Voicing Dissent American Artists and the War on Iraq [Hardcover]

Voicing Dissentpresents a unique and original series of interviews with American artists (including Guerrilla Girls on Tour, Tony Shalhoub, Shepard Fairey, Sean Astin, and many others) who have voiced their opposition to the war in Iraq. Following Pierre Bourdieu's example, these discussions are approached sociologically and provide a thorough analysis of the relationships between arts and politics as well as the limits and conditions of political speech and action. These painters and graphic artists, musicians, actors, playwrights, theatre directors and filmmakers reveal their perceptions of politics, war, security and terrorism issues, the Middle East, their experiences with activism, as well as their definition of the artist's role and their practice of citizenship. Addressing the crucial questions for contemporary democracies - such as artists' function in society, the crisis of political legitimacy and representation, the rise of new modes of contestation, and the limits to free public speech - this book will be of interest to scholars in sociology, politics, and the arts.

Foreword  Mich?le Lamont.  Preface  Steve Greenfield and Guy Osborn.  Introduction  Section 1: Figures of Committed Artists  1. Models and Public Voices in the Anti-War Movement  1.1. Robbie Conal: Figure of the Activist-Artist  1.2. Mike Farrell and Robert Greenwald: Leaders of the Hollywood Movement  1.3. Ozomatli: Not to Separate Ourselves from the Movement   1.4. Kathleen Chalfant: Combining Radicalism with Establishment  2. Generations and Relations to Politics  2.1. Sheila Pinkel: Activist-Artist in a Dark Time  2.2. Margo Lee Sherman: Bread and Puppets Legacy  2.3. Ed Asner: Ambivalence of a Leftist Identification  2.4. Clãq