Performance and Performance Studies

Much of the research in performance and performance studies is found in journal articles.  To find articles on a particular topic, use the online databases (periodical indexes).  Many articles will be available full-text in the databases, while others will be in print in the Libraries' periodical collection.  There are also journals and articles in our databases to which we don't have full-text access online or in print.  In those cases, you will either want to visit a nearby library to see the article or else request it through InterLibrary Loan (ILL).  More information on ILL can be found on our Interlibrary Loan FAQ page.

Make sure you write down the full citation (including journal title, volume, number, month, year) so that you can find the article within a print or electronic journal and cite it later.  Visit the Citing Sources page of this guide for more information on citation.

Performance Studies is an multi-disciplinary field that encompasses a broad spectrum of subject areas explored from a variety of approaches.  In addition to theater studies, sound/music studies, and performance art, the focus of Performance Studies scholars might include cultural enactments such as rituals and festivals, sociopolitical protest and activism, literary theory, feminist theory, queer theory, gender studies, and the performance of everyday life.

The multi-faceted nature of Performance Studies means you can choose within a wide variety of databases depending on your research.  Our list of Performance and Performance Studies databases includes the databases most likely to prove useful.