Postcolonialism/decoloniality in Theatre Studies: Is it that Important?
December 15, 2022
On December 13, 2022, the thought-provoking event “Towards a post/de-colonial Theatre Studies?” took place at the University of Amsterdam, bringing together intriguing reflections from students and academics. The event had the shape of a panel discussion without the formality that usually comes along with this type of events. Discussants and participants were seated in a circle discussing in the light of the recent book release of Theaterwissenschaft postcolonial/dekolonial (Theatre Studies Postcolonial/Decolonial) – an anthology that explores the theories/methodologies/discourses of postcolonial and decolonial studies in relation to the field of German Language Theatre Studies (GLTS). It was organized by the Amsterdam Institute for Humanities Research (AIHR) and hosted by the Associate Professor at the Department of Theatre Studies of the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Sruti Bala, and the Master’s student at the same department, Alessandra Tom. The editors of the book, Azadeh Sharifi – Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Germanic Language and Literatures of the University of Toronto – and Lisa Skwirblies – Visiting Assistant Professor at the Institute for Theatre Studies at the University of Amsterdam and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Theatre Studies at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) – were the main spokeswomen. Together with them, three of the contributors to the anthology, Kati Röttger – Professor and Chair of the Institute of Theatre Studies at the University of Amsterdam – Anika Marschall and Evelyn Wan – Assistant Professors in the Department of Media and Culture Studies at Utrecht University – were also present to share their experience in the making of this collective product but also their personal perspectives on the main topic of discussion.
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At the core of the conversation was the initiative and motivation the editors were driven by to create this book: the absence of postcolonial/decolonial discourse with regard to GLTS. How do GLTS deal with postcolonial/decolonial theories, methodologies, and discourses? What postcolonial/decolonial approaches already exist in GLTS that could be made visible? What institutional and methodological changes are needed to structurally integrate intersectional analyses of race, class, gender, disability, and sexuality in curricula and research topics? Led by this lack and the consequences such a lack can have on the education of a nation, Sharifi and Skwirblies' academic attempt to bridge this gap kept me wondering about my own background and origins with regard to this debate.
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Coming from Greece, a realm where postcolonial/decolonial discourses are scant as well, it was inevitable to make the respective associations during the conversation. What troubles me isn't just the dearth of academic discourse or interest in postcolonialism and decoloniality within Greek Theatre Studies; it's also the tremendous absence of artworks, particularly in the theatre sector, that dive into these critical themes. In Greece, where theatrical productions are primarily intended for entertainment, the exploration of postcolonial/decolonial issues takes a backseat. Unlike other places, such as the Netherlands, where theatre often serves as a platform for challenging and stimulating audiences, in Greece, these matters rarely find a place in the spotlight, lacking interest both among spectators and scholars.
On the other hand, as highlighted in the panel discussion, the problem in GLTS lies not so much in the scarcity of postcolonial/decolonial theatrical performances but in the absence of the corresponding academic dialogue. Both forms of deficiency, hinder a broader recognition of decolonising practices and perspectives, a recognition that could reverberate on society, culture, education, politics, and thought at large. An exemplary case that comes to mind from my mother country has to do with the refugee crisis of the previous years: Greece allowed waves of refugees from Syria to enter the country in the name of humanitarianism and solidarity after having consented to do so as an EU member state. However, the Greek common opinion was seriously opposed to this practice. A telling snapshot emerges from a migrant research initiative within the TransSOL project in 2016, revealing that over 70% of the surveyed Greek population at the time opposed the influx of Syrian refugees (Kalogeraki 98). Such can the consequences of shadowing postcolonial/decolonial discussions in a place as delicate as Greece be. What can the impact of the academic shortage of postcolonial/decolonial debates in GLTS be? How can this continuous mis-acknowledgement reach and/or influence each and every other context? Where can this 'call for reconsideration' commence from?
With academia and the arts playing a vital role in shaping the public opinion and in helping societies to progress and thrive, the vitality of Sharifi and Skwirblies’ book is obvious but, unfortunately, not self-evident. Their work fights against this missing point and calls for further attention, exploration, interest, and research. As they both agree, this anthology cannot by itself bridge the gap. However, it is a substantial piece that sheds light to this silenced debate and invites a progressive continuation of the postcolonial/decolonial discussion.
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Hyperlinks:
Gallien, Claire. ““Refugee Literatore”: What postcolonial theory has to say.” Journal of Postcolonial Writing, vol. 54, no. 6, Routledge, 2018, pp. 721-726, doi.org/10.1080/17449855.2018.1555206.
Monfiletto, Massimo. “How Post-Colonial Imagination Can Make Theatre into an Agent of Revolution.” HowlRound Theatre Commons, 16 Aug. 2018, howlround.com/how-post-colonial-imagination- can-make-theatre-agent-revolution.
Nripen, Laboni. “Significance of Studying Post-Colonial Literature.” Owlcation, 29 June 2022, owlcation.com/humanities/SIGNIFICANCE-OF-STUDYIG-POST- COLONIAL-LITERATURE-AND-ITS-SIGNIFICANCE.
Sharifi, Azadeh and Lisa, Skwirblies, eds. Theaterwissenschaft postcolonial/dekolonial. Transcript, 2022, doi.org/10.1515/9783839455531.
Kalogeraki, Stefania. "Attitudes Towards Syrian Refugees During the ‘Refugee Crisis’ in Greece," in Challenging Mobilities in and to the EU during Times of Crises, edited by Maria Kousis et al. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham, 2022, 91-111. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11574-5_5.
