Studying at York
Performance & Society - SOC00026H
- Department: Sociology
- Module co-ordinator: Dr. Darren Reed
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2020-21
- See module specification for other years: 2019-20
Module summary
The module is about what it might mean to talk about a ‘performative social science’ in terms of theory, concepts, and methods.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching cycle |
|---|---|
| B | Spring Term 2020-21 |
Module aims
The module is about what it might mean to talk about a ‘performative social science’ in terms of theory, concepts, and methods.
Its primary emphasis is the empirical investigation of moments in the ‘interaction order’ and in performance and art practice, as creative, constructive, and critical. It is informed by concepts and theories from a range of disciplines including sociology, social psychology, and performance studies.
The sessions will combine film, lectures, and seminar discussions. The focus will be on performative social science, art practice, and performance practice. These areas will be built on studies of technology in contemporary society.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module students will have engaged with empirical investigation of moments in the ‘interaction order’ and in performance and art practice.
Assessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework Essay |
N/A | 75 |
| Oral presentation/seminar/exam Performance Presentation |
N/A | 25 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
The objective of the presentation is to present an idea, or set of ideas, from the module through a ‘performative’ presentation. A performative presentation might be a traditional power point presentation (but presented, or performed, in a professional way, with a concern for conveying the ideas to an audience in a clear and concise way); but it could also be composed of a number of other things, such as:
-
A performed poem
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A rap
-
An edited video
-
A remixed audio track or song
-
An image show (with accompanying audio)
-
Etc.
In each case the presentation will be assessed in relation to how it clearly it conveys an argument or perspective. This could be how logically it states an argument, but it could also be how powerfully it presents an idea. The mark given for the exercise will count as 25% of your outcome mark. For each presentation you will receive a mark in the following categories, alongside a feedback sheet.
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Clarity of idea (10%)
-
Relevance of idea to the course (10%)
-
Manner of presentation and performance (5%)
Reassessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework Essay: 4000 words |
N/A | 100 |
Module feedback
Summative assessment - written feedback
Indicative reading
Gergen, M. M. & Gergen, K. J. (2012). Playing with purpose: Contributions of a performative social science. In Playing with purpose: Adventures in performative social science. Left Coast Press.
Leavy, P. (2009). Method meets art: Arts-based research practice. Guilford Press. Chapter 1 'Social Research and the Creative Arts’
Brissett, D. & Edgley, C., (1990) Life as Theatre. New York: Aldine De Gruyter.¿Schechner, R., (2006) Performance Studies: An Introduction. Routledge.¿
Law, J. & Urry, J. (2004). Enacting the social. Economy & Society, 33(3), p. 390 - 410.
Collins, E. C. (1992). Qualitative research as art: Toward a holistic process. Theory Into Practice, 31(2), 181-186.
