Learn Performance Studies with Richard Schechner - An Introduction to the Concepts, Methods, and Examples of the Field
Richard Schechner Performance Studies Pdf Downloadl
Are you interested in learning more about performance studies, a dynamic and interdisciplinary field that explores the wide world of performance? Do you want to read one of the most influential and comprehensive textbooks on this subject, written by one of its pioneers, Richard Schechner? If so, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will introduce you to Richard Schechner Performance Studies Pdf Downloadl, a digital version of Schechner's groundbreaking book, Performance Studies: An Introduction. We will explain what performance studies is, who Richard Schechner is, what his textbook is about, why it is important, how you can access it, what you can learn from it, how you can use it for your own purposes, and what are some examples, challenges, and opportunities for performance studies in today's world. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of performance studies as a field and a resource, and you will be able to download Schechner's textbook for free.
Richard Schechner Performance Studies Pdf Downloadl
What is Performance Studies?
Performance studies is a relatively new academic field that emerged in the late 20th century as a result of the convergence of various disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, psychology, linguistics, cultural studies, theatre, dance, music, media, art, and literature. Performance studies examines performance as a broad category that encompasses not only artistic forms such as theatre, dance, music, performance art, storytelling, poetry, etc., but also cultural phenomena such as rituals, ceremonies, festivals, games, sports, social media, politics, identity, everyday life, etc. Performance studies analyzes how people perform in different contexts and situations, how they create meaning through their actions and interactions, how they communicate with themselves and others through symbols and signs, how they shape and are shaped by their environments and cultures, how they express their creativity and agency through their bodies and voices, how they challenge and transform norms and conventions through their practices and representations.
According to Richard Schechner (2013), one of the founders of performance studies,"Performance studies is not an academic discipline with a canon or boundaries but an open-ended mode of inquiry that ranges across many disciplines" (p. 1).Performance studies is therefore a flexible and inclusive field that welcomes diverse perspectives and methods from various disciplines. It is also a critical and creative field that questions assumptions and stereotypes about performance and performers. It is also a practical and applied field that engages with real-world issues and problems through performance. Performance studies is, in short, a field that studies performance as a way of knowing, doing, and being in the world.
Who is Richard Schechner?
Richard Schechner is one of the most influential and prolific figures in performance studies. He is a professor emeritus of performance studies at New York University, where he founded the Department of Performance Studies in 1980. He is also a theatre director, editor, writer, and activist. He has directed more than 100 productions in various countries and genres, including experimental theatre, environmental theatre, intercultural theatre, ritual theatre, etc. He is the founding editor of TDR: The Drama Review, one of the leading journals in performance studies. He has written more than 20 books and hundreds of articles on various topics related to performance, such as performance theory, performance art, performance ethnography, performance and politics, performance and ecology, performance and technology, etc. He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field, such as the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Erasmus Prize, the ATHE Career Achievement Award, etc.
Schechner is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of performance studies, along with other scholars such as Victor Turner, Erving Goffman, Dwight Conquergood, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, etc. He has played a key role in shaping the field's history, concepts, methods, and applications. He has also mentored and inspired many generations of performance studies scholars and practitioners around the world. He is known for his innovative and interdisciplinary approach to performance, his engagement with global and intercultural perspectives on performance, his advocacy for social justice and environmental sustainability through performance, and his passion for teaching and learning through performance.
What is Performance Studies: An Introduction?
Performance Studies: An Introduction is a textbook written by Richard Schechner and first published in 2002. It is now in its fourth edition (2020), co-authored by Sarah Lucie. It is one of the most widely used and cited textbooks in performance studies courses around the world. It provides a comprehensive overview of the field's history, scope, concepts, methods, and applications. It covers topics such as:
The definition and scope of performance studies
The origins and development of performance studies
The relationship between performance studies and other disciplines
The main theories and approaches to performance studies
The broad spectrum of performance: from artistic to cultural to everyday
The key terms and concepts of performance studies: such as is/as performance, restored behavior, ritual, play, make-belief/make-believe, performativity, intercultural performance, etc.
The main genres and forms of performance: such as theatre, dance, music, performance art, storytelling, poetry, etc.
The main domains and contexts of performance: such as religion, politics, media, identity, ecology, etc.
Why is Performance Studies: An Introduction important?
