Art, migration and social construction. For a culture of peace and human rights

Abstract

The article analyses the results of the project: “Migrarte: For a Culture of Peace and Human Rights”, a learning and service experience implemented in a Bachelor's Degree in Social Education course. The project aimed to promote cultural exchange between university students and migrants associated with an NGO through artistic activities such as music, performance and visual arts. Adopting a theoretical approach based on the ideas of Néstor García Canclini and Maurice Crul, the project aimed to encourage equitable cultural exchange and challenge the power dynamics within the neoliberal socioeconomic order, using art as a means of social transformation. A qualitative methodology was employed to analyse the results obtained during the three-month project, using semi-structured interviews and participant observation as the main techniques for gathering information. The results showed that artistic practices had favoured the opening of channels of communication and spaces for dialogue among migrants, as well as stimulating critical reflection on the foundations of society. Similarly, a significant impact was observed on migrants' identity, emotional and agency processes within the intercultural context, and the value of the arts as a tool for inclusion and empowerment was emphasised.