Universität Wien
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170700 VO Performance Ethnography: Fieldwork in West Africa (2026S)

Vorlesung

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

Sprache: Englisch

Prüfungstermine

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

Breaks will be provided regularly.

  • Freitag 06.03. 09:45 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 2H316 UZA II Rotunde
  • Samstag 07.03. 09:30 - 15:45 Seminarraum 1 2H316 UZA II Rotunde
  • Sonntag 08.03. 10:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum 1 2H316 UZA II Rotunde
  • Samstag 21.03. 09:30 - 15:45 Seminarraum 1 2H316 UZA II Rotunde
  • Sonntag 22.03. 10:30 - 15:00 Seminarraum 1 2H316 UZA II Rotunde

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

This course aims to :
- investigate the intersection between Performance Studies and Ethnography, exploring the different genealogies and typologies of contemporary performance ethnographic methodologies.
- provide a wide understanding by introducing a wide array of performance ethnographic case studies, including an ethnographic research project of West African masquerades in Senegambia.
- familiarise students with the key debates and theoretical foundations of performance ethnography: the crisis of representation, pluriversality, critical ethnography, indigenous epistemologies, postcolonial theory and positionality.
- equip students with research methods used in ethnography. This includes interviews, participation, observation, self-reflexivity, and oral history.
- challenge students to think about the ethical implications of ethnographic research and share field experience of navigating ethical frameworks and adapting research methods.

The course has three distinct parts: (i) definitions and foundations of performance ethnography, (ii) theoretical frameworks, and (iii) practical implications.
Through a series of lectures, the course introduces the field of Performance Ethnography, tracing its origins to the collaboration between Performance Studies and Anthropology. As we approach contemporary ethnographic projects, the course looks at a range of case-studies, ranging from ethnodrama to dance ethnography. Kumpo masquerades in Senegambia, will be introduced to challenge students to think about the theoretical and practical implications of a performance ethnographic project.
The projects and writings of Dwight Conquergood, Soyini Madison, Patricia Leavy and others will be explored to shift the focus on the critical theory that informs the field. These practitioners challenged Performance Ethnography to shift towards collaborative projects. Thus, in this course, Performance Ethnography is understood as a collaborative practice of meaning-making that involves the ethnographer, the community and the field.
Continuing to look at the Senegambian fieldwork case study, the course will explore the practical implications, including adapting research methods to field and building ethical relationships. We will look at best practices for exploring qualitative interviews, oral history, participation and more. The practical part of the course will be trying out these research methods in class as well as discussing and presenting an ethnographic methodology of your choice.
The course will hopefully serve to inspire creative performance ethnographic projects and equip students with the skills to conduct research methods in the field, adapting to new ways of working, thinking and writing.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

The assessment is based on an 80-minute written exam (4 questions). This will cover the three parts of the course: foundations, theory and method.
Rather than seeking specific answers, the questions will examine the student's understanding of the foundations and intersections of Performance Ethnography, the ability of the student to point out the relevant critical theory based on the research project, familiarity with Performance Ethnographic projects, and familiarity with a range of research methods.
Literature assigned as core reading and lecture notes will be the focus of the assessment questions.

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Hinweis der Studienprogrammleitung: Wir möchten faire Bedingungen für alle Studierenden sicherstellen. Im Zuge der Beurteilung kann eine Plagiatssoftware (Turnitin in Moodle) zur Anwendung kommen. Die Verwendung von KI-Tools (z. B. ChatGPT) für die Produktion von Texten ist nur dann gestattet, wenn dies ausdrücklich eingefordert wird. Alle Informationen zu Ihren Rechten und Pflichten finden Sie in der Satzung, https://satzung.univie.ac.at/studienrecht/.

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

The final grade will be allocated based on the results of the written examination. The four questions in the exam will each contribute 25% of the final mark.

