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Chilean feminist collective LASTESIS: Performative and viral agency
- Source: Art & the Public Sphere, Volume 12, Issue Latin-American Performance, Activism and Public Space, Apr 2023, p. 95 - 106
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- 31 Jan 2023
- 10 Apr 2023
- 06 Nov 2024
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to explore and reflect on the concept of performative agency and feminism applying Haraway’s Cyborg analytical model to the creative work of Chilean artistic collective LASTESIS as a case study. Based on a review of the literature, the article examines the concept of performative feminist agency and how this agency functioned in artistic and political action in more than fifty countries around the world. The data includes class lectures from the course digital media, participation and agency at Uppsala University, previous research about the performance Un violador en tu camino (A Rapist in Your Path) by the Chilean feminist collective LASTESIS, other studies into performative agency, and LASTESIS zoom conferences. The collected data leads to the analysis of the following four themes: feminism, language, participation and agency. These topics are important for comprehending how performative agency can empower individuals to speak out against injustices. Methods of inquiry included phenomenological reflection on data elicited by feminism, agency and language. These findings have important implications for the broader domain of participation and agency. The theoretical lens provided an overall orientation, using the speech act theory and the sociotechnical theory, transformative perspectives that shaped the questions asked, providing a call for action. Haraway’s Cyborg analytical model helped to guide as to what issues are important to examine. The study did not find any other case as ‘complete’ as A Rapist in Your Path, meaning the theory behind the production and how it went viral around the world; but a comparative study case was not the focus. This study attempts to contribute to the knowledge exploring the influence of participation, language and feminism on performative agency.
Funding
- The National Fund