CFP: In-between. Interdisciplinarity and Theatre Studies

This international research project for doctoral candidates aims to examine and practice varieties and methods of interdisciplinary work by graduate students of theatre studies and other subjects. The project is divided into two major phases: a workshop taking place from July 19th to 20th, 2014 and a conference that will be held on September 28th, 2014. Furthermore, the project will cooperate with the Twelfth International Congress of the 'Gesellschaft für Theaterwissenschaft' on the topic 'Episteme des Theaters' (September 25th - 28th, 2014, Ruhr-Universität Bochum). This will allow participants to present their work to an international and specialised audience. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the RUB Research School, accomodation and travel expenses can be refunded.

The field of theatre studies has long since been aware that the research done within the scope of its subject matter finds correspondence in several other academic disciplines. Due to the multidimensional conception of theatre, whose various aspects have often been explored by other disciplines, theatre studies, from its inception, has had difficulties localising itself within the academic context. Just as at the time of its founding, the theatre studies of today faces the challenge of embracing approaches derived from the fields of history, literary studies, philosophy, media studies and further disciplines when facing contemporary issues.

Instead of raising the question what marks theatre studies as genuinely theatre studies - a question that does not satisfy either the demands of changing theatrical forms, cultural and academic institutions, or contemporary contexts or orders of knowledge - this international research project is to contribute to the opening of an interdisciplinary working environment and to the reflection of this shared space. A dialogue between doctoral candidates of theatre studies whose research projects refer to other academic disciplines and doctoral candidates of related academic disciplines whose research projects include problems typically examined by theatre studies will be conducive to finding affinities between the disciplines and how this contact, this space in-between the disciplines might be conceived and formed.

This project is to be pursued in four sections:

1. In-between theatre studies and history

• How can 'historical events' be presented on stage? What new forms of theatre emerge in this process? Which historical theories are conducive to analysing these theatrical forms?
• In what way is the cultural memory of a society influenced by the institution 'theatre' if theatre is itself part of this very society?

2. In-between theatre studies and literary studies

• The founding of theatre studies is strongly shaped by its setting itself apart from literary studies. But how can theatre studies and literary studies enter into a dialogue today now that the discipline is well-established and the gesture of demarcation thus obsolete?
• How do analyses of dramatic texts differ in theatre studies and literary studies respectively? What can both disciplines learn from each other?

3. In-between theatre studies and philosophy

• Where do theatre studies and philosophy overlap in the etymological kinship of "theatre" (theatron: watching place) and "theory" (theoria: viewing, beholding)?
• What does it mean to think of the concept of representation not only as a procedure of artistic design but as a paradigm which describes the regime of occidental thinking on the whole?
• Where can the question of aesthetics be located today if it is most notably  philosophy that is going in search of an artistic reality?

4. In-between theatre studies and media studies

• What is the status of mediality discourses within theatre studies? How do they relate to media studies?
• What significance does theatre studies have for media studies?
• How does theatre studies position itself towards other media? To what extent are those other media used in theatre contexts? How multimedia-based is theatre?

The following application documents should be submitted by March 31st, 2014: Curriculum vitae, short description of your dissertation project (1,200-2,000 characters) as well as a seperate abstract on one of the suggested sections respectively one of the questions suggested above (2,000 - 3,000 characters). This abstract may also be related to your dissertation project, although there is no requirement for it to explicitely do so. Doctoral candidates of theatre studies and related subjects are invited to apply for this research project. The working language of the project is English. It is not possible to submit an application for only one of the two major phases, i. e. only the workshop or only the conference. The application must cover the entirety of the project. Furthermore, only applications from advanced graduate students can be considered. Applications should be submitted to the following address: [email protected].If you have been invited to part in this research project, you will be informed by April, 15th, 2014.

Contact: Seta Guetsoyan, Moritz Hannemann, Meike Hinnenberg, Hanna Höfer-Lück. If you have any other questions, please get in touch with us via the email address provided above.