This is quite a fascinating study of performative social science. Working both together and separately, the authors of the book, Mary M. and Kenneth J. Gergen, who entered their careers in psychology with a long history of enjoyment of and deep respect for the arts, have been experimenting in various domains of performative social science since the 1980s. This book is a summing up of a shared lifetime passionately committed to the boundaries of interpretive social science.
In chapter 1, the authors share two intellectual biographies. Their goal is not only to make performative work intelligible, but also to demonstrate its essential place in social science. In this chapter, the authors describe some of their earlier interests in allying arts and science. Afterwards, they turn to the major intellectual watershed from which their explorations into the performative were launched. The authors state that this watershed often goes by such names as postmodernism, poststructuralism, postfoundationalism, and post-Enlightenment.
In chapter 2, the authors take a brief look at spirited developments taking place in performative art, performance studies, and in the social sciences themselves. They imply that study in performative social science has a catalytic impact in the social sciences more generally.
Then, the authors pause for reflection in chapter 3. They outline some of the major ways in which a performative approach both enriches and expands the potential of social science. The authors divide the later chapters of the book into a series of case studies in the exercise of a performative consciousness.
Well produced, with illustrations, a helpful bibliography, notes, and index, the book is an excellent analysis of all performative social science. This book should be useful for folklorists and social scientists, and those with an interest in the performative arts.
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[Review length: 290 words • Review posted on April 23, 2014]