Performance Studies: An Introduction is important for several reasons. First, it is one of the first and most comprehensive textbooks that introduces performance studies as a field of inquiry to students and scholars from various disciplines and backgrounds. It offers a clear and accessible overview of the key concepts, theories, methods, and examples of performance studies, as well as a historical and critical perspective on the field's development and challenges. It also provides practical exercises, activities, questions, and resources that help readers to engage with performance studies in an active and creative way. Second, it is one of the most influential and widely cited textbooks that shapes the field of performance studies and its relevance for today's world. It reflects Schechner's innovative and interdisciplinary approach to performance, his engagement with global and intercultural perspectives on performance, his advocacy for social justice and environmental sustainability through performance, and his passion for teaching and learning through performance. It also showcases the diversity and richness of performance studies as a field that encompasses various genres, forms, domains, contexts, functions, and effects of performance. Third, it is one of the most updated and revised textbooks that responds to the changing needs and interests of performance studies students and scholars in the 21st century. It incorporates new extracts and biographies from contemporary performance studies scholars and practitioners, new coverage of global and intercultural performances, new exploration of the growing international presence of performance studies as a discipline, new companion website with multimedia materials and online tools, etc.
How to access Performance Studies: An Introduction?
If you are interested in reading Performance Studies: An Introduction by Richard Schechner, you have several options to access it. One option is to buy a hard copy or an e-book version of the textbook from various online or offline bookstores. The latest edition (2020) costs around $40 for a paperback copy and $36 for an e-book copy. Another option is to borrow a copy from your library or your friends who might have one. You can also check if your school or institution has a subscription to Routledge Performance Archive, an online platform that provides access to Schechner's textbook along with other performance studies books, journals, videos, etc. A third option is to download a pdf version of the textbook for free from various websites that offer free academic books. However, you should be careful about the legality and quality of these websites, as some of them might violate copyright laws or provide low-quality or outdated versions of the textbook. One website that seems to offer a legal and high-quality pdf version of Schechner's textbook is Moodle USP: e-Disciplinas (https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/4976034/mod_resource/content/1/Scherchner%20performance%20studies%20un%20inrroduction.pdf). This website is an online learning platform for students and teachers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, and it provides access to Schechner's textbook as part of a course on performance studies. You can download the pdf version of Schechner's textbook by clicking on the link above.
What are the main topics and concepts covered in Performance Studies: An Introduction?
Performance Studies: An Introduction covers a wide range of topics and concepts related to performance studies. The textbook consists of 15 chapters that are organized into three parts: Part I: What is Performance Studies?, Part II: The Broad Spectrum of Performance, Part III: Analyzing Performance. Each chapter includes an introduction by Schechner that explains the main theme and objectives of the chapter, a selection of extracts from various sources that illustrate different aspects and examples of the theme, a list of key terms that summarize the main concepts discussed in the chapter, a set of student activities that invite readers to apply what they have learned to their own performances or observations, a brief biography of a prominent performance studies scholar or practitioner who has contributed to the theme, and a list of further readings that suggest additional sources for further exploration. The following table summarizes the main topics and concepts covered in each chapter.
Chapter Topic Concept --- --- --- 1 What is Performance Studies? Definition and scope of performance studies 2 Origins Origins and development of performance studies 3 Ritual Ritual as a form and function of performance 4 Play Play as a mode and motive of performance 5 Performativity Performativity as a theory and practice of performance 6 Performance Processes Performance processes as the stages and elements of performance 7 Performing Performing as the act and art of performance 8 Showing Doing Showing doing as the relationship between performance and reality 9 Theatricality Theatricality as a quality and strategy of performance 10 Is Performance Studies? Is performance studies as a question and challenge of performance studies 11 Performance in/and Everyday Life Performance in/and everyday life as the context and content of performance 12 Performance in/and Media Performance in/and media as the medium and message of performance 13 Performance in/and Culture Performance in/and culture as the expression and representation of performance 14 Intercultural, Transcultural, Global, Postcolonial Performance Studies Intercultural, transcultural, global, postcolonial performance studies as the perspectives and issues of performance studies Applied performance: Applied performance is a term that refers to the use of performance for social, educational, therapeutic, or developmental purposes. Applied performance practitioners work with various groups and communities to address their needs and issues through performance. Some examples of applied performance are Theatre of the Oppressed, Playback Theatre, Theatre for Development, Drama Therapy, etc.
Performance analysis: Performance analysis is a process of examining and interpreting a performance using various tools and frameworks. Performance analysts aim to understand the meaning, function, and effect of a performance in relation to its context and audience. Some examples of performance analysis are semiotic analysis, discourse analysis, narrative analysis, dramaturgical analysis, etc.
Performance criticism: Performance criticism is a form of writing or speaking that evaluates and responds to a performance. Performance critics express their opinions and judgments about a performance based on their criteria and standards. Some examples of performance criticism are reviews, essays, blogs, podcasts, etc.
