This seminar intends to discuss the concept of performativity in the context of philosophy and of contemporary art practices, and to provide a critical introduction to the history, methods and central debates of Performance Studies.

The proposal is to discuss not only how the concept of performativity challenged the modern rational program that guided so many philosophical constructions and artistic researches, but also how performativity theories by placing human bodie(s) in the center of reflection promote an idea of enlarged rationality.

The seminar will grant students with a comprehensive understanding of Performance Theory and of Performance Studies as an interdisciplinary and expanding field. The course will engage students in the critical analyses of its foundational texts and methodologies.