Rebels without a pause (but with a cause): Exploring self-governance and engaged behavior in hip-hop and alternative performing arts in Northern Europe

Abstract

This research examines how community-based artistic organizations navigate social and political tensions in urban settings, bridging hip-hop studies to political economy studies on self-governance. Artists and cultural organizations engage with these tensions through political protest, fostering public participation, and representing marginalized groups. For genres like hip-hop, social and political tensions are inherent, making it particularly interesting to study their institutionalization. A multiple case study was conducted on four organizations: Hiphophuis, WORM, Rapolitics, and Soul Sessions Oslo, based in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway. These organizations use alternative performing arts to engage with social and political issues through self-governance. Data from 13 semi-structured interviews with key individuals provided in-depth insights, analyzed thematically to reveal two themes: "Social and Political Engagement Through Self-Governance: 'By Us, For Us'” and "Creating Space for a Socially and Politically Engaged Community". The findings highlight that these organizations are “rebels without a pause but with a cause”: self-governance and engaged behavior enable alternative performing arts organizations to interact with diverse marginalized groups through cultural expressions often overlooked by institutionalized cultural entities. This community-based approach also facilitates engagement with local communities on broader issues.