Chicago Social Practice History Series

Publication: Chicago Social Practice History Series

This series of four, 225-page illustrated books (2014 – 2015) was created as part of the research initiatives on the history of social practice in Chicago. The series examines for the first time Chicago’s thinkers and makers that have defined the intellectual and creative life of the city. With nearly 30 chapters each, these volumes locate Chicago’s critical social thought and practices within a history of modern urban change and its commensurate societal issues as played out in the complexities of its communities. The inspirational starting point is Jane Addams and John Dewey, with the mission to recall movements and collectives in the 20th century, and the need in the fields of art, architecture, and design to recognize Chicago’s present-day committed practitioners. The series offers a depth of geographic and historical context for the continued work around social design, including education, housing, food, ecological urgencies, prison reform, and more. Volumes include: Art Against the Law, edited by Rebecca Zorach, Immersive Life Practices, edited by Daniel Tucker; Institutions and Imaginaries, edited by Stephanie Smith; Support Networks, edited by Abigail Satinsky; and A Lived Practice, edited by Mary Jane Jacob and Kate Zeller. The series is published by the SAIC and distributed by the University of Chicago Press. The volumes were also made possible through grants from SAIC’s Earl and Brenda Shapiro Center for Research and Collaboration, Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, and Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation.

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