Be Creative

In this exciting new book Angela McRobbie charts the 'euphoric' moment of the new creative economy, as it rose to prominence in the UK during the Blair years, and considers it from the perspective of contemporary experience of economic austerity and uncertainty about work and employment.

McRobbie makes some bold arguments about the staging of creative economy as a mode of 'labour reform'; she proposes that the dispositif of creativity is a fine-tuned instrument for acclimatising the expanded, youthful urban middle classes to a future of work without the raft of entitlements and security which previous generations had struggled to win through the post-war period of social democratic government.

Adopting a cultural studies perspective, McRobbie re-considers resistance as 'line of flight' and shows what is at stake in the new politics of culture and creativity. She incisively analyses 'project working' as the embodiment of the future of work and poses the question as to how people who come together on this basis can envisage developing stronger and more protective organisations and associations. Scattered throughout the book are excerpts from interviews with artists, stylists, fashion designers, policy-makers, and social entrepreneurs.

Auteur
Angela McRobbie is Professor of Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Texte du rabat

In this exciting new book Angela McRobbie charts the'euphoric' moment of the new creative economy, as itrose to prominence in the UK during the Blair years, and considersit from the perspective of contemporary experience of economicausterity and uncertainty about work and employment. McRobbie makes some bold arguments about the staging of creativeeconomy as a mode of 'labour reform'; she proposes thatthe dispositif of creativity is a fine-tuned instrument foracclimatising the expanded, youthful urban middle classes to afuture of work without the raft of entitlements and security whichprevious generations had struggled to win through the post-warperiod of social democratic government. Adopting a cultural studies perspective, McRobbie re-considersresistance as 'line of flight' and shows what is atstake in the new politics of culture and creativity. She incisivelyanalyses 'project working' as the embodiment of thefuture of work and poses the question as to how people who cometogether on this basis can envisage developing stronger and moreprotective organisations and associations. Scattered throughout thebook are excerpts from interviews with artists, stylists, fashiondesigners, policy-makers, and social entrepreneurs.

Contenu

Introduction: From The Social Network to The 'Flexible Frau', Visions of Creative Economy
Chapter One: Unpacking the Politics of Creative Labour: The Rise of the Urban Hipster Economy
Chapter Two: The Artist as Human Capital: Looking Back at London, New Labour and the 'Modernisation of Culture'.
Chapter Three: Club to Company
Chapter Four: Gender and Work in the New Creative Economy
Chapter Five: The Time and Space of Creative Labour: A response to the writing of Richard Sennett
Chapter Six: Fashion Matters Berlin: Start Ups Scenes and Female Social Enterprise
Chapter Seven: Conclusion; Concepts for Project Working in a European Frame