Discipline and performance: genealogy and discontinuity

Abstract

“Differentiation is one strategy that disciplines employ to protect themselves against incursion and self-doubt. But how about the opposite strategy: emulation, imitation, envy?” Marjorie Garber “It is not easy to say something new.” Michel Foucault Coming to terms “Isn't ‘performativity’ the latest thing in ‘English’ theory?” It was one of those over-determined moments in the life of a theatre academic. I had been asked as a faculty member in an English department to participate on a panel responding to a production of the American Repertory Theatre. The question came from a dramaturg – the in-house academic of the theatre profession – as we ate dinner before the ART's subscriber event. The director of the production also sat at the table, looking slightly amused. “Yes, it's actually pretty trendy,” I said, picking up my fork and being fairly certain that neither of them really wanted to hear about the trends. “Perform-a-tivity,” repeated the director, and then once again, “per-form-a-tiv-ity. That's what they call it?” “Yeah,” said the dramaturg, “I hear it alot.” “So maybe I should start using that,” the director was laughing, “No, I'm sorry; I'm not a director. I'm a Performativity Coordinator.” We all laughed. I took another bite of food, hoping that the conversation was finished. “So what do … what does … they mean … that mean?” the two asked one on top of each other. I continued chewing. I swallowed. “Well,” I began, dreading what would follow, “the concept of ‘performativity’ within literary studies is a reworking of the ideas of this guy, J.L. Austin …”