Introduction: Genealogies of Performance Philosophy

Abstract

Offering a diachronic approach to the ways in which the humanities have gradually been transformed by the advent of performance, this introductory chapter traces the emergence of notions and instances of the performative, first in Anglo-Saxon linguistics, then with the arrival of French Theory and the parallel development of Performance Studies, noting their unrecognized affinities. Advocating for the overcoming of these sterile oppositions across continents and traditional fields of knowledge, the introduction focuses on the fruitful encounters between performance and philosophy, and the current stakes of the ever-expanding field of Performance Philosophy. While French institutions have tended to distrust and distance themselves from Anglo-American practices and multidisciplinary explorations in spite of the influence of “French Theory,” this introduction presents the volume’s varied contributions as a way of reinstating a dialogue between Continental and Atlantic perspectives. Weaving together kaleidoscopic views (and interviews), the co-editors present Performance Philosophy as an inclusive approach to performing thinking within cultural specificities while moving beyond disciplinary boundaries.