Cultura-Identidad: The Use of Art in the University of Puerto Rico Student Movement, 2010

Summary: This article addresses the use of art in the University of Puerto Rico student movement of 2010 to achieve social movement outcomes, such as mobilization and collective identity. More specifically, this paper addresses two major research questions. One, what forms of art were present in the UPR student movement? Two, what impact do artistic objects and performances have on the movement, from the perspective of student activists and artists? Drawing upon 25 hours of observational data and 19 interviews with student activists, faculty, and artists, this paper demonstrates how activists incorporate multiple art forms, not only traditional forms like protest songs, but also innovative forms like street theatre. Incorporating a broad repertoire of art, the movement appealed to a broad population, as well as created a dynamic movement. These questions are critical for understanding recent global movements that rely upon creative and artistic tactics for resistance. However, despite the "cultural turn" among social movement scholars, few have taken seriously the use of art in activism, particularly the ways in which multiple forms of art may be used within one single movement. The case of the student movement of the UPR provides an opportunity to explore up-close the various ways that art may be present within a movement, as well as to uncover how these forms of art operate within the movement and impact on the overall movement.