This accessible introduction challenges fixed understandings of the geographical or conceptual "origins" of feminist performance, offering a fresh and open-ended guide to the moments and movements that have come to define this vital field.

Designed for weekly use on performance studies courses, each of the book’s ten chapters highlights the key works of feminist performance, including performance art, live art, body art, activism, and theater. These milestones are all linked to acts of rupture and political reanimation, as artists broke with dominant understandings of gender, art, and value, that were taken to be insurmountable and static.

Milestones are a range of accessible textbooks, breaking down the need-to-know moments in the social, cultural, political, and artistic development of foundational subject areas.

This milestone chapter explores the impact of performance theories on feminist thought and practices, establishing a productive alliance between performing arts and gender theories. Using gender theorist Judith Butler’s early work (1988–1993) as a framework, the chapter examines the entwining of feminist and queer theories with performance and performativity, highlighting gender as a performative act. Gender is seen as something performed, with the term performative encompassing both action and theatrical enactment. The chapter directs its focus towards two interrelated phenomena: the notion of gender as performance, and the performative character of gender in relation to theatricality and drag. The chapter also explores the intersection between the concept of the performative, derived from the idea of gender as performance, and philosopher J.L. Austin’s theories of utterance as performative. Additionally, it looks into how the performance of gender, particularly drag, exemplifies the concept of being performative. The chapter raises questions about whether drag can truly challenge fixed gender identities and create space for a queer futurity that embraces fluidity, diversity, and inclusion beyond gender norms.  

Kolumn i Teatertidningen om Tony Kushners Angels i America på Kansallisteatteri (Nationalteatern) i Helsingfors i regi av Linda Wallgren.

En recension av Johan Hiltons bok Den siste teaterdirektören. Berättelsen om Benny Fredriksson.

Milestones in Feminist Performance highlights the significance of ten key milestones in feminist performance. These include performance art, performance activism, performance artivism, and theater, all of which have witnessed a resurgence of interest in core feminist themes rooted in the long struggle against numerous oppressions, especially inequality, and violence toward differently gendered subjects across the world. Contemporary engagement with feminist themes and aesthetics in performance through the milestones we have selected, amplifies the movement’s continuity over time, while signalling a belief in the transformative power of performance in bringing such struggles to light.

 In a world where history has often been written by those in positions of power, the stories and experiences of marginalized communities—particularly those within the queer spectrum—have frequently been overlooked, erased, or distorted. Queer archivism emerges as a powerful and necessary response to this historical neglect, serving not only to preserve the rich and diverse heritage of queer individuals and communities, but also to ensure that these narratives are recognized, valued, and integrated into the broader tapestry of human history.This opening address will explore the critical importance of queer archivism in today’s society, examining its role in unearthing hidden narratives, challenging dominant historical discourses, and fostering a more inclusive understanding of the past. We will discuss the unique challenges faced by queer archivists, including the ethical considerations of handling sensitive material, the complexities of representing diverse gender and sexual identities, and the ongoing struggle against societal prejudices that continue to impact archival practices.Furthermore, this address will highlight the innovative approaches and strategies that queer archivists are employing to create accessible, representative, and dynamic archives. These efforts not only honour the lived experiences of queer individuals, but also empower future generations to understand their identities within a broader historical context. 

En understreckare om Judith Butlers bok Who's Afraid of Gender? i Svenska Dagbladet första april 2024.

En programtext om Askungemyten i Folkoperans programblad till uppsättningen av Gioacchino Rossinis Askungen (Stockholm 2023).

FEMINISTISKA OCH QUEERFEMINISTISKA konstvetare tillskriver ofta konstverk en subversiv kraft som utmanar orättvisa maktsystem och initierar politiska förändringar. Konstvetaren Ellen Suneson ifrågasätter denna syn i sin doktorsavhandling Portraying Unease:The Art and Politics of Uncomfortable Attachments (2022) och menar att det inte är riskfritt att på ett självklart sätt förknippa feministisk och queerfeministisk konstmed politiskt motstånd och subversion. Motståndshandlingar är förvisso centrala för feministisk och queerfeministisk konst och politik, men Suneson varnar för att dra alltför snabba slutsatser om ett konstverks inneboende upproriskhet. Resultatet kan bli förenklade tolkningar och falska politiska förhoppningar.

This keynote addresses how to change things while practicing peaceful coexistence. However, there are no precise rules how to change things because activist movements always need to adapt themselves to their specific contexts. Strategies for change depend on the communities involved and their particular cultural and political traditions, and what they are trying to accomplish. Although methods should always remain flexible, tactics for change should call for imagining new ways for people to live together in the world—a strategy that the philosopher Judith Butler calls “radical equality”.