultural tensions and historical trauma can create between groups.
A justice-focused project that I’ve heard about in Chicago is Uniting Voices, which is an after-school children’s choir that teaches musical pieces from different cultures, languages, and genres. While allowing children to develop new friendships with those outside of their immediate community, the 12 communities that encompass Uniting Voices give children the opportunity to meet people from different cultures. In addition, the culturally responsive practices at Uniting Voices allow children to learn more about their role as both creative spirits and cultural ambassadors. That way, more people will be able to feel the healing nature of music and share it with others in their communities.
February 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM comment form Elvialuz
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletea) Art interventions should empower marginalized communities, giving them a voice in shaping their narrative. This principle is clearly seen in the Vieques project, where the arts helped the community reclaim their identity after decades of military occupation. The arts should challanger the dominant narratives that perpetuate stereotypes and injustices. This is seen in the Dancing in Jaffa project, where Palestinian and Israeli children same together through dance to break down cultural barriers and reshape the story of conflict. Art helps in transforming social consciouness and allows individuals to see the possibility of change.
ReplyDeleteAs well art should celebrate cultural identitites and preserve the stories of communities especially those whos histories have been suppressed. This connects to Muhammad Yunus precept of using imagination which encoourages people to envision and create a better future in their own cultural values. Art should incorporate local traditions, symbols and storytelling methods that are deeply meaningful to the participants. Also art has the ability to foster healing particularly in post conflict settings. The Vieques project and Dancing in Jaffa are great examples of how the arts can bring together communities divided by historycal trauma and conflict.
b) https://www.kaunorspc.lt/2024/06/25/fotokonskursas-mano-pasaulio-spalvu-mozaika/
The project focused on vulnerable groups, especially children who face social exclusion. The project encouraged these children to take part in a photography competition to express their identity and worldview, using art-making as a way to overcome social barriers and reduce stereotypes. Photography promotes creativity and emotional self-expression, allowing children to show how they see the world and themselves in it. It gives children the opportunity to participate in creative activities and thus contribute to social justice, reducing social exclusion, strengthening community ties and giving them the opportunity to share their stories and experiences. The arts can be seen as an opportunity to be heard and seen, to express an understanding of life, to build confidence, to engage in community life, and to strengthen social and emotional skills.
When I think of advancing peace and social justice using the arts and transforming social narratives, certain principles that I see as key come to mind.
ReplyDeleteCommunity-Led Empowerment: Those who are most affected by a form of social injustice must be at the forefront of the artistic intervention. This will ensure that their voices are heard in light of the true narrative. As heard in the TED Talk, this would encompass Malence’s approach to teaching fashion design to individuals experiencing poverty. This sustainable opportunity allows people to create a sense of purpose and agency within themselves, removing harmful stereotypes along the way.
Cultural Bridge-Building: To most, culture is a segregated custom. It brings those within the culture together but places all others far apart from them. However, the arts can foster connections between divided communities by highlighting shared cultural expressions. The perfect example of this came from the ballroom dancing in the Jaffa project. Dancing in Jaffa brought Palestinian and Israeli children together through the art of dancing. It allowed the children to “build self-esteem and social awareness” but all in all this project “demonstrates the power of dance to transform both individuals and communities” (Dancing in Jaffa).
Narrative Transformation and Positive Representation: The arts should be able to challenge negative and harmful stereotypes while providing an alternative. Empowering narratives are key to transformation and positive representation. In the Mallence TED Talk, she points to creating fashion in order to challenge the stereotypes about Africa instead of reinforcing “extractive industries.”
