By far my favorite form of intellectual discourse is verbal. Perhaps it’s the repressed performer in me, but I would always prefer to give a talk or seminar and discuss and debate ideas than have to wrestle these ideas into coherent text by myself. (Research and writing are often lonely and dreary, however much I enjoy the topic or ideas.)

Keynote Panel with my favorite surveillancists: James Harding and Elise Morrison

I was very grateful, then, to have had the chance to present and listen (mostly listen!) at a great symposium at Bard College last September: Spectatorship in an Age of Surveillance. Organized by Miriam Felton-Dansky and Jacob Gallagher-Ross, this event continued an ongoing discussion on digital dramaturgies among theater and performance scholars and artists. (See Theater magazine’s issues 42.2 and 44.3 for publications from this ongoing discussion.)

Next up this month, I’m excited to visit the University of Texas at Austin to talk about my ongoing work in digital historiography and performance and to meet with faculty and students investigating digital technologies in culture. We’re placing particular emphasis on gaming and since I’m still working my way through Total War: Empire (and have just downloaded Company of Heroes!) I’m delighted to continue this conversation with colleagues across disciplines (and pick up some ideas and tips along the way). If you’re around the Austin area October 20-21, stop by! Some of this research will be forthcoming in Theatre Journal the special issue: Theatre, the Digital, and the Analysis and Documentation of Performance edited by Joanne Tompkins. Looking forward…