Riots as Performance: A Lesson

"Chaos Riots," by Alex Schaefer


Performance Studies Reader: What is Performance Studies?
Richard Schechner

CONCEPTS

 Performance studies is an interdisciplinary field that studies performance and uses performance as a lens to study the world.

Performance theory suggests that every one of us puts on a performance in our society. Whether through the clothes we wear, the conversations we hold or the food we eat, all are a performance designed as a signal-system to ourselves and to others of our place within our social group (Goffman 1969: 28).

As an interdisciplinary field spanning disciplines such as performance, theater, anthropology, and gender studies, performance studies investigates performance in its various forms and understands performance as an object of study, method of investigation, and presentation of scholarly data.

When Richard Schechner first coined the term 'Performance Studies,' he postulated that a per- formance is any behavior that is 'twice-behaved' or 'restored.

There are many ways to understand performance, but the two primary approaches are to talk about “as” performance and “is” performance: ... “Is” performance refers to more definite, bounded events marked by context, convention, usage, and tradition.   

USA: Right-wing groups clash with counter-protesters in Portland

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 QUESTIONS

 1. After Observing the video, why would you consider the event recorded an instance of performance?

2. Is this riot an instance of "as" performace or "Is" performance? Explain.

3. Why would be useful to view the riots through the lens of performace?

4. Given the constant coverage of the riots, how would you turn these events into a lesson for school children? Explain your answer.

 

 

 

 

 

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