NDLI: Non-Preaching Activism in New York. The Theatrical Militancy of Billionaires for Bush and Reverend Billy

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Lechaux, Bleuwenn
Copyright Year	2010
Abstract	This article, grounded on a fieldwork conducted in 2007 and 2008 in New York City, aims at analyzing the social usages and effects of artistic and ironic actions led by two activist collectives: Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping and the Billionaires for Bush. The first organization is opposed to excessive consumerism and denounces actors, like multinational corporations, involved in the privatization of public spaces in New York City. The second collective—by using forms of action and ironic slogans pretending to endorse US government decisions regarding tax cuts and, more generally, any law favouring privileged groups—condemns policies which widen social inequalities. The resort to artistic and ironic actions assumes denouncing and non-preaching characteristics. First, these actions target elected people or institutions perceived as responsible for the social, economic, and political problems identified by the collectives. Then, the activists tend to criticize and disassociate from connotations which to them are associated with certain forms of religious ceremonies and political activism, delivering sermons and preaching to the choir. A major interest of the non-preaching nature of these artistic and ironic actions would precisely lie in their capacity to sensitize outside the social circles of converted activists. The article first examines formal transfers between art and activism—narratives, costumes, musical repertoires—drawing on US cultural and religious references while taunting them. The analytical description of these actions will lead to a critical insight into their political and social effects. To which extent do these musical and theatrical forms of protest have the capacity to call political beliefs into question, to arm convinced activists, to convert the undecided, or even the opponents to the causes championed by these protest groups?
Starting Page	175
Ending Page	190
Page Count	16
File Format	PDF
ISSN	08914486
Journal	International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society
Volume Number	23
Issue Number	2-3
e-ISSN	15733416
Language	English
Publisher	Springer US
Publisher Date	2010-07-01
Publisher Place	Boston
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Activism Art Militancy Protest Personality and Social Psychology Clinical Psychology Sociology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Sociology and Political Science Political Science and International Relations

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

The New Spirit of Capitalism

Screen Memory

On talcott parsons'The Social System

Globalizing Sociology: an Introduction

Freedom and convention: Old arts for a new century

Arts and Politics

Chainbuilding: A New Building for the New New School

History and sociology: Synthesis or conflict?

Collaborative Sociological Practice: the Case of Nine Urban Biotopes

Non-Preaching Activism in New York. The Theatrical Militancy of Billionaires for Bush and Reverend Billy

Similar Documents

The New Spirit of Capitalism

Screen Memory

On talcott parsons'The Social System

Globalizing Sociology: an Introduction

Freedom and convention: Old arts for a new century

Arts and Politics

Chainbuilding: A New Building for the New New School

History and sociology: Synthesis or conflict?

Collaborative Sociological Practice: the Case of Nine Urban Biotopes

Non-Preaching Activism in New York. The Theatrical Militancy of Billionaires for Bush and Reverend Billy