Haunted by Meaning

Abstract

This chapter explores the concept of aesthetic activism as a vehicle for wellbeing that emphasizes the importance of social justice and compassionate community. Drawing on critical and feminist pedagogies, the author links pedagogy and aesthetic activism to social integration and cohesion and of shared consciousness. The choreographic process described centres on the body as a site for self and social awareness and a critical understanding of the context of women’s lives. The aesthetic here is understood as that domain in which dominant meanings are disclosed and possibilities for social change can be imagined and realized. The author describes a community dance process in Cape Town, South Africa, in which notions of embodied knowledge and critical understanding unite to create a dance performance. This pedagogy suggests that meaning and purpose within a changing global context can be grounded in an ethic of social justice, human rights, and inclusive community.