Panel 154: Creativity and Emancipation – Power and Agency in the Formation of Political Order in Africa

Contrary to discourses depicting generalised political disorder in Africa, we seek to discuss empirical findings on the creation of political order. This panel aims to illuminate processes of social agency and creativity in making social and political spheres. Of particular interest are contributions identifying social actors and illuminating processes that are conducive to shaping realms of public interest within and beyond established institutions. Following questions will be on centre stage: What social actors are engaging in such processes? What practices, imagination and judgements frame their actions? What novel processes articulating realms of public interest can be identified? In what way do these processes contribute to emancipatory political and social spaces, in the sense of greater (individual and collective) liberty as well as predictability? We invite both theoretical papers as well as thorough case studies on the formation of such political and social spaces, in particular when they address complex urban settings. The findings of the panel will contribute towards the development of a methodological and theoretical framework to analyse processes of emancipation and creativity in Africa.