Theatre Anthropology

This course will begin by tracing the rise of anthropology’s interest in ritual and subsequently performance during the second half of the 20th century, wherein ritual came to be seen as both a repository and a means of circulating and revising meta-messages central to the culture. Proceeding to historically track the morphing of anthropology with theatre, it will point to the imperfection of this human science and its impact on Indian performing arts. The course will include a practical component.