Politics and Esthetics

This essay examines the intersection and history of esthetics and politics. Esthetics now provides specific forms or categories of understanding for politics and public life; in the language of social movements, esthetics often supplies the ‘frames’ by which we perceive the world. I discuss the sociological literature on esthetics, and explore some of its connections to politics broadly conceived. I argue that an adequate sociological approach to esthetic politics must explore the history, characteristics, and intersection of the esthetic sphere and popular culture, for these two realms have influenced political ideas and practices.