An arts-based, justice-focused project I could implement in the United States is The Time Capsule Project: Letters for a Better Future. A public art demonstration where people from different types of marginalized communities write letters or record messages about their struggles and dreams. Such messages are then sealed in a time capsule that will be opened in 20 years as a testament to their fight for justice. In addition, some letters will get to be displayed in a gallery to inspire the present day activism!
a) The world is increasingly turning to the arts to address social challenges and promote justice. To implement justice-oriented artistic interventions, it is crucial to consider the type of artistic expression used and its impact. Based on the examples provided, several key principles emerge:
ReplyDeleteInclusion and Community Participation:
Justice-focused art projects should be co-designed with the community, ensuring the involvement of all members. A strong example is the Dancing in Jaffa project. Jaffa was historically a divided city, where Jewish and Palestinian Israeli communities lived separately with little interaction. Pierre Dulaine used dance as a unifying tool by teaching Jewish and Palestinian Israeli children to dance together. This artistic expression helped break down barriers, foster communication, and build relationships, ultimately reducing exclusion and bringing communities closer.
Economic Opportunity and Sustainability:
Justice-oriented art interventions should also provide economic opportunities and promote sustainability. This principle is exemplified in the Malence TED Talk, which highlights Africa’s abundant resources and the issue of Western exploitation. Malence discusses how many people in Africa face poverty and lack access to education, leading some to resort to harmful alternatives. In response, he launched an initiative where young people were taught to design and create clothing using locally available materials. This artistic intervention empowered participants by fostering creativity, enabling them to earn a living, and offering an alternative to street life. Many of the program’s participants later pursued higher education, including legal studies.
b) In Lithuania, art therapy is becoming increasingly popular as a tool for social and emotional well-being. These therapies cater to diverse groups, including individuals with disabilities, children facing developmental or behavioral challenges, and the elderly. One impactful project is the Children’s World of Cognition initiative by the NGO Darnūs Namai. This program uses neuro-educational games and art therapy to help children explore their emotions, develop their talents, and cultivate social responsibility and creativity. More about this initiative can be found here: https://darnus-namai.lt/neuroedukaciniai-uzsiemimai-vaikams/
Promoting peace and social justice through artistic endeavors is an impactful method for reshaping social narratives and fostering positive transformations within communities. The Vieques project, the Dancing in Jaffa initiative, and Muhammad Yunus' idea of "imagination" exemplify how art can be harnessed to further peace and social justice.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, the Vieques project was a community-driven effort that employed art as a means of healing and reconciliation following years of military presence and environmental degradation on Vieques island in Puerto Rico. Utilizing various forms of artistic expression including murals, performances, and installations, the initiative sought to highlight the effects of militarization on the local community and advocate for peace and justice.
In a similar vein, the Dancing in Jaffa project united Israeli and Palestinian youth through the shared language of dance. By instructing them in ballroom dancing and fostering relationships between the two groups, the initiative aimed to dismantle barriers, encourage understanding, and connect communities separated by conflict.
Additionally, Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Grameen Bank, has highlighted the significance of using "imagination" to tackle social challenges and promote positive change. He encourages individuals to think outside the box and envision a brighter future, believing that creative thinking can yield innovative solutions to complex issues and help construct a more equitable society.
To effectively implement justice-oriented arts interventions, several vital principles must be considered. Firstly, it is crucial to prioritize the voices and experiences of marginalized groups in the creative process. By amplifying their narratives and viewpoints, artists can contest prevailing narratives and advocate for social reform. Secondly, collaboration with local organizations and community members is essential for ensuring that the arts intervention is culturally relevant and meets the community's specific needs. Lastly, it is important to engage in continuous reflection and evaluation to measure the project's impact and make necessary adjustments to fulfill its objectives.
In Ghana, a justice-centered arts project could be established to tackle issues related to gender-based violence and advance gender equality. A possible endeavor could include partnering with local artists and activists to produce a series of public art installations that raise awareness about the high rates of gender-based violence in the area. These installations could feature interactive components such as storytelling sessions, workshops, and performances to involve community members in discussions and reflections on the underlying causes of violence against women and girls. By leveraging art for education, advocacy, and empowerment, this project could challenge detrimental social norms, foster gender equality, and contribute to the creation of a fairer and more inclusive society in Ghana.
One principle I learned from justice-focused arts interventions like the Vieques project, Dancing in Jaffa, Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using “imagination,” and Malence’s Ted Talk is the importance of “positive” peace-building. When most people think about peace or peace-building, they think about the absence of violence. Therefore, political and local leaders often do not think beyond the absence of violence, which is where the term “positive peace” building comes in. Grodosky states that positive peace-building is “the creation of a reality characterized by social justice, political participation, ecological balance, and economic equity.” This definition builds upon three elements. The first element includes promoting human development and an individual human rights perspective. The second element is a reduction of inequality, and the third element is delivering the goods of peace through networks of interdependent persons. These three elements are important to consider when building a justice-focused arts intervention.
ReplyDeleteThe Dancing in Jaffa project demonstrates all three elements of the principle of positive peace-building in religious conflicts. It teaches children mutual respect regardless of their religious and cultural differences and incorporates ballroom dancing as a fun aspect. Teaching children to treat others respectfully and as equals at a young age will work toward peace preservation.
The Vieques project is another excellent example, including all three elements to help advance social justice through a collective campaign to remove a US naval training base. The Viequense approach avoided a hostile relationship with the US Navy by focusing on community health impact rather than colonialism. By focusing on the 10 community health education (CHE) commitments and focusing on community engagement, they were able to affect social change positively. Some commitments are to start where the people are, recognize and build on community strengths and work, foster high-level community participation, and commitment to social justice.
Muhammad Yunus points out that “Imagination does not cost you anything…Think of a world you want to hope we will be created in, and you will be surprised once you imagine that. Just because you imagined it, it will happen.” Using Imagination, he created the concept of social business, in which businesses aim to generate profit while addressing social problems.
Lastly, the Malence TED Talk uses principles of positive peace-building in its intervention. She educates and empowers impoverished people to break the cycle of exploitation prevalent in Africa by creating their local businesses and responsibly leveraging Africa’s resources. This idea follows the peace-building principle and its aspect of economic equity.
Part B.
Pride Parades are an arts-based, justice-focused project I have seen implemented in my country. Specifically, a 14-year-old student in my hometown started “the Pinta Pride Project” to create a safe LGBTQ+ for young people. One big aspect of her project was her “Pinta Pride Parade,” which she hosts annually, where people come out to show their support through visual representations, artistic expressions, and healing and empowerment. These expressions create a positive and accepting environment for those in the LGBTQ+ communities to express themselves freely. By focusing on celebrating people’s differences, the project has accomplished significant strides in positive peace-building in my community.
References
Deleteemlyon business school. “Muhammad Yunus : “Imagine the World of Tomorrow and Create It.”” YouTube, 25 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=x559hHsW2N0. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Torres, Maria Idalí. “Organizing, Educating, and Advocating for Health and Human Rights in Vieques, Puerto Rico.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 95, no. 1, Jan. 2005, pp. 9–12, https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2003.025700. Accessed 2 Sept. 2020.
Blumberg, Antonia. ““Dancing in Jaffa”: Ballroom Dance Champion Brings Israeli, Palestinian Kids Together to Dance.” HuffPost, 25 Aug. 2014, www.huffpost.com/entry/dancing-in-jaffa_n_5682927. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Forest Heights Baptist Church of Maryland. “Africa Is Not Poor (Mallence Bart-Williams @ TEDxBerlinSalon).” YouTube, 29 Dec. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYVqpylLhs . Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Pinta Pride Project. “Pinta Pride Project.” Pinta Pride Project, 2023, buffalogrovepride.com/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Steve. “Buffalo Grove Pride Parade 2025.” PRIDEChicago -
Chicago Pride Parade Organizers, 26 Jan. 2025, pridechicago.org/event/buffalo-grove-pride-parade-2025/ . Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
-Maddie O'Brien