15133
Proseminar
Revolutionary squares: spatial dynamics of contention
Myriam Ahmed
Kommentar
Revolutionary movements often times embed their actions in places where power is physically located, i.e., houses of parliaments, presidential palaces and so on. Aiming at the so-called nerve centers of powers can be crucial in successfully disrupting power. Throughout history public spaces have time and again served as playing fields for contentious politics: During the French revolution, the storming of the Bastille in 1789 held symbolic value, while the protest camp in Cairo’s Tahrir square was crucial for the overthrowing of the Egyptian regime in 2011. Beyond those, examples of the use of space for contentious politics by both resistance and repression actors can be found in Khartoum (qiyadah sit-in), Beijing (Tiananmen massacre) and Tirana (Skanderbeg Square) to name a few. But how do these squares and places become revolutionary – or not? Following this question, the seminar aims to explore the relationship between revolutions and space, delving specifically into the role of public spaces for revolutionary oppositions in mobilizing, building shared identities, and configuring spaces which embody their visions for a different future. The seminar is divided into two main blocks with the first focusing on a theoretical and conceptual introduction. We will get acquainted with the definition of “revolution”, how to situate it in the research on contentious politics and social movement studies, and explore when a revolution is successful or not. Furthermore, the first block will serve to gain an overview of the research conducted on the role of “space” for contentious politics. Having acquired a solid theoretical and conceptual basis, the second block will be dedicated to different case studies, as well as various themes varying from spatial repertoires to emotions to identity/positionality to repression and beyond. Students will be asked to prepare these case studies in groups and present them to the class. Finally, the closing session will be dedicated to exploring the imaginaries and meanings of utopic spaces. Schließen
Zusätzliche Termine
Fr, 18.10.2024 14:00 - 16:00 Fr, 10.01.2025 14:00 - 20:00 Sa, 11.01.2025 10:00 - 18:00 Fr, 24.01.2025 14:00 - 20:00 Sa, 25.01.2025 10:00 - 18:00 Fr, 14.02.2025 14:00 - 16:00