This working group is concerned with the application of drama and theatre to community, educational and therapeutic settings. Interest in the efficacy of theatre-making in such contexts has grown in the last twenty years, raising new questions about the role of universities in shaping social policy and in the wider community. The working group was established to raise questions about the ethics of practice and research in applied and social theatre, and the relationship between practice, research and teaching in this aspect of scholarly inquiry.
The working group intends to offer a forum for those engaged in research and practice that is orientated towards social change to discuss the implications of practice, particularly in contexts where they may be cultural outsiders. The working group has a strong interest in work that takes place internationally, as well as recognising the complexity of community.
Call for papers 2011
Re-source
The theme of ‘re-source’ is offered as a provocation. We expect discussions to be wide ranging and, as with all working groups, we welcome papers from TaPRA members not necessarily connected with ‘applied and social theatre’. We are interested in hearing from researchers who would like to join the group for one or more sessions presenting work related to ‘re-source’ that would inflect and enrich discussions broadly.
The US scholar Christopher Clausen has proposed that "contemporary America is the first post-cultural society" a notion that has recently found echoes in speeches by politicians around Europe. If this is indeed the case, what implications does this situation have for those who produce or use cultural resources as practitioners or researchers? In the particular context of the UK, the value of arts and humanities in society is being publicly debated and the place of and relationship between teaching, research and social impact in HE is being reconsidered.
In the light of this situation, and in a spirit of groundless optimism, we particularly want to explore the idea of "Resource". Deserts – including cultural deserts – may in fact be rich ecosystems. Applied and social theatre researchers have continually sought out, found and crafted resources to support theatre making across diverse environments. In what ways might we take stock of our relationship to resources and how they are conceived, produced and practised?
This theme may be taken in a number of different directions. Questions that might be explored include:
• How is theatre research and practice in our field responding to current economic and ecological conditions of crisis?
• What are the economics of applied and social theatre?
• What are the material and immaterial venues (space, body, imagination, desire) in which applied and social theatre takes place, and how do participatory theatre processes use up, replenish, regenerate, transform, conserve, recycle or damage those venues?
• What relevance do themes of diversity, hybridity, excess and waste have to the aesthetics and politics of applied theatre?
• How sustainable is applied and social theatre?
• How do theatre research and practice resource contested notions of civil society?
• What happens when conceptual or material resources cross disciplines in practice or research?
The theme invites responses from researchers interested in environmental or ecological theatre and performance, from those interested in the economics of applied theatre, from those researching theatre and performance in communities in crisis, from those who are philosophically considering such matters and other areas that might suggest alternative interpretations of 're-source'.
As well as 15-20 minute papers, we are inviting abstracts for the 5-minute 'live poster' or 'research-summary' slots which were successfully piloted at last year’s meeting of the Applied and Social group. These allow for the presentation of ongoing or emergent research.
Additionally, the working group invites proposals for a joint session with the Performance, Community and Identity working group on the area of ‘the failure of resources’. Proposals for 15-20min papers or presentations should be 250-300 words. We strongly suggest that proposals for the joint session creatively engage with the call for papers from both groups. Particularly, we encourage proposals that find exciting connections between the two.
Please indicate on your proposal how you wish to contribute: a paper or live poster for the working group or a paper for the joint session. Please submit your name, university department or other organisational affiliation, title of proposal and 250-word abstract to Jenny Hughes, Sally Mackey and Simon Parry by 3rd May 2011.
Co-convenors: Jenny Hughes This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Sally Mackey This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Simon Parry This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
