"Beyond Survival: Theater, Culture, and Justice in Afghanistan" - Nadia Siddiqui

February 26, 2:00pm - 2:45pm
Mānoa Campus, Moore Hall - Tokioka room Add to Calendar

Nadia Siddiqui will give a talk about Afghan theater performance. She explains, "The creation and transfer of cultural history and truths through the arts (including oral, written, visual, and perfomative practices) pre-dates the development of transitional justice as a field. However the connection between cultural expression and transitional justice is inherent given that a central tenet of transitional justice is to give voice to the victims of trauma and human rights violations. But what of contexts in which transitional justice processes are not forthcoming, conflict is ongoing, and cultural practice and transmission of any kind has broken down because of decades of violations?"

This talk will examine the role of artists in transitioning contexts where there is still conflict and will focus specifically on the case of Afghanistan where over three decades of conflict have eroded infrastructure, civic trust, and normal cultural production. Providing specific examples of how arts have been used to deal with themes of conflict and justice in the Afghan context, including the participatory theater work of the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization, we will seek to shed light on the cultural implications of transitional justice and the role artists and arts-practices play in helping shift societies toward human rights and accountability.


Ticket Information
Free

Event Sponsor
School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Dr. Weir, 956-6316, msap@hawaii.edu, http://www.msaphawaii.org

Share by email