The Aesthetics of Love: Art-Based Approaches in the Wake of War

Drawing on creative methods in critical peace research, this article reflects on an arts-based project focused on love and care in the wake of violence in northern Uganda. Through a collaborative and participatory process of working with local artists, the project aimed to artistically foreground narratives of love and care that co-exist alongside experiences of violence and suffering. The article specifically foregrounds the value of artistic expressions in illuminating the aesthetic, sensory, affective and emotional dimensions of global politics, conflict and peace, and to raise issues that are typically overlooked in conventional peace research. Through its focus on loving and caring practices in times of conflict, the article complements and contributes to existing research on arts-based approaches that focus primarily on suffering and violence. The article also highlights the methodological and ethical value of artistic expressions in facilitating more complex and dignified representations of lived realities in (post-)conflict settings.