In his study, Markus Jäger explores the coalescence of Joan Baez's work as a singer and songwriter with her endeavours as a political activist throughout the last fifty years. He illustrates an American popular singer's significance as a political activist - for her audiences and for her opponents as well as for those victims of politically organised violence who have profited from her work. Mingling popular culture with political activism can turn into a helpful means when it comes to a non-violent progress of society. Joan Baez's work offers an excellent example for this hypothesis.
Markus Jaeger explores the coalescence of Joan Baez's work as a singer and songwriter with her endeavors as a political activist throughout the last sixty years. He illustrates an American popular singer's significance as a political activist—for her audiences and for her opponents as well as for those victims of politically organized violence who have profited from her work. Mingling popular culture with political activism can be a helpful means to achieve non-violent societal progress: Joan Baez’s work offers an excellent example for this hypothesis. Revised and updated edition, with an additional chapter on Joan Baez’s artistic and political endeavours in the 2010s.
Markus Jäger wrote a detailed study on the way singer and activist Joan Baez combined two outstanding components of peace studies – art and activism – to protest against the Vietnam War. The study shows that the 1960s (and early 1970s) are by far more than an era of hippies; overloaded with clichés. Baez is depicted as a timeless heroine; making timeless music and proving the timeless relevance of peaceful protest against violent authorities. She is still active and creative today (she released a new album and performed at numerous demonstrations against the war in Iraq).