"A Foray into Craftivism: A Relevant Social Work Intervention Approach"

Abstract

This paper illustrates an engagement with a powerful social work intervention approach: Craftivism, which connects ‘craft’ with ‘activism’. It makes a case for recognising Craftivism in the social work domain, given its potential to enable social change. This approach has been exemplified through a Craftivist tool – a political quilt, which reflects a concern about the rising right-wing global politics of exclusion and discrimination.
This was a collaborative intervention of 108 global contributors of diverse backgrounds. This intervention is located within a rich historical backdrop of Craftivism. The paper discusses the methodology of this intervention in the context of social work and analyses its wide-ranging impact. It also suggests ways to include Craftivism within the social work curriculum.

Keywords: celebration, Craftivism, diversity, political quilting, social change

DOI: 10.32444/IJSW.2023.84.4.369-392