Performing War and Migration: How Theatre Helps Us Understand a World in Crisis

This research project explores a central question: how do we understand war, conflict, and displacement through theatre and performance? 

Today, millions of people worldwide are affected by war, political violence, and forced migration. These realities shape not only global politics but also cultural expression. Theatre has become a vital space where artists respond to crisis—telling stories of loss, survival, resistance, and movement across borders. 

This project is directly connected to the Performance and Migration International Research Group with the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR), which maintains an online platform (Performance and Migration) dedicated to documenting and analyzing performances related to migration and global crises. The website serves as a growing research resource but requires further development, organization, and critical annotation. 

Students will play an active role in this process. They will identify relevant plays and performances, contribute new materials to the website, and produce short annotations that make these works accessible to a broader audience. In doing so, students will participate in a real, ongoing research project with tangible outcomes. 

Through this work, the project asks: 

• How do artists represent war and displacement on stage? 
• How can we document and organize performances that respond to global crises?
• How can research be made accessible to wider audiences through digital platforms? 

Objectives:

• To examine how theatre responds to war, conflict, and forced migration across global contexts 
• To expand and strengthen the Performance and Migration website as a research resource 
• To train students in writing clear, concise annotations of performances 
• To introduce students to digital and collaborative research practices 
• To develop students’ critical, analytical, and research skills 

This project introduces research as a guided, collaborative, and hands-on process. No previous research experience is required. 

Students will participate in: 

• Reading and Discussion: Students will engage with selected academic and critical texts on theatre, migration, and performance, learning to identify key ideas and contribute to discussion. 
• Archival and Online Research: Using academic and internet resources, students will identify plays and performances related to war, displacement, memory, and identity. They will learn how to search databases, evaluate sources, and select relevant materials. 
• Annotation and Content Development: A central task will be producing short annotations of performances (summaries with critical context) and preparing materials for inclusion on the website. Students will learn how to write clearly for both academic and public audiences. 
• Research Organization: Students will help organize materials into categories, contributing to the structure and usability of the website. 
• Weekly Meetings: Regular meetings will provide guidance, feedback, and support throughout the research and writing process. 

The project emphasizes research as active knowledge production, where student work contributes directly to a public-facing platform. 

By participating in this project, students will develop important academic and practical skills: 

• Finding and evaluating academic and artistic sources
• Reading critically and synthesizing key ideas
• Writing concise and accessible research annotations
• Analyzing theatre and performance
• Organizing and managing digital research materials
• Contributing to a collaborative, public-facing research project 
• Participating in discussions and presenting ideas 

Students will also gain experience in digital humanities research, particularly in how knowledge is created, structured, and shared online. 

Total: 90 hours 

Independent Work (78 hours): 

• Reading and note-taking: 20 hours 
• Researching and identifying performances: 30 hours 
• Writing annotations and summaries: 20 hours 
• Organizing and preparing website materials: 8 hours 

Meetings (12 hours): 

• Weekly meetings (1 hour × 12 weeks): 12 hours 

Meetings will provide feedback on research and writing, and guide contributions to the website. 

This project offers a unique opportunity to connect academic research with real-world impact. Students will not only study theatre and global issues, but also contribute to a public research platform that documents artistic responses to war and migration. 

No prior research experience is required—only curiosity, openness, and a willingness to engage. Students will gain hands-on experience while helping build a meaningful and lasting scholarly resource.