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Performance as New Politics: Routledge Performance Practitioners 24

Simon Mitchell

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Published in Jana Sanskriti: Performance As A New Politics (Routledge Performance Practitioners 24)

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Performance as New Politics is the twenty-fourth volume in the Routledge Performance Practitioners series. This volume explores the ways in which performance can be used as a tool for political change.

Jana Sanskriti: Performance as a New Politics (Routledge Performance Practitioners 24)

Jana Sanskriti: Performance as a New Politics (Routledge Performance Practitioners Book 24)

by Ralph Yarrow

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	6309 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	194 pages

The book begins with a section on the history of performance as a political tool. This section includes essays on the use of performance in social movements, the role of performance in the development of political consciousness, and the potential of performance to create social change.

The second section of the book focuses on the use of performance in contemporary political movements. This section includes essays on the use of performance in the Black Lives Matter movement, the Occupy movement, and the #MeToo movement. These essays explore the ways in which performance can be used to raise awareness of political issues, mobilize people for action, and challenge the status quo.

The third section of the book examines the role of performance in the development of political theory. This section includes essays on the work of Bertolt Brecht, Augusto Boal, and Judith Butler. These essays explore the ways in which performance can be used to challenge traditional notions of politics and to develop new ways of thinking about political change.

The final section of the book offers a series of case studies of performance as new politics. These case studies include examples of performance-based political interventions, such as the work of the performance collective The Yes Men and the theater company Forced Entertainment. These case studies provide a glimpse into the ways in which performance can be used to create real-world political change.

Performance as New Politics is a timely and important book that offers a comprehensive overview of the use of performance as a tool for political change. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of performance and politics.

Performance as a Tool for Social Change

Performance can be a powerful tool for social change. It can be used to raise awareness of political issues, mobilize people for action, and challenge the status quo.

Performance has been used as a tool for social change throughout history. In the United States, for example, performance was used by abolitionists in the 19th century to raise awareness of the evils of slavery. In the 20th century, performance was used by civil rights activists to challenge segregation and discrimination.

Today, performance continues to be used as a tool for social change. Performance artists are working on issues such as climate change, poverty, and gender inequality. Performance can be a powerful way to connect with people on a personal level and to inspire them to take action.

The Role of Performance in Political Theory

Performance has also played a significant role in the development of political theory. Bertolt Brecht, Augusto Boal, and Judith Butler are just a few of the theorists who have used performance to challenge traditional notions of politics and to develop new ways of thinking about political change.

Brecht's theater of alienation, for example, sought to distance audiences from the action on stage in order to encourage them to think critically about the political issues being presented. Boal's Theater of the Oppressed used performance to empower marginalized communities and to give them a voice in the political process.

Butler's work on performativity has challenged the notion of a fixed and essential self. She argues that gender and other forms of identity are performed and that they can be changed through performance.

These are just a few examples of the many ways in which performance can be used as a tool for political change. Performance is a powerful and versatile art form that can be used to challenge the status quo and to create a more just and equitable world.

Case Studies of Performance as New Politics

The following are a few examples of performance-based political interventions:

The Yes Men are a performance collective that uses humor and satire to challenge corporate greed and environmental destruction.
Forced Entertainment is a theater company that creates performances that explore the relationship between power and violence.
The Wooster Group is a performance company that uses experimental theater to explore the political and social issues of our time.

These are just a few examples of the many ways in which performance can be used to create real-world political change. Performance is a powerful art form that can be used to raise awareness of important issues, mobilize people for action, and challenge the status quo.

Jana Sanskriti: Performance as a New Politics (Routledge Performance Practitioners Book 24)

by Ralph Yarrow

5 out of 5