CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2018
| Author | Loudon, Hope Katherine |
|---|---|
| Title | From Silence to Solidarity: A Case Study Exploring Lessons and Policy Implications of Three Public Art Efforts Acknowledging Sexual Violence and Promoting Women’s Empowerment in Post-Conflict Kosovo |
| Summary | Following Kosovo’s 1998-1999 war in which rape was used as a systematic weapon, survivors faced stigmatization, social rejection, and institutional neglect for more than a decade. Women were generally denied a voice in state building, and their concerns were also swept under the rug. This research is an exploration of artistic mechanisms to move society from silence to solidarity, a Kosovo case study about three anomalous public art efforts: 1.) The sculpture, Heroinat, which represents Kosovo’s first memorial acknowledging women’s war contributions and victims of rape, 2.) The 2015 temporary art installation and campaign Thinking of You, which offered a participatory public centerpiece to highlight sexual violence survivors’ plight, and 3.) Kosovo’s annual festival FEMART which involves artists, activists, and the broader community in diverse activities exploring feminist themes and ideas. Through in-depth interviews with stakeholders, and participation in the 2018 FEMART Festival, this paper seeks to tell the stories of the three efforts with the highest possible accuracy, to clarify their intentions and processes, and to explore their implications for social and policy change. This research offers insights and recommendations to improve the impact of these efforts going forward, and to inform future projects and policies of a similar nature. |
| Supervisor | Ashraf Cameran |
| Department | School of Public Policy MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2018/loudon_hope.pdf |
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