Performance: A Critical Introduction

This comprehensively revised, illustrated edition discusses recent performance work and takes into consideration changes that have taken place since the book's original publication in 1996. Marvin Carlson guides the reader through the contested definition of performance as a theatrical activity and the myriad ways in which performance has been interpreted by ethnographers, anthropologists, linguists, and cultural theorists. Topics covered include: *the evolution of performance art since the 1960s *the relationship between performance, postmodernism, the politics of identity, and current cultural studies *the recent theoretical developments in the study of performance in the fields of anthropology, psychoanalysis, linguistics, and technology. With a fully updated bibliography and additional glossary of terms, students of performance studies, visual and performing arts or theatre history will welcome this new version of a classic text.

ISBN 0415299276   Pages 320 ISBN13 9780415299275 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd   Weight (grammes) 482 Imprint Routledge   Published in London Format Paperback   Previous ISBN 9780415137034 Publication date 16 Oct 2003   Height (mm) 234 Library of Congress NX456, NX456   Width (mm) 156 DEWEY 700.97309045   Spine width (mm) 13 DEWEY edition DC22   Academic level Tertiary education, Professional / Scholarly

		List of illustrations
		Preface
		Acknowledgments
		Introduction: what is performance?		1
1		The performance of culture: anthropological and ethnographic approaches		11
2		Performance in society: sociological and psychological approaches		31
3		The performance of language: linguistic approaches		56
4		Performance in its historical context		83
5		Performance art		110
6		Performance and the postmodern		137
7		Performance and identity		157
8		Cultural performance		179
		Conclusion: what is performance?		205
		Glossary		217
		Notes		224
		Bibliography		247
		Name index		266
		Subject index		272

"This is vintage Carlson - erudite, concise, precise and engaging.."-Maria Shevstova, "Theatre Quarterly

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