AGENCY & AUTONOMY
The ability to make independent choices, often in opposition to external control.
Self-determination
DEFINE Fortitude
The mental strength and determination to endure difficult situations
DEFINE Marginalisation
The systemic relegation of individuals or groups to a lower status or power, often based on bias.
Assumptions made before obtaining sufficient evidence or experience.
Preconceived notions:
DEFINE Participatory art
Art made with a community, not just about them.
The power or faculty to act independently, especially in the context of making free choices.
Volition
DEFINE Sympathetic resonance
Deep understanding and shared feeling with another’s experiences or emotions.
DEFINE Socioeconomic stratification
How society is divided by money and status; the dump as a site of inequality
A state of mental discomfort resulting from holding two contradictory beliefs or attitudes at the same time.
Cognitive dissonance
DEFINE Commodification
Turning something (or someone’s image/story) into a product; raises questions when artworks sell.
The process of gaining control over one’s own life and decisions, with an emphasis on individual autonomy.
Self-sovereignty
DEFINE Altruistic
Unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others, often manifesting in charitable actions.
DEFINE Social constructs
Ideas or norms that exist because of collective belief, without natural or inherent justification.
A fundamental change in the way of thinking or understanding, often in relation to knowledge or worldview.
Paradigm shift
DEFINE Reclamation
Taking back value—of materials and of identity/self-worth.
The capacity of individuals or groups to influence political or social systems through actions or ideas.
Political agency
DEFINE Introspection
The reflective process of examining one’s own thoughts, motivations, and emotional states.
DEFINE Saviour complex
A psychological state where one feels destined to save others, often viewing them as inferior.
The grasp of fundamental questions regarding existence and the nature of being.
Philosophical understanding
DEFINE Humanistic
Centred on people and their values, dignity, and experiences. It comes from Humanism, a philosophy that focuses on human potential, agency, and the importance of empathy, compassion, and individual worth.
When participants help tell their own story rather than being spoken for.
Narrative agency
DEFINE Self-actualisation
Realising one’s potential for a meaningful, purposeful life.
DEFINE Hubris
Excessive pride or arrogance, often leading to one’s downfall.
Dominant sets of beliefs or practices that govern social, cultural, or political structures within a society.
Cultural paradigms:
DEFINE Subversion
The deliberate undermining or overthrowing of established norms, values, or systems.