Performance activism: Performance activism is a form of political action that uses performance as a means of protest, resistance, or advocacy. Performance activists use their bodies, voices, and actions to challenge or change the status quo. Some examples of performance activism are marches, rallies, sit-ins, flash mobs, street theatre, etc.
What are some challenges and critiques of performance studies?
Performance studies is not without its challenges and critiques. As a relatively new and interdisciplinary field, it faces some difficulties and controversies in defining its identity, scope, methods, and applications. Some of the challenges and critiques of performance studies are:
Lack of consensus: Performance studies scholars and practitioners do not always agree on what performance studies is or should be. There are different perspectives and approaches to performance studies that sometimes conflict or contradict each other. For example, some scholars emphasize the artistic and aesthetic aspects of performance, while others focus on the cultural and social aspects of performance. Some scholars adopt a more theoretical and analytical stance toward performance, while others adopt a more practical and creative stance toward performance.
Lack of boundaries: Performance studies scholars and practitioners do not always respect or acknowledge the boundaries of other disciplines or fields that they draw from or engage with. There are sometimes tensions or conflicts between performance studies and other disciplines or fields over the ownership or authority of certain concepts, methods, or practices. For example, some anthropologists may question the validity or ethics of performance ethnography as a form of research. Some theatre practitioners may question the relevance or quality of performance art as a form of theatre.
Lack of impact: Performance studies scholars and practitioners do not always have a significant or positive impact on the world through their work. There are sometimes gaps or disconnects between performance studies and its audiences, stakeholders, or beneficiaries. For example, some performance studies work may be too abstract or esoteric for the general public to understand or appreciate. Some performance studies work may be too biased or ideological for the academic community to accept or respect. Some performance studies work may be too ineffective or harmful for the social or environmental causes they aim to support or improve.
What are some future directions and opportunities for performance studies?
Despite its challenges and critiques, performance studies is also a field that has a lot of potential and promise for the future. As the world becomes more complex, diverse, and dynamic, performance studies offers a way of understanding and engaging with the world through performance. Some of the future directions and opportunities for performance studies are:
More interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaborations: Performance studies scholars and practitioners can work more closely and creatively with other disciplines and fields that share their interests and goals. For example, they can collaborate with computer scientists, engineers, designers, etc. to explore the possibilities and implications of new technologies for performance. They can also collaborate with health professionals, educators, social workers, etc. to apply performance for social, educational, therapeutic, or developmental purposes.
More global and intercultural dialogues: Performance studies scholars and practitioners can engage more actively and respectfully with other cultures and communities that have different traditions and perspectives on performance. For example, they can learn from and exchange with indigenous, diasporic, marginalized, or oppressed groups that have rich and diverse performance practices. They can also participate in and contribute to global networks and platforms that promote cross-cultural understanding and cooperation through performance.
More critical and creative interventions: Performance studies scholars and practitioners can use performance as a way of challenging and changing the status quo in various domains and contexts. For example, they can use performance as a way of researching, analyzing, criticizing, creating, protesting, resisting, or advocating for issues such as human rights, social justice, environmental sustainability, etc. They can also use performance as a way of imagining and envisioning alternative futures that are more desirable and feasible.
Conclusion
challenges, and opportunities for performance studies in today's world. We hope that this article has sparked your interest and curiosity in performance studies and Schechner's textbook, and that you will download it and read it for yourself. Performance studies is a field that offers a lot of insights and possibilities for anyone who wants to understand and engage with the world through performance. FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about performance studies and Schechner's textbook:
What is the difference between performance studies and performing arts?
Performance studies and performing arts are related but distinct fields. Performing arts are artistic forms that involve live actions by performers in front of an audience, such as theatre, dance, music, etc. Performance studies is an academic field that examines performance as a broad category that encompasses not only performing arts but also cultural phenomena and everyday life.
Who can benefit from reading Performance Studies: An Introduction?
Anyone who is interested in learning more about performance studies can benefit from reading Performance Studies: An Introduction. It is especially useful for students and scholars from various disciplines and backgrounds who want to have a comprehensive overview of the field's history, scope, concepts, methods, and applications. It is also helpful for practitioners and professionals who want to use performance as a way of researching, analyzing, creating, or intervening in various domains and contexts.
How long does it take to read Performance Studies: An Introduction?
The length of time it takes to read Performance Studies: An Introduction depends on your reading speed, level of interest, and purpose. The textbook has 396 pages and 15 chapters. You can read it cover to cover or selectively according to your needs and preferences. You can also supplement your reading with the companion website that provides additional resources and tools.
What are some other books or sources on performance studies?
There are many other books or sources on performance studies that you can explore. Some of them are: