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What happened to theatre studies?

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In this article, the recent development of theatre studies is outlined in order to suggest a way forward under the heading of "theatre studies 3.0." A double thesis is defended. Firstly, it is argued that the development of theatre studies is marked by a simultaneous tendency towards pragmatization, theorization, and expansion. Secondly, it is shown that these three strands of development may be seen as reactions to a more fundamental threefold change of the social semantics: A decline of the tradition of edification, an insistence of convergence of the theoretically and the practically oriented programmes of education, and finally a loss of self-evident borders for disciplines. Having suggested what happened to theatre studies and why it happened, the article suggests that we follow a path called "theatre studies 3.0." based on "an asymmetrical double strategy".

Original languageEnglish
JournalNordic Theatre Studies
Volume30
Issue2
Pages (from-to)8-21
Number of pages14
ISSN0904-6380
Publication statusPublished - 2019

    Research areas

  • Expansion, Pragmatization, Theatre studies, Theorization

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