Crafting Power - The Situatedness of Artistic Handicraft and Civic Engagement in Contemporary Uganda

In contemporary Uganda, artistic handicraft production is often associated with sustainable economic development and female empowerment. Others highlight its significance for the situated understandings of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, framing artistic handicrafts as indigenous art embedded into local knowledges. Anna-Lisa Klages examines artistic handicrafts through the lens of civic engagement therewith. She reconstructs the negotiated meanings of handicrafts by elaborating how the actors and organizations involved shape its conceptualizations and render the perspectives of artisans invisible. This study is an important read for those interested in international cooperation and power relations in the postcolonial era.