Preventing Violent Extremism and 'Not in My Name': Theatrical Representation, Artistic Responsibility and Shared Vulnerability

This paper draws on my own recent experience of local artistic engagement with the British government's counter-terrorism strategy, Prevent(ing Violent Extremism). "Not in My Name" uses verbatim theatre techniques to negotiate dialogue within and across communities around a controversial agenda, and has received national acclaim for its innovative response to a pressing political concern. Revisiting Theodor Adorno's fluctuating pronouncements on the dialectical tension between the inadequacy and yet indispensability of culture beyond Auschwitz, this paper explores the creative and ethical dilemmas embedded within a contemporary artistic response to recent terrorist atrocity. Through examining both the moral responsibilities of community engagement and the ambiguities of theatrical representation in relation to acts of remembered rather than imagined terror, this paper highlights the shared vulnerabilities of precipitated interaction between commissioned artists and audiences deemed "at risk" of potential radicalisation. The paper consequently argues for further consideration to be given to the development of an appropriate ethical dimension to support and challenge the aesthetic choices of artists engaging directly with Prevent or other comparable counter-terrorism agendas. (Contains 20 notes.)