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Hinweis der Studienprogrammleitung: Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltungen in der Theater-, Film- und Medienwissenschaft sind in der Regel Präsenzveranstaltungen, in denen die aktive Mitarbeit oder die Zusammenarbeit der Studierenden zur Erreichung der Lehr- und Lernziele erforderlich ist und in denen Teilleistungen erbracht werden müssen. Daher gilt eine generelle Anwesenheitspflicht, mit bis zu 3 Fehleinheiten (6 SWS) im wöchentlichen Format bzw. mit bis zu max. 20% Prozent der Gesamtzeit in Blockformaten. Für Fehlstunden können Lehrende eine Ersatzleistung einfordern; weitere Fehlstunden können, gegen eine Kompensationsleistung, angefragt werden, ihre Bewilligung liegt aber im Ermessen der jeweiligen Lehrperson in Hinblick auf die Kursziele und deren didaktische Vermittlung. Die Gleichbehandlung der Studierenden ist zu gewährleisten.
In Übereinstimmung mit §10, Abs. 1 des studienrechtlichen Teils der Satzung sind diese Anwesenheitsregelungen auf u:space jedem Kurs hinzugefügt. Sie können jedoch ersetzt werden durch individuelle Regelungen seitens der jeweiligen Lehrperson, in Hinblick auf die Kursziele und deren didaktische Vermittlung. Diese Regelungen müssen in Ersatz dieser Notiz auf u:space eingetragen werden und gelten verbindlich für den jeweiligen Kurs.

Prüfungsstoff

Question 1 will examine the student's understanding of the foundations of Performance Ethnography: History, Intersection with Anthropology, the Performative Turn, Key scholars.

Question 2 will ask the student to expand on a theoretical debate in Performance Ethnography that we have discussed at length during the lectures: The crisis of representation, collaborative ethnography, the co-production of knowledge, positionality. I will be looking at whether they can support their explanation using theoretical and case-study examples.

For questions 3 and 4, the students are given a description of a project idea, the field-site, and a general context. The students are asked to describe the theoretical intersections they need to consider when devising their research methodology. Here they can refer to a range of critical theory and defend their chosen methodology. In question 4 they describe their research plan, the steps to start (consent, information delivery, collaborative planning, ethics and risk assessment etc.), research methods chosen and their reasons for it.

Exam methods may change depending on class size.

Literatur

Core Reading:
Conquergood, D (2002) "Performance Studies: Interventions and radical research". TDR, 46: 145-56.

Conquergood, D (1991) “Rethinking Ethnography: Towards A Critical Cultural Politics”. The SAGE Handbook of Performance Studies. Edited by D. Soyini Madison & Judith Hamera. 351-365.

Denzin, N (2001) "The reflexive interview and a performative social science". Qualitative Research 1, 1, 23-46.

Leavy, P (2011) Oral History: Understanding Qualitative Research. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

Madison, S (2012) Critical Ethnography: Method, Ethics, and Performance. SAGE: California.

Schechner, R (1985) Between Theater & Anthropology. University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia. Chapter 1: Points of contact between Anthropological and Theatrical Thought.

Wright, D. (2018) "We Called it 'Fieldwork': Stumbling Along the Trail of History in Senegambia". Mande Studies, 20, 37-50.

Further readings will be added in connection with specific themes and case-studies.

Optional Reading:

Dankworth, L & David, A. (eds.) (2014) Dance Ethnography and Global Perspectives: Identity, Embodiment, and Culture.

Harrop, P (2013) "Introduction by Way of Long Ethnography". Performance and Ethnography. Edited by Peter Harrop & Dunja Njaradi.

Ingold, T (2008) "Anthropology is not Ethnography". Proceedings of the British Academy, 154, 69–92.

Leavy, P (2020) Method Meets Art: Arts-Based Research Practice (3rd edition). Guilford Press: New York.

Prakash, B (2022) “But We Will Not Give Up the Categories! (De)valuing the Categories in South Asian Performance Traditions” Global Performance Studies, 5, 1-2.

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Mi 01.04.2026 10:06