Postmodern Theater And The Void Of Conceptions

Author : William S. Haney II
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Page : 158 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2009-03-26
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9781443806350

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Postmodern Theater and the Void of Conceptions by William S. Haney II Pdf

Different symbolic traditions have different ways of describing the shift of awareness toward sacred events. While not conforming to familiar states of phenomenality, this shift of awareness corresponds to Turner's liminal phase, Artaud's metaphysical embodiment, Grotowski's “translumination,” Brook's “holy theater,” and Barba's “transcendent” theater—all of which are linked to the Advaitan taste of a void of conceptions. This book argues that, by allowing to come what Derrida calls the unsayable, the theater of Tom Stoppard, David Henry Hwang, Caryl Churchill, Sam Shepard, Derek Walcott and Girish Karnad induces characters and spectators to deconstruct habitual patterns of perception, attenuate the content of consciousness, and taste the void of conceptions. As the nine plays discussed in this book suggest, the internal observer lies behind all cultural constructs as a silent beyond-ness, and immanently within knowledge as its generative condition of unknowingness. The unsayable (and the language used to convey it) that Derrida finds in literature has clear affinities with the Brahman-Atman of Advaita Vedanta. Derridean deconstruction contains as a subtext the structure of consciousness that it both veils with the undecidable trappings of the mind and allows to come as an unsayable secret through a play of difference. Although Derrida views theater and the text as mutually deconstructing and claims that presence or unity “has always already begun to represent itself,” the six playwrights discussed here show that cultural performance indeed points through its universally ambiguous and symbolic types toward a trans-verbal, trans-cultural wholeness.

Author : Sebnem Toplu,Şebnem Toplu
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Page : 395 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2010-06-09
Category : Literary Criticism
ISBN : 9781443823067

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Redefining Modernism and Postmodernism by Sebnem Toplu,Şebnem Toplu Pdf

Literary and cultural studies in the later twentieth century were very much shaped by debates about modernism and postmodernism as labels for successive periods, but also for different competing interpretations of recent cultural history. In the twenty-first century, the shock waves that were sent through the global system on political, cultural, economic, and ecological levels by terrorist attacks, regional conflicts, poverty, the financial crisis and the threat of environmental disaster raise anew the question of how and to what extent the tradition of modernity can be newly defined in a situation where the problematic aspects of these ideas have rightly been exposed, but where they nevertheless appear to be crucial for any responsible assessment of contemporary world culture and its future perspectives. Redefining Modernism and Postmodernism offers a collection of critical articles that resulted from the International Cultural Studies Symposium at Ege University, Izmir, Turkey in 2009. Scholars from around the world have contributed to this volume reflecting the current perspective on modernism and postmodernism, shedding new light on literature, literary theory, philosophy, politics, religion, film and art. Providing an account of this field, this book enables readers to navigate the subject by introducing essays on transformations of modernism and postmodernism in the twenty-first century, and the debates beyond the modernism/postmodernism dichotomy.

Author : Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
Publisher : University of Wales Press
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2019-10-15
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9781786834973

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Masks in Horror Cinema by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas Pdf

Why has the mask been such an enduring generic motif in horror cinema? This book explores its transformative potential historically across myriad cultures, particularly in relation to its ritual and mythmaking capacities, and its intersection with power, ideology and identity. All of these factors have a direct impact on mask-centric horror cinema: meanings, values and rituals associated with masks evolve and are updated in horror cinema to reflect new contexts, rendering the mask a persistent, meaningful and dynamic aspect of the genre’s iconography. This study debates horror cinema’s durability as a site for the potency of the mask’s broader symbolic power to be constantly re-explored, re-imagined and re-invented as an object of cross-cultural and ritual significance that existed long before the moving image culture of cinema.

Author : Daphne M. Grace
Publisher : BRILL
Page : 254 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2007-01-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9789401204804

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Relocating Consciousness by Daphne M. Grace Pdf

This book deals directly with issues of consciousness within works of postcolonial and diasporic writers. It discusses fiction, autobiography and theory to re-formulate a “writing of consciousness”, addressing contemporary cultural theory related to a wide range of dynamic writers and ground-breaking novels. A critical analysis of literature contextualises consciousness (understood here as the source of language and human creativity), and explores ways in which consciousness is involved in the creative process. Tackling the controversial nature of consciousness itself, the book argues that consciousness must be understood in its philosophical and social contexts. The idea of relocating consciousness calls for a new aesthetics and ethics of living in the diasporic world where we are all to some extent “migrant”. The book explores notions of consciousness as alternative narrative structures to society, while expanding contemporary postcolonial theory beyond the limited dimension of power-based-on-violence to a more visionary exploration of experience based on consciousness as unity-in-diversity. Themes explored include sacred experience as empowerment; trauma, terror and the impact of consciousness; cosmopolitanism and globalisation; and the literature of human survival. Written in a lively and accessible manner the book will appeal to all readers who enjoy being on the cutting-edge of contemporary world literature.

