Abstract
This paper reports on the results of the author’s most recent research in adapting theatrical technique for anthropological purposes, particularly in situations characterized by significant intra-group division and/or inter-group conflict. As an example of “ethnographic theatre,” “The Interrogation Project” excavated cultural attitudes underpinning American political sensibility by presenting three different versions of the same ten-minute play in which the race of key characters changed across versions. The goal was to use theatre as a means of mapping the emotional, political, and moral contours of an extremely relevant and highly flammable topic of public concern—the moral, military, and ethical considerations factoring into the acceptance or rejection of torture as a tactic for combating terrorism. The play itself tells the story of a group of conductors on the 1860s Underground Railroad, an undercover operation that brought African American slaves north to freedom, who reluctantly resort to using torture in order to discover the identity of an informant in their midst. Employing the morally safe “make believe” world of a theatre piece permitted the researcher to probe for “breakpoints” in the audience’s reactions towards the use of torture within the diegetic world of the play, and, by extension, the contemporary political landscape.
Presenters
Kerric HarveyAssociate Professor, School of Media and Public Affairs and the Film Studies Program, George Washington University, District of Columbia, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
"Ethnography", " Theatre", " Identity"
Digital Media
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