THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2023/2024

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures : Common Courses (School of Lit, Lang and Cult)

Postgraduate Course: Theatre, Performance, Performativity (CLLC11125)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Literatures, Languages and Cultures CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis 20 credit course will examine the ways in which the modern and contemporary thinking of performance has demanded an exploration of both the social force and functionality of theatre, on the one hand, and of the extra-theatrical powers of performance, on the other. It will also explore the model of social force articulated in versions of the concept of performativity, and the sometimes fraught place of theatre, theatricality and theatrical performance within such theories. The course will also consider how theatre's political and social potential has been understood by practitioners and critics in the light of these varying theories of performativity.
Course description This course will examine the ways in which the modern and contemporary thinking of performance has demanded an exploration of both the social force and functionality of theatre, on the one hand, and of the extra-theatrical powers of performance, on the other. It will also explore such concepts as performativity, theatricality and body politic with the help of various theoretical approaches. The course will study these topics: Philosophy and Anti-theatricality; Performance and Performativity;
The Performing Body; The Body Natural vs The Body Politic; Cruelty and Theatre; Theatre and poetry; Theatre and Music;
Post-dramatic Forms of Performance (Happenings and Other Instance); Censorship and Drama.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2023/24, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  3
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 196 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Assessment will be comprised of two parts:

Learning journal/ Blog entries - Maximum 1.500 words (approximately 300 words each) Deadline 2pm, Monday 25th April 2022 (50%)

Final Essay ¿ 2,500 word essay - Deadline 2pm, Monday 25th April 2022 (50%)
Feedback The postgraduate students enrolled into this course are encouraged to submit their essay outlines to the Course Coordinator (approximately 500 words) during weeks 9-11. They will receive a feedback as part of their formative assessment within 7-10 days. Their essay feedbacks will be available within 15 days. Students are welcome to make an appointment with the Course Coordinator during office hours in order to discuss their essays, critical approaches suitable for their topics, library resources, etc. They could also receive an oral feedback on their conceptual framework during such a consultation on one-to-one basis.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. demonstrate a good working knowledge of performance studies and theories of performativity
  2. analyse and assess different critical viewpoints on performativity and show an understanding of the place of theories of performativity in the wider discipline of performance studies
  3. show an understanding of practice-based approaches to performance studies
  4. devise and execute practical explorations of issues in performance studies
  5. reflect critically on their theoretical and practical exploration of the course topics
Reading List
The course will use Henry Bial and Sara Brady, eds, The Performance Studies Reader, 3rd edn (Routledge, 2016) - below, PSR - to provide key reading for seminars and ALGs.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Additional Class Delivery Information The course will be delivered through fortnightly seminars, fortnightly workshops with a practical orientation. Weekly Autonomous Learning Groups will coordinate collective preparation for seminars and workshops. Students and tutor will also use a messaging platform to discuss issues and ongoing ALG work outwith class hours.
KeywordsDrama; Performance; Post-dramatic forms of Performance; Theatricality and anti-theatricality
Contacts
Course organiserProf James Loxley
Tel: (0131 6)50 3610
Email: James.Loxley@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Lina Gordyshevskaya
Tel:
Email: pgordysh@ed.ac.uk
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