170721 UE Theatre-historiographic archive research on 19th century theatre (2023W)

Theatrical activity – from the representation of class to bourgeois forms of action in public and event behavior to the many manifestations of artistic or artistic theater forms – characterized the 19th century so comprehensively that it has been called the "Performing Century" (Davis/Holland 2007). During this period, theater can be understood as a "leading medium" that served many functions and also reflected the diverse transformation processes of the time. All classes and groups found "their" theater in the 19th century; and those who found drama, opera, and ballet too complicated or expensive went to the circus, the music halls, or the many business and specialty theaters.
Despite much research on 19th century theater forms, it is amazing how much archival material has yet to be analyzed and how much remains to be discovered. This master's course invites students to make such discoveries and creates a framework in which master's students can support each other in developing their own research.
In the first stage, we first come to an understanding about aspects of 19th century theater history. Afterwards, students get to know digital archives and materials, they draft a research question and develop their own research project (four 90-minute sessions in October). In the second stage, between 06.11. and 04.12., students spend three afternoons getting to know three important theater archives in Vienna and St. Pölten and, if possible, use them for their work. Afterwards, individual student research will be the focus (with optional office hours as needed), with the goal of presenting and discussing the papers at a student conference on 12.01.24.
The course thus teaches skills in archival-based project research, which today includes, above all, the use of digitally available materials and bodies of knowledge. The course is therefore also suitable for preparing a master's thesis.