B. AUBREY FISHER MEMORIAL - University of Utah Fis… · demands of fair wages to include health care, political and civic participation, and social equity, or what Joel Handler calls

Performance, Human Rights, and the Dignity of Labor

B. AUBREY FISHER MEMORIALLECTURE

2010

D. Soyini MadisonProfessor of Performance Studies, Anthropology, and African StudiesNorthwestern UniversityEvanston, Illinois

Twenty-Fourth Annual B. Aubrey Fisher Memorial LectureUniversity of Utah, October 21, 2010

Department of CommunicationUniversity of Utah

Then a ploughman said, “Speak to us of Work.”And he answered, saying: “You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth…”…Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune. But I say to you that when you work, you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream assigned to you when the dream was born. And in keeping yourself with labour, you are in truth loving life. And to love life’s labour is to be intimate with life’s innermost secret. KahlilGibran,from“TheProphet”

Yah/know tuh tell ‘bout mah maid work Ah reckon ah really can’ say much ‘bout it Ah jus’ know people think maid work is like being a slave Servant like that. Seem to me any job yah get Yah got to serve somebody Yah serve yo’ chil’ren yah teachin’ in school ain’t yahYah uh doctor yah servin’ the sickYah a preacher yah servin’ the churchSeem tuh me if yah got a job makin’ moneyYah gotta be servin’ somethin’Everybody serve somebody else thas workin’Ah feel when yah serve somebody’s house thas a big service…Where yah live at is important, ain’t it?(I said, “ Yes mam, it is very important”)Well then. AlmaKapper,formersharecropper anddomesticworker

Performance, Human Rights, and The Dignity of Labor

byD. Soyini Madison

Twenty-FourthAnnualB.AubreyFisherMemorialLectureUniversityof Utah,October21,2010

Introduction

2010 B. Aubrey Fisher Memorial Lecture • 1

“I am fighting hard to win a contract, I am fighting hard for justice for everyone here, and I am fighting hard for justice for all workers.” MercedesAyvar,picketlineof theCongress Hotel,Chicago,Illinois

I am 59 years old… I lost my job last fall when the com-pany I worked for folded. I have sent out resumes, posted on every job site I can find…and get no response. I have lost my home and have been scraping by on unemployment– and now that is gone too! This is now getting desperate! There is no work, no work. JamesSmith,unemployedfactoryworker inDetroit

ItisanhonortopresenttheB.AubreyFisherMemorialLecturethisevening.IwillpaytributetotheFisherLecturebyturningtothetopicof laborandhowwemightthinkabouttheontologyof laborasitrelatestohumansurvival.Inthisdayandagelaborisfraughtwithcontentiononallsidesof thepoliti-cal,social,andculturaldivide.Iwillsharemythoughtsonlaborthroughtheintersectionsof hu-manrights,performance,andthedignityof laborbyfirstdiscussinglaborasahumanright;second,Iwilltakeupnotionsof temporalityandutopiainre-imagingnewpossibilitiesforlabor;andthird,Iwillillustratehowwemayre-imaginethesenewpossibilitiesthroughtherhetoricandsymbolismof performance.

Labor as a Human Right

KevinKolbren,scholarof transnationalla-borregulationandgovernance,speakingprimarilyfromthepositionof humanrightslaw,states:

Labormovementsdonotnecessarilybenefitfromthelegalism,elitism,ortheindividualisticandphilanthropicframesthatoftendefinehumanrightsapproachestoworkersrights.Theinter-nationalhumanrightsmovementisnotfundamentallycommittedtoexaminingandquestioningfundamentaleconomic

relationshipinsociety,norisitcommit-tedtodirectactionasamethod—orworkplacedemocracyasagoal—tothesameextentasthelabormovement(2010,484).

Despitethedifferencesbetweenthelabormove-mentandthehumanrightsmovement,wearefindingmoreandmorethatlaborrightsactivistswanttotakeadvantageof thestatusof humanrightsdiscourseandtheeffectivenessof certainhumanrightsstrategies(450).However,thelong-standingcriticismof unionsandlaborrightsorganizationsisaliveandwellwithavengeance.Thegeneralthinkingisthatlaboradvocatesareprimarilyconcernedwithspecial,rent-seekingeconomicintereststhatworktobenefitmember-shiptothedetrimentof theeconomyasawhole,i.e.,theyarecorruptandself-servinginthatthey

workfortheinterestsof membersratherthanthegreatergood(461).Thisnegativeperceptionof unionshascompelled

