Culture and Peace: Violence, Politics, and Representation in the Americas (program)

Conscious of the many meanings of the word “culture,” the participants will look at the different kinds of violence that plague the Americas, including crime, state violence, and conflicts between nations, classes, and ethnicities. They will also consider the role of cultural production (film, television, literature, and news media) and cultural policy (education, museums, and public spaces) as they contribute toward understanding and controlling violence. The conference is not, however, concerned merely with describing these phenomena; it also will seek to formulate specific recommendations toward reducing the different forms of violence that plague virtually every American nation. This conference is the first of three organized by Arte Sem Fronteiras (Art Without Borders) on related topics.