Acts of Activism: Human Rights as Radical Performance (Theatre and Performance Theory)

This book was first published in 2010. Madison presents the neglected yet compelling and necessary story of local activists in South Saharan Africa who employ modes of performance as tactics of resistance and intervention in their day-to-day struggles for human rights. The dynamic relationship between performance and activism are illustrated in three case studies: Act One presents a battle between tradition and modernity as the bodies of African women are caught in the cross-fire. Act Two focuses on 'water democracy' as activists fight for safe, accessible public water as a human right. Act Three examines the efficacy of street performance and theatre for development in the oral histories of Ghanaian gender activists. Unique to this book is the continuing juxtaposition between the everyday performances of local activism and their staged enactments before theatre audiences in Ghana and the USA. Madison beautifully demonstrates how these disparate sites of performance cohere in the service of rights, justice, and activism. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Contents......Page 8 List of illustrations......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction......Page 14 Scene one: Watching 60 Minutes......Page 47 Scene two: Deep particularities......Page 73 Scene three: Klikor, the sage, and the chief......Page 80 Scene four: Graduation day......Page 99 Scene one: "Then do it!"......Page 110 Scene two: The sense of being present......Page 137 Scene three: The aim to provoke......Page 152 Scene four: Who am I in all this?......Page 161 Scene one: The white girl upstairs......Page 170 Scene two: Don't cry, wail......Page 185 Scene three: I am an activist......Page 200 Scene four: Narrating Theatre for Development......Page 214 Epilogue......Page 237 Appendices: Scripts......Page 242 Appendix 1 - Is it a human being or a girl?......Page 244 Appendix 2 - Water rites......Page 281 Bibliography......Page 318 Index......Page 331 Madison presents the neglected yet compelling and necessary story of local activists in South Saharan Africa who employ modes of performance as tactics of resistance and intervention in their day-to-day struggles for human rights and social justice. The dynamic relationships between performance and activism are illustrated in three case studies This 2010 book presents the neglected yet compelling and necessary story of local activists in South Saharan Africa who employ modes of performance as tactics of resistance and intervention in their day-to-day struggles for human rights. The dynamic relationship between performance and activism are illustrated in three case studies.