thelabormovementtoattempttoredefineitself withinaframeworkthathasobtainedwidespreadintellectual,cultural,moral,andpoliticalsupportthroughthediscourseof humanrights.Callingaparticularrighta“humanright,”inbothlawandpopulardiscoursethensuggeststhattherightbeacceptedasauniversalhumanneed.Laborrightsashumanrightsthereforeshiftsthelabordis-coursefromwagesandspecialinterestpoliticstoethicsandmorality.Inotherwords,activistsandlaborlawscholarsseektoharnessthe“hegemonicstatusof humanrightsdiscourse”inordertogainpublicsupportforanumberof legal,political,andstrategicobjectives(462). Manyhavewarnedof theproblematictensionsbetweenhumanrightsdiscourseandstrategiesandthediscourseandstrategiesof laborrights;mindfulof theirdifferentpurposesandhistoriestheyactivelycautionagainstlinkinghumanrightswithlaborrights.However,Iwanttoarguethatsomeamountof cautionmaybeneededinpromotingcertainlinkagesbetweenthelaborrightsandhumanrightsmovements,onlybecause(inmostcases)afalsedichotomyexists

Labor rights as human rights therefore shifts the labor discourse from wages and special

interest politics to ethics and morality.

2 • 2010 B. Aubrey Fisher Memorial Lecture

betweenthetwoaswellasanarrowandlimitedacceptanceof thescopeandvisionof each.Thecautionargumentrests,forKolbrenandothers,oncertainbasicassumptions:humanrightsareprimarilyorientedtowardlimitingthepowerof thestate,andlaborrightsareprimarilyorientedtowardlimitingthepowerof privateactorsinthemarket;humanrightsconstitutesanethosof individualism—freedomfromindividualpersecution—andlaborrightsconstitutesanethosof collectivity—freedomof associationandcollec-tivebargaining;humanrightsconstitutesamorephilanthropicapproach—“weareheretohelpyou”—andlaborrightsconstitutesamoreself-determinedapproach—“wearecollectiveagentsof ourowndestiny;”humanrightsisdeterminedmorebycivilandpoliticalrights—takinguptor-ture,imprisonment,freespeech,failedstates—andlaborisdeterminedmorebyeconomicjustice—socialrights,fullandproductiveemploymentbyvirtueof beinghuman. Now,letusturnthepageontheseten-sionsbetweenlaborandhumanrights.Therearemanyof uswhounderstandthecautionbutarerecastingthehumanrightsmovementbyreachingbeyondthedichotomieslistedaboveandtakingupamoreexpansiveviewof humanrights.Inthisviewlawisinseparablefromthephilosophi-calandperformativeinterventionsthataugmentcivilandpoliticalrightswitheconomicjusticeandwherecritiquesandinterventionsuponneoliber-alismbecomeintegraltoouragenda.Therearealsothoseinthelabormovementwhoaretakingawiderviewof worktoincludeinformalworkandnon-traditionalwork,whoarere-invigoratingthemovementbyseekingsoli-darity,acrosscommunitiesandborders,beyonddemandsof fairwagestoincludehealthcare,politicalandcivicparticipation,andsocialequity,orwhatJoelHandlercalls“Rightsof Exhorta-tion,”i.e.,theassertionof “one’sself-worthandentitlementoverone’sroleinsociety”(Kobren,467).Thisincludesfairwages,butitalsomeansfullcitizenship.Itmeanswork,butitalsomeanstheopportunitytodothework,inthewordsof

AliceWalker,“thatoursoulmusthave”(Walker,520).Itmeansto“imagineanotherworld”andreachfortheperformativityof theutopiannotasanowherelandof perfectionandblissbutasaso-cietywhereeveryoneisguaranteedwork,becausetolaborconstitutesthehumancondition.Laborthenbecomesahumanrightlikecleanwaterand

liketheairwebreathe.If Gibranisrightinassertingthatlaboris“tokeeppacewiththeearthandthesoulof theearth”weallmust

havelabortosurviveandthereforeguaranteedtheopportunitytolabor. WhatdoImeanbylabor?BylaborImeanamentaland/orphysicaltask,i.e.,anassignedordesignatedefforttowardamaterialendortowardseconomiesof invention,purpose,andsurvival.BylaborImeanagreateffortemanatingfromandto-wardmaterialitythatironicallyencompassesimagi-nationandfuturity.Bylabor,inthisinstance,Imeanworkandtheontologyof workaswellasitspoeticexperienceandimaginingsaboutitself.BylaborImeanthepossibilitiesforthinkingintermsof theutopian:thehere,thenow,andthefutureinthisplaceoranimaginedperformativeplace.Ialsomeancontemplatingexistentialdrudgