Democratic dance parties as ‘safe-houses’ for inter-cultural sharing in the context of the refugee crisis

My research looks at emergent possibilities for certain democratized shared spaces and the humanizing potential of cross-cultural sharing in the context of the current refugee crisis. I will do this through a case study of a project currently underway in Munich, Germany, called Plug in Beats. Plug in Beats is a monthly dance party held at Feierwerk, a not-for-profit community arts center with a mandate to bring different people, and cultures together in order to shape dialogues at the interfaces between culture, business, politics, and social issues. Plug in Beats’ concept requires some explaining. The principal is that party-goers arrive with their mobile phones, and are given a number. The numbers are pulled at random by the DJ, who will play a selection of music from the cell phone of the person who’s number has been drawn. Each number may only be drawn only once. As such,the selection process mitigates for tendencies of domination or exclusion of any one style, person or group. The party has been extremely successful in bringing together migrants and ‘local’ Munich residents all with diverse geographical histories and identities. “TO BE CONT’D”

Faculty Supervisor:

Norma Rantisi

Student:

Partner:

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Concordia University

Program: