Advanced Reading in Performance Studies

(4 Credits)

Performance Studies teaches us to read anew, and again, any text we think we know. This seminar offers the opportunity to collectively experiment with how we approach, take in, and then incorporate a reading (as an activity and object) into our written work. Considering the theoretical, ethical and practical challenges presented by different modes of analysis, students will develop skills related to archival research, talking to people, documentation, and analysis of live performance, and the analysis of documents of various kinds, including ephemeral ones. Together we will consider writing strategies that best transmit different kinds of projects. Work for the course will include various exercises designed for the long view: written responses to the weekly readings, development of exam areas, an early formulation of dissertation projects, and ideas for future teaching.