CFC: Political Power and Performance since 1990
With powerful performances of politicians, such as
Berlusconi, Blair, Bush, Putin etc, and their (ab)use
of the media, the political arena has changed significantly,
with regard to both democratic and totalitarian states.
Success in the political arena relies heavily on the
presentation of the political self/selves. The aim of
this volume is thus to analyse politics in terms of a
staged spectacle, as a performance in an event-based
paradigm; a feature which becomes most evident during
election campaigns or wars. Although much criticised,
the popularity of the use of performance analogies and
dramaturgical metaphors (Goffman, Turner) to refer to human
behaviour in the social sciences tells a different story.
From the viewpoint of many spectators, notably
journalists, the metaphor of the "social drama" is still
applicable.
As far as the practised skills of politicians in our
fast-moving media age are concerned, the dichotomies
deceit - authenticity, activity - passivity remain
powerful concepts, but need to be re(de)fined. The
so-called authentic political message seems to be
replaced by a performative construction of reality,
which can take on numerous forms, ranging from the
ritualised performance in front of a selected
audience, to the mediatised, speed-dominated image set up
as a smoke-screen (Virilio). Still, the question as to
whether or not a certain degree of manipulation is in
fact needed in order to make politics credible is
still controversial (Fischer-Lichte). This is especially
the case, when politicians hide behind their mediatised
representation, the most notorious examples being the
video appearances of Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden,
where the simulacrum literally serves as a means of
rational manipulation (Baudrillard). With regard to the
western dramaturgical concept, which is still largely
based on the notion of illusion, the question is whether
the framework of political perfomance has become a
virtual art with real consequences.
Proposals are invited for essays of about 7000 words in
length, addressing the following subject areas:
· The Performativity of Political Practice
· Performative Politics and the Media
· Persuasive Strategies of Political Performance
· Delusion and Information/ Spin-Doctors
· Redefining the Performativity of Political Power
· The Performative Model and the Boundaries between Ritual and Political Practice
· The Communality of Ritual and Political Practice
· The Politics of Form: Resisting the Political 'Spectacle'
Comparative and interdisciplinary approaches are welcome.
Deadline for abstracts (300 words): 31 June 2004.
Deadline for submitting the essays (in English or
German): 15 August 2004.
Contact:
Dr Birgit Haas, email [log in to unmask]
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Dr Birgit Haas,
University of Bristol
German Department
BS 8 1TH
Bristol
Telephone: 0117 9288794
[log in to unmask]
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