The Different Faces of Politics in the Visual and Performative Arts

This book highlights the linkages between politics and governance and the arts. The essays in the volume show how visual and performative arts have challenged those in power to stir up national fervour and found themselves at the receiving end of political censure.

Autorentext

Mario Thomas Vassallo is a Senior Lecturer of governance, politics and public administration. He is the Head of the Department of Public Policy, University of Malta, and serves as Rector's Delegate to the Institute for Public Services. Vassallo hosts the series AGORA, the weekly political talk show on Campus FM, the University of Malta's radio station. His academic works have been published by Maltese and international publishers.

André P. DeBattista lectures at the Institute for European Studies at the University of Malta and is a political scientist and occasional columnist. He is a Research Associate at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, Brussels and a Contributing Editor to The European Conservative. He is the author of several scholarly papers and press commentaries covering the themes of politics, international relations, political discourse and the dynamics of religion and public life.

Inhalt

Politics in paintings, sculpture, urban planning, theatre and cinematography: An Introduction Part 1 - Politics and the Visual Arts 1. Polis and Imperium: the making of the modern world 2. Politics and Art in Baroque Malta: A Case Study in the Expression of Magnificence and its Relevance to the present day 3. Colonialism, collective identity and symbolism: Constructing perceptions of identity in a former British colony 4. Symbols of statehood: flags and national anthems 5. Postage Stamps as a political tool across time and space: Reflections of a Maltese Philatelist 6. Architecture, Politics and Memory in Post-WWII Europe 7. Political posters and Corsican nationalist mobilisation: 1970-1990 Part 2 - Politics in the Performative Arts 8. French cinematography and politics: A symbol of French national cultural identity 9. The World through the Comedian's Lens: The Political and Social Commentary of Charles Chaplin 10. Brecht for non-marxists 11. Fantozzi and politics as a farce: A critical perspective 12. The politics of film industry: The Maltese experience 13. Pathways: Walking in a Terrain in Flux