Cultural construction of creativity: Dualism and beyond

Minati Panda

This paper examines why the contemporary psychological literature views creativity as a product of individual processes and how such an approach is influenced by the canon provided by Western thought which maintains dualities. The artificiality of the polar oppositions- atomism vs. holism, order vs. disorder, creativity vs. conformity, individualism vs. collectivism is examined. The debate of cultural perceptions of creativity- the concept of lone genius vs. social creativity- is situated in such a discourse. The Indian texts, including Patanjali’s "Yoga Sutra", Abhinavagupta’s literary theory, Bharata’s Natyashastra and analyses of Hindu and Buddhist art, reflect on cultural construction of art and creative processes. These sources clearly reveal that Indian culture offers an alternative perspective on creativity, which is integral and emphasizes interconnectedness and reciprocal determination.