The Art of Being Many: Towards a New Theory and Practice of Gathering

by Martin Jörg Schäfer (Editor), Vassilis S. Tsianos (Editor)

Overview

Since 2010 we have witnessed new ways of assembling, which have made the word »democracy« sound important again. These practices may not have led to the political changes we had hoped for. Nevertheless, we are convinced of their importance. This book wants to acknowledge them as a starting point for a new art of being many: The »many« invoke new concepts of collectivity by renegotiating their modes of participation and (self-)presentation and by rewriting rhetorical, choreographical, and material scripts of assembling. This volume is inspired and informed by the square-occupations and neighborhood assemblies of the »real democracy« movements as well as by recent explorations of the assembly form in performance art and participatory theatre.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783837633139
Publication date:	10/18/2016
Series:	Culture & Theory
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.86(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

geheimagentur is an open collective working in Performance Art, Cultural Studies, and activism.
Martin Jörg Schäfer teaches modern German literature and theatre at Universität Hamburg. His research examines literature, theatre and theory from the 18th century to the present with a focus on the (historical, theoretical and praxeological) relationships between theatre and text.
Vassilis Tsianos is professor of sociology at the Kiel University of Applied Sciences. From 2010 to 2013 he was project coordinator of the research focus »Border crossings" in the EU project "MIG@NET transnational digital networks, migration and gender« of the University of Hamburg. From 2002-2005, he participated as a research member in the transdisciplinary research project TRANSIT MIGRATION of the Institute of European Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology of the University of Frankfurt am Main. Vassilis Tsiano's research interests include racism analysis, Autonomy of Migration, sociology of postmigrant society, European border regimes and biometric border control.

Table of Contents

Rehearsing the Art of Being Many: geheimagentur 9

Introduction: geheimagentur Martin Jörg Schäfer Vassilis S. Tsianos 19

Theories of the Assembly

Calling Assemblies: The Many as a Real Fiction Sibylle Peters 35

The Labour and Leisure of Performing the Many Martin Jorg Schäfer 51

Consensus: The Togetherness of Those Who Would Not Wait for One Another Kai van Eikels 61

From the People to the Many and Maybe Back? Magic Ilias Marmaras 69

Assembling Bodies in New Ecologies of Existence: The Real Democracy Experience as Politics Beyond Representation Vassilis S. Tsianos Margarita Tsomou 77

The Art of Being: Uncanny Ligna 95

Un/Easy Resonance: The Critical Plural Ulrike Bergermann 103

Materials of the Assembly

Coming Together, Coming Apart: A Soundtrack for the Journey to an Assembly random people Daniel Ladnar Esther Pilkington 121

The Art of Being Many: A Critical Review Chris Zisis 129

Assemblies in Theatres, Biennials, Museums: The Failing Necessities of >Being With< Gigi Argyropoulou 149

A Clock for Assemblies: Experimentation in Collective Time Measuring Sibylle Peters / Theatre of Research 159

Tear Gas Democracy Orgy Punk 165

Amplification and Assembly Sylvi Kretzschmar Kathrin Wildner 169

Intervening in the Narrative Voice: Reflections Around >The Art of Being Many< and the >Meditation Exercise< Genre Ernesto Estrella 183

Ceremonials of Gathering: Syncretizing Vogue and Voodoo Martin Jörg Schäfer 193

Foreplay in Many Axioms: A Theoretical Voguing on Performance, Labor, Pleasure and Multiplicity Giuila Palladirn 201

Contexts of the Assembly

Unfinishing Legislation: Constituent Performativity in the Charter for Europe Elise von Bernstorff 213

Charter for Europe 225

Urban Panics and Black Holes: Ambiguities of Deceleration in the Time of Financialization Marios Emmanouilidis 233

Open Source Finance Hacking: Potentials and Problems Brett Scott 251

Invaders Are Here! Pantxo Ramas 267

Art and Jack-in-the-Box Brigitta Kuster 275

Third Projection: Collective Film Activation: The Archive of the National Film Institute of Guinea-Bissau and its Reactualization in the Mobile Cinema Nanna Heidenreich Filipa César Aissatu Seidi 279

Drawings: Enrique Flares | 18, 31,49, 67, 94, 117, 157, 168, 182,210, 232, 274, 288