Theatre and Human Rights after 1945

"This book defines vitally important new territory in thinking about the intersection of theatre, social engagement, and human rights. Nuanced readings of 20th and 21st-century performance practices investigate the unique role of theatre in relation to issues such as post-conflict violence, torture, elder abuse, political censorship, corporate labour practices, and disability. Cathy Caruth analyses the politics of listening and Catherine Cole writes magisterially on institutional ethics and the performance of genocide. This is a brilliant expose of the way performance can sometimes transcend and sometimes spectacularly fail in the wake of the famously unspeakable horrors of Auschwitz." - Yoni Prior, Deakin University, Australia "This volume examines the critical and performative valency of 'unspeakability', by sensitively investigating its meanings within various historical and political contexts. Engaging with protest theatres in northern Africa, disability, indigenous rights, elder abuse, torture, sexual violence, and the ethical protocols of repatriating human remains, it offers an impressively diverse set of agendas on human rights. Theatre and Human Rights interrogates the 'unspeakable' in ways that will resonate with everyone and for a long time to come." - Joanne Tompkins, University of Queensland, Australia

This volume investigates the rise of human rights discourses manifested in the global spectrum of theatre and performance since 1945. Essays address topics such as disability, discrimination indigenous rights, torture, gender violence, genocide and elder abuse.This volume investigates the rise of human rights discourses manifested in the global spectrum of theatre and performance since 1945. Essays address topics such as disability, discrimination indigenous rights, torture, gender violence, genocide and elder abuse.