Author : William S. Haney II
Publisher : BRILL
Page : 184 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2008-01-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9789401205788

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Integral Drama by William S. Haney II Pdf

Integral Drama critically explores modern drama in the context of Indian aesthetics described in the Natyashastra and the vast, new interdisciplinary field of consciousness studies. It also focuses on how Indian theatre aesthetics has influenced modern drama theories and practice, and the extent to which this has promoted the development of higher consciousness in actors and audience. According to Indian aesthetics, rasa or aesthetic rapture is refers to bliss innate in the Self that manifests even in the absence of external sources of happiness. Overall, this book explores the relation between modern theatre and higher states of mind and demonstrates that one of the key purposes of theatre is to help the spectator experience the pure consciousness event described in consciousness studies by theorists such as Anna Bonshek, Ken Wilber, Robert K. C. Forman, Jonathan Shear, Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe, Ralph Yarrow and others. Integral Drama will appeal not only to drama theorists but also to teachers and students of acting, as well as an educated general audience interested in understanding the aesthetic experience of theatre. Integral Drama, moreover, can be used as a textbook for acting and drama theory classes and would also appeal to university and public libraries. The book serves as a bridge between the ideas and experiences long understood through Indian philosophy and the many questions raised by modern theatre studies.

Author : Namrata Pathak,Dhurjjati Sarma
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Page : 156 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2024-04-08
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781036402150

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Performing Arun Sarma by Namrata Pathak,Dhurjjati Sarma Pdf

This book, a collection of essays on and reviews of the life and works of Arun Sarma, contributes towards generating and sustaining academic engagement with the renowned litterateur of Assam, India, on both national and global platforms. It will push forth his legacy beyond the linguistic and geographical barriers of the Indian state, and develop a congenial environment for generating a new and active reading public—a vibrant community of literary enthusiasts all over the world. The book serves as an extension of the avowed goal of Arun Sarma as a playwright and novelist to rise above barriers of all kinds, resulting in the production of a body of knowledge on theatre of Assam. The book will be of use to academics, students, and research scholars of English literature, writings from North-East India, performance studies, theatre studies, India studies, south Asian cultures, and cultural studies, among others.

Author : Moraitis Konstantinos,Rassia Stamatina Th
Publisher : World Scientific
Page : 292 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2019-03-20
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9789813141957

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Urban Ethics Under Conditions Of Crisis: Politics, Architecture, Landscape Sustainability And Multidisciplinary Engineering by Moraitis Konstantinos,Rassia Stamatina Th Pdf

Urban Ethics under Conditions of Crisis investigates the states of urban planning, architectural design, sustainability, landscape architecture, and engineering, and examines their correlation with social attitudes and dispositions that can impact on socio-cultural and political engagement internationally in conditions of crisis. The theme of the book emphasizes the need to acknowledge the controversial character of contemporary social life under critical social conditions, in correlation with urban space. It concerns the evaluation of critical issues such as:

Author : Hussein Al-Badri
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2014-10-21
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9781443870337

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Tony Kushner's Postmodern Theatre by Hussein Al-Badri Pdf

The book is an insightful and thorough examination of one of the most prominent political dramatists in the US today, Tony Kushner, and his theatricalization of politics. Moreover, it draws heavily on Kushner’s wide range of themes and techniques. As such, it will be beneficial for graduate students and scholars who are concerned with the realm of contemporary American drama at the threshold of the twenty-first century. In addition, the book will appeal to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of Kushner and his major influences such as Bertolt Brecht, and will also be valuable for readers with a general interest in American drama. This book is primarily concerned with exploring and analyzing political discourse as dramatized in the work of Tony Kushner. The author’s point of departure is the concept of political theatre as developed by Erwin Piscator and Bertolt Brecht. This theoretical exploration serves a double purpose: first, it is meant to provide a statement of the definitions and concepts central to this study, such as political discourse, political theatre, and postmodern theatre; second, it offers the tools of analysis by which to read and analyze Tony Kushner’s postmodern, politically-oriented texts. Through this, the book defines the major features of Kushner’s postmodern theatre and explores how he theatricalizes politics. American drama in the 1980s and the 1990s witnessed a noticeable thematic shift from the exclusively personal plays and musicals that once dominated American theatre for a long period of time to an increasing number of plays which put greater emphasis on exploring issues and questions of socio-political interest. As a result of this thematic shift, the predominantly private settings and familial character relationships of the traditional family play have been replaced by a great variety of public settings and non-familial characters. Tony Kushner’s theatre is a pioneering attempt in this respect. In Kushner’s theatre, there is no room for the traditional family plays which dominated the American stage in the 1960s and 1970s. Kushner has found that there is not enough political discourse in contemporary American Theatre. For this reason, he writes his plays to shed special light on the politics of American society in the 1980s, the 1990s, and in the beginnings of the 21st century.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 834 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : American literature
ISBN : UOM:39015066180426

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American Book Publishing Record by Anonim Pdf

Author : Lara Maleen Kipp
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2020-10-18
Category : Art
ISBN : 9780429668234

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The Scenography of Howard Barker by Lara Maleen Kipp Pdf

Influential contemporary British playwright and director Howard Barker has been engaging with the scenography of the Wrestling School’s productions since 1998. Despite this active involvement in the design of set, costume, lighting, and sound, no in-depth published study on this aspect of his work exists to date. This monograph therefore offers the first comprehensive and detailed analysis of Barker’s scenographic practice. Combining aesthetic analysis of play texts and production records with original interview materials, this book presents the first full-length foray into Barker’s scenography. It features extracts from conversations with designers working with Barker, and with Barker himself. In addition, it presents the first printed versions of select set and costume designs by Barker. With the first fully detailed analysis of Barker’s scenographic work, this book will be a vital read for scholars and postgraduates of Barker Studies, contemporary British and European drama, theatre, and scenography.

Author : Matthew Causey
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 252 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2007-01-24
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9781134205691

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Theatre and Performance in Digital Culture by Matthew Causey Pdf

Theatre and Performance in Digital Culture examines the recent history of advanced technologies, including new media, virtual environments, weapons systems and medical innovation, and considers how theatre, performance and culture at large have evolved within those systems. The book examines the two Iraq wars, 9/11 and the War on Terror through the lens of performance studies, and, drawing on the writings of Giorgio Agamben, Alain Badiou and Martin Heidegger, alongside the dramas of Beckett, Genet and Shakespeare, and the theatre of the Kantor, Foreman, Socíetas Raffaello Sanzio and the Wooster Group, the book positions theatre and performance in technoculture and articulates the processes of aesthetics, metaphysics and politics. This wide-ranging study reflects on how the theatre and performance have been challenged and extended within these new cultural phenomena.

Author : T. Davis,K. Womack
Publisher : Springer
Page : 198 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2016-01-23
Category : Literary Criticism
ISBN : 9780230599505

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Postmodern Humanism in Contemporary Literature and Culture by T. Davis,K. Womack Pdf

Davis and Womack investigate the emerging gaps between literary scholarship and the reading experience. The idea of reconciling the void - the locus of our sociocultural disillusionment and despair in an uncertain world - concerns explicit artistic attempts to represent the ways in which human beings seek out meaning, hope and community.

Author : R. Garrett
Publisher : Springer
Page : 232 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2007-04-12
Category : Performing Arts
ISBN : 9780230801523

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Postmodern Chick Flicks by R. Garrett Pdf

In this extensive analysis of the renewed popularity of the 'woman's film' in the 1990s, Roberta Garrett examines melodrama, romantic comedy, costume drama and female-led noirs , revealing the way they blend classical and contemporary themes and formal devices.

Author : C.G. Prado
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 311 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2018-04-19
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9798216045335

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America's Post-Truth Phenomenon by C.G. Prado Pdf

This book presents absorbing and critical expert perspectives on the post-truth phenomenon that has infiltrated the U.S. political system, media, and populace. Deception in politics is nothing new, but the quantity of unsubstantiated statements in America today is unprecedented. False notions, fake news, "alternative facts," and opinions are being pitched from sources including the White House, Congress, and the American population via Twitter, Facebook, and online news sites as well as print, television, and radio. Such a widespread spectacle instantly captures the attention of people nationwide, but disagreement has the nation almost bordering on civil war over the definition of "the truth" and what this book calls "post-truth." In this text, C.G. Prado and expert contributors present varied perspectives on post-truth, its authoritarian implications for the nation, and how we can approach information to differentiate between truth and post-truth. Speaking to general readers, students, and scholars alike, chapters include text on the historical and social events that initiated and developed post-truth and why some people are more prone than others to accept and perpetuate post-truth. They also discuss post-truth as a threat to democracy.

Author : George Aichele,Fred W. Burnett,Robert M. Fowler,David Job ling,Tina Pippin,Wilhelm Wuellner,Bible and Culture Collective
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 418 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 1995-01-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0300068182

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The Postmodern Bible by George Aichele,Fred W. Burnett,Robert M. Fowler,David Job ling,Tina Pippin,Wilhelm Wuellner,Bible and Culture Collective Pdf

The burgeoning use of modern literary theory and cultural criticism in recent biblical studies has led to stimulating--but often bewildering--new readings of the Bible. This book, argued from a perspective shaped by postmodernism, is at once an accessible guide to and an engagement with various methods, theories, and critical practices transforming biblical scholarship today. Written by a collective of cutting-edge scholars--with each page the work of multiple hands--The Postmodern Bible deliberately breaks with the individualist model of authorship that has traditionally dominated scholarship in the humanities and is itself an illustration of the postmodern transformation of biblical studies for which it argues. The book introduces, illustrates, and critiques seven prominent strategies of reading. Several of these interpretive strategies--rhetorical criticism, structuralism and narratology, reader-response criticism, and feminist criticism--have been instrumental in the transformation of biblical studies up to now. Many--feminist and womanist criticism, ideological criticism, poststructuralism, and psychoanalytic criticism--hold promise for the continued transformation of these studies in the future. Focusing on readings from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, this volume illuminates the current multidisciplinary debates emerging from postmodernism by exposing the still highly contested epistemological, political, and ethical positions in the field of biblical studies.