Post-conflict participatory arts (rethinking development)

Globally, the number of people displaced by crisis is perpetually on the rise, underscoring the importance of systems, free of excessive obstacles, by which these populations can effectively advocate for their rights. Displaced people, who endure threatening situations, and overcome additional hardship in moving to other locations, have much work to do in rebuilding their lives. Their position as displaced persons too often necessitates fighting for their human rights, as defined by host countries, home countries, or the United Nations (UN). However, interventions are emerging that enable these populations to engage in the transformation of systems and societies. Amongst these interventions are the use of participatory arts and research, explored in Post-conflict participatory arts: socially engaged development, a 2021 edited book by Faith Mkwananzi and F. Melis Cin. The editors discuss the growing interest in the use of participatory arts practices and research, specifically for addressing social justice in the Global South and post-conflict settings. The authors illustrate how participatory arts can support a democratized, epistemically, and socially just development agenda (Mkwananzi and Cin 2021). The questions explored through this compilation are,