The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?

Festivals are events often tied to specific locations and the cultural associations that such locations have in public imaginaries. Aspects of such imaginaries are observable through the various forms of expressive culture that festivals celebrate and the manner that such content is (re)presented, p...

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Main Author: Peter J. Verdin
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Association Via@ 2023-07-01
Series:Via@
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Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/viatourism/9594
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author Peter J. Verdin
author_facet Peter J. Verdin
author_sort Peter J. Verdin
collection DOAJ
description Festivals are events often tied to specific locations and the cultural associations that such locations have in public imaginaries. Aspects of such imaginaries are observable through the various forms of expressive culture that festivals celebrate and the manner that such content is (re)presented, promoted, and consumed at such events. This research examines the way that ideas of locality and globality are negotiated, reinvented, and reimagined at Africa Festival in Würzburg, an annual festival that celebrates African music and culture in the Lower Franconian region of Germany. Operating from the conceit that events like Africa Festival are “constructed cultural festivals,” this research looks at the way that these reinventions and reimaginings are reflective of implicit notions of authority, authenticity, power, and alterity, which have been shaped by globalization and colonial legacy. These assemblages are used in the creation of a particular form of heritage, that situates Africa Festival as a specific, localized space for cultural consumption, while simultaneously linking the festival to a larger, imagined global community. Ultimately, this research asks the question whether the curation of exoticized cultures at such constructed events creates productive spaces for intercultural exchange, and advocates that the epistemologies presented at such events be co-created with the represented cultures and communities.
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spelling doaj-art-4b4d5e821f694de0a953100bc2739fee2025-01-30T14:05:21ZdeuAssociation Via@Via@2259-924X2023-07-012310.4000/viatourism.9594The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?Peter J. VerdinFestivals are events often tied to specific locations and the cultural associations that such locations have in public imaginaries. Aspects of such imaginaries are observable through the various forms of expressive culture that festivals celebrate and the manner that such content is (re)presented, promoted, and consumed at such events. This research examines the way that ideas of locality and globality are negotiated, reinvented, and reimagined at Africa Festival in Würzburg, an annual festival that celebrates African music and culture in the Lower Franconian region of Germany. Operating from the conceit that events like Africa Festival are “constructed cultural festivals,” this research looks at the way that these reinventions and reimaginings are reflective of implicit notions of authority, authenticity, power, and alterity, which have been shaped by globalization and colonial legacy. These assemblages are used in the creation of a particular form of heritage, that situates Africa Festival as a specific, localized space for cultural consumption, while simultaneously linking the festival to a larger, imagined global community. Ultimately, this research asks the question whether the curation of exoticized cultures at such constructed events creates productive spaces for intercultural exchange, and advocates that the epistemologies presented at such events be co-created with the represented cultures and communities.https://journals.openedition.org/viatourism/9594heritageglobalizationFestivalsAfrica; Germanydecolonialcritical discourse analysis
spellingShingle Peter J. Verdin
The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?
Via@
heritage
globalization
Festivals
Africa; Germany
decolonial
critical discourse analysis
title The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?
title_full The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?
title_fullStr The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?
title_full_unstemmed The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?
title_short The Local, The Global, or Somewhere in Between?
title_sort local the global or somewhere in between
topic heritage
globalization
Festivals
Africa; Germany
decolonial
critical discourse analysis
url https://journals.openedition.org/viatourism/9594
work_keys_str_mv AT peterjverdin thelocaltheglobalorsomewhereinbetween
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