Creative Work and Distributions of Power is a journey toward an energized and expanded space for considering power in discussions of creative work.

Starting with the participatory creativity framework, this book expertly guides readers through case studies of two very different examples of creative work: the 20th-century, groundbreaking systems theorist Gregory Bateson and the current musician/polymath Tyler, The Creator. Through skillfully interwoven narrative and theory, chapters provide readers with a deep understanding of the roles of power in the ways creativity emerges from complex social, material, and historical systems. Thoughtful metalogues featured throughout the book bring readers into the minds of the authors, illustrating the very processes being analyzed. The result is a model of the functions of creative work in mediating personal capacities and larger societal forces.

This critical addition to the discourse around creativity and its practice is an ideal first step in understanding creative work and distributions of power for readers in creativity studies as well as sociology and psychology courses.

About the Author

Michael Hanchett Hanson is a developmental psychologist; Director of the Masters Concentration in Creativity and Cognition at Teachers College, Columbia University, USA; a founding board member and Secretary of the International Society for the Study of Creativity and Innovation (ISSCI); a member of the Chair Homo Creativus, Universite de Paris Cite, and President of Contexts R+D, a research and consulting practice.

Reviews

This book has a powerful message: that power itself is distributed across flexible, connected systems. Through thought provoking analyses, dialogues and metalogues, we learn to see power and creativity anew. A classic in participatory analysis.

Vlad Glaveanu, Dublin City University, Ireland

What do Gregory Bateson and Tyler, The Creator have in common? From these case studies, Hanchett Hanson with his colleagues reveal the inside story of creative eco-systems. An essentiel read to understand the complex ingredients, including purpose and power, that combine to yield creative work.

Todd Lubart, Universite Paris Cite, France

Michael Hanchett Hanson and his colleagues broaden the discussion of creativity from the narrow focus on ideas and individuals to systems, both ecological and economic. Creativity is about broadening our world and this book does exactly that.

Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, Yale University, USA

Book Information
ISBN 9781032230306
Author Michael Hanchett Hanson
Format Paperback
Page Count 252
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd