Situationist prank

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Situationist prank is a term used in the mass media to label a distinctive tactic by the Situationist International, consisting of setting up a subversive[1][2] political prank, hoax or stunt;[3] In the terminology of the Situationist International, stunts and media pranks are very similar to situations.[4][5] The détournement technique, that is "turning expressions of the capitalist system against itself,"[2] was the essential element of a situationist prank.[3] The Situationist tactic of using détournement for subversive pranks is such a distinctive and influential aspect of the Situationist International, that they are sometimes labeled as a group of political pranksters.[2]

This tactic was used by the Sex Pistols to mock Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee celebrations.[2][3] Frank Discussion of the band the Feederz is well known for his situationist pranks and detournement in the United States since the late 1970s. It also inspired the culture jamming movement in the late 1980s.[2] The expression situationist prankster has been later established as a typical label used on those who perform media pranks or publicity stunts.[6][7][8][9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference KnabbSanguinetti was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference Holt2010p252 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Marrone05 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Sandlin, Jennifer A. (2009) Critical pedagogies of consumption p.240 quote:

    Through artistic interventions, hoaxes, tactical media pranks, or what the SI called "situations," culture jammers direct public attention ...
  5. ^ Franks, Benjamin (2006) Rebel alliances: the means and ends of contemporary British anarchisms p.315

    Stunts are very similar to situations but have an additional characteristic, namely that the imaginative interaction is aimed at the mainstream media, the intention being that they broadcast the prank to a wider public
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Vincentelli04 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fortnight335-345 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Buckley was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Elsaesser was invoked but never defined (see the help page).