Art Against Authoritarianism in Southwest Asia and North Africa

Explores the politics and aesthetics of artivism, resistance and creative spaces against authoritarianism and oppression in Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, Iran, Morocco, Egypt. Lebanon and Sudan.

Over the past decade, there has been a burgeoning interest in the realm of art activism within the Southwest Asia and North Africa region, shedding light on the political implications of aesthetic representation. Nevertheless, a critical inquiry into how political aesthetics can formulate both discernible and imperceptible resistance strategies in response to resurging authoritarianism and counter-revolution after the 2011 uprisings in the region remains conspicuously absent.

This book delves into a comprehensive examination of diverse art forms, ranging from street art and cinema to performance art, as well as music and theatre, scrutinizing the manifestations of aesthetic resilience at the epicentre of the political resistan