Arts & International Affairs: Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2018: Performativity and Participation

Arts & International Affairs interrogates the nexus between the arts, politics and markets through a global perspective. Situated within international contexts, the arts encompass the performing, creative and visual industries that envelop the modes of expression in the global political economy. AIA's interdisciplinary style is imperative to capturing the intersections between people, their creations, their services and institutions. Artistic works often transcend borders and provoke local, national and transnational engagement. The Spring 2018 issue of Arts & International Affairs is themed "Performativity and Participation." Of the two empirical "Longform" peer-reviewed essays--one on UNESCO provides the outlines of a possible peace, and the other on a Korean pop band shows a contrasting view of how culture reflects current forms of (nationalistic) conflict. The two political philosophy essays provide deeper, abstract reflections. Olga Taxidou points out the limits of theatricality and the dangers of confusing theatricality with democratic leadership. The essay on Wittgenstein outlines the possibilities of cultural relations in a world full of conflicting cultures. Finally, the films featured in our "Multimodal" essay report on a Participatory Action Research (PAR) exercise at the University of Edinburgh that brought 33 cultural leaders in 2017 from around the world. PAR techniques produce knowledge through participant deliberations and praxis. AIA is an academic journal, but its focus on the arts distinguishes its website (theartsjournal.net) from other more traditional International Relations print publications. AIA is published three times a year in the spring, summer and fall/winter. Cover photo credit: Edinburgh International Festival / Stuart Armitt 2013