
The Art of Resistance
Cultural Protest against the Austrian Far Right in the Early Twenty-First Century
Allyson Fiddler(Author)
Berghahn Books (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 19. October 2018
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-1-78920-046-1 (ISBN)
Description
Well before the far-right resurgence that has most recently transformed European politics, Austria's 1999 parliamentary elections surprised the world with the unexpected success of the Freedom Party of Austria and its charismatic leader, Joerg Haider. The party's perceived xenophobia, isolationism, and unabashed nationalism in turn inspired a massive protest movement that expressed opposition not only through street protests but also in novels, plays, films, and music. Through careful readings of this varied cultural output, The Art of Resistance traces the aesthetic styles and strategies deployed during this time, providing critical context for understanding modern Austrian history as well as the European protest movements of today.
Reviews / Votes
"This book is remarkable for closing an important gap in Austrian Studies scholarship on contemporary politics and specifically the cultural responses and resistance to far-right wing governments in Austria... a must-read for all scholars who seek a better understanding of cultural resistance to extreme right-wing movements in early twenty-first-century Austria." * Journal of Austrian Studies"Fiddler's book stands out for the range of works in different media that she discusses. These include acts of everyday protest (demonstrations, speeches, graffiti, dance, etc.), as well as literary texts, films, and dramas... An excellently researched and well-written study, The Art of Resistance will prove an invaluable resource for scholars interested in cultural protest against the far right not just in Austria but around the world." * Modern Language Review
"It is a fascinating book that demonstrates the extent to which the distinction between culture and politics has become blurred-in Austria as elsewhere... Allyson Fiddler's book helps us to understand the complexity of factors behind the new culture of protest." * Austrian History Yearbook
"...a [groundbreaking], lucidly written, meticulously researched magnum opus surveying Austria's, but above all Vienna's, culture of dissent at the turn of the millennium. The passionate archivist Fiddler expertly disentangles the complexities behind protest art in a country once dubbed Insel der Seligen." * Austrian Studies
"The Art of Resistance is a comprehensive, vigorously written treatment of a topic that transcends Austrian Studies. It is clearly the product of extensive research and an intimate familiarity with the subject matter." * Geoffrey C. Howes, Bowling Green State University
"This study provides a meticulously researched analysis of a wide range of cultural phenomena before, during and after the protests at the turn of the millennium in Austria. An unquestionably valuable exploration of artistic production in Austria's protest movement!" * Veronika Zangl, University of Amsterdam
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Library binding
Illustrations
Bibliography; Index
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
485 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78920-046-1 (9781789200461)
DOI
10.3167/9781789200461
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Allyson Fiddler
The Art of Resistance
Cultural Protest against the Austrian Far Right in the Early Twenty-First Century
E-Book
10/2018
1st Edition
Berghahn Books
€33.99
Available for download
Person
Allyson Fiddler is Professor of German and Austrian Studies at Lancaster University and one of the foremost scholars on the work of Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek. Her books include Rewriting Reality: An Introduction to Elfriede Jelinek (1994) and 'Other' Austrians: Post-1945 Austrian Women's Writing (1998).
Content
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1. Austria Gets the 'Blues': Setting the Scene for Protest
Chapter 2. Performing Politics: On the Sounds, Symbols and Sites of Resistance
Chapter 3. Novel Responses: Protest in Prose
Chapter 4. Projecting Protest: Resistance on Screen
Chapter 5. Staging Resistance: Dramatic Themes and Interventions
Conclusion: The Colours of 2016 and 2017: Green, Blue ... Turquoise
References
Index
Introduction
Chapter 1. Austria Gets the 'Blues': Setting the Scene for Protest
Chapter 2. Performing Politics: On the Sounds, Symbols and Sites of Resistance
Chapter 3. Novel Responses: Protest in Prose
Chapter 4. Projecting Protest: Resistance on Screen
Chapter 5. Staging Resistance: Dramatic Themes and Interventions
Conclusion: The Colours of 2016 and 2017: Green, Blue ... Turquoise
References
Index