The Role of Art in the Process of Post-Crisis Social Recovery

Abstract

This academic article analyzes the role of art as a critical mechanism in post-crisis social recovery, encompassing the individual, community, and structural levels. Drawing upon contemporary social theory—including Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital, Habermas’s theory of communicative action, and the collective memory framework developed by Halbwachs and Assmann—the article argues that art should not be viewed merely as an aesthetic or entertainment activity. Rather, it functions as a cultural process with the potential to heal, reconstruct relationships, and challenge dominant powers within the public sphere.At the individual level, art offers a therapeutic space for those affected by trauma, enabling the symbolic transformation of pain and the reconstruction of identity through creative practices. At the community level, art fosters collaboration, restores a sense of collective ownership, and strengthens social capital, especially in diverse or previously conflicted communities. Simultaneously, art plays a vital role in memory-making and justice-seeking, by giving visibility to the voices and narratives of marginalized or silenced groups. At the political level, art can challenge official discourse, construct alternative public spaces, and contribute to the development of new political imaginaries in transitional societies.