05 Jan Can Performance Change the World?
January 5 2010
That’s the question for the sixth Performing the World conference taking place September 30-October 3 in New York City. I’m what you could call the “chief organizer” for Performing the World (PTW) conferences and community. It’s a great job because there seems to be no end to the people and projects I find out about through word of mouth, referral and inquiry. Since the first PTW in 2001 performance has gained a lot of ground in the humanitarian, human rights, and social entrepreneurial fields—which just adds more to the performance movement-coming-into-being.
The sponsors of Performing the World 2010 are the East Side Institute for Group and Short Term Psychotherapy (my organization) and the All Stars Project, Inc. For decades, both organizations have worked to create a performance-oriented culture and community, in conscious and direct relationship to progressive social change. Our activities involve all neighborhoods and social strata in New York City, and have created an international network of connections.
For PTW 2010, we ask performance activists and scholars to reflect on and address the political aspects of their performance work; at the same time, we invite social change activists to reflect on and address the performance aspects of their political activities. We are looking for proposals —for panels, workshops, performances, demonstrations, installations, etc. — that address this overarching question.
Performing the World 2010 will be a three-day “performance of conversation” with people from all over the world — scholars and researchers; teachers, therapists, social workers and community organizers; doctors and other health workers; theatre and other performance artists; union activists and business leaders; economists and political activists — on the subject of performance and the transformation of the individual, the community, and the world.
Proposals are due March 1. Spread the word!
loisholzman
Posted at 14:25h, 07 JanuaryI agree 100%, Manuel! The therapeutic nature of performance is important to me and to this conference. I would like to hear more about your work in this area. And please do submit a proposal to us (www.performingtheworld.org).
Manuel F. Bonifacio, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of hte Philippines.
Posted at 03:36h, 07 Januaryjanuary 7, 2010
Dr. Holzman,
i am certainly impressed with the choice of topic for the forthcoming conference in september, 2010. The topic on performance, has a lot of promise in understanding the nature of man and society. for whatever reason, it seems that this concept has been strictly used in the humanities as in the case of performing art. from concerts, theatres, dance, among others; Ttheir evalautions have been the domain of art crtics. it is not often the case that a social scientist is involved in their evaluation.
The current interest in activity theory has not given much weight on veiwing activity as performance. i think there is a need to look more closely to the work of E. Goffman since he is one who confronted this issue directly. The same can be said of E. Burke.
I personally thinlk that applied theory must look closely into the nature and dynamics of performance. To me, the performance of subjects in therapuetic encounters is most fascinating. The performance of senators, congressmen and in particular lawyers should be looked into.
in short, the way i see it, the conference could be focused, in part, to the formulation of a new theory and method specifically applied to therapy. my thematic suggestion is: Therapuetic Encounter: Assessing Human Performance for Self-Renewal.
Happy New Year!