LESSON 7
Research with Performance Art and Collectivity
The last module focuses on the most ancient yet most contemporary collective ritual: that of performance.
Through performance each community expresses its own fears and desires, the limits of its shared values, and its taboos.
This section invites students to critically approach and make use of collective rituals of performance (art events, celebration of a national milestone, olympic games, elections) as forms of collective representations where moral justifications behind policy decisions surface. Training the eye of young researchers is key to improve their awareness of power struggles within different layers of society, in order for them to always be vigilant and ultimately be the protagonist of positive change.
Lesson 7
The meaning and effectiveness of policy proposals, their approval, implementation and execution are constantly re-negotiated through the hard scrutiny of citizens. Civil societies interpret and react to policy with more or less competent feedback, often causing information mismatch and unaligned endeavors. By learning how to keep the pulse on the collectivity and their manifestations of approval and dissent, this module allows students to first listen to what society needs, and later contribute with their own, informed voice within the debate.
Class Materials
Download the .pdf files to find the practical exercises and supplementary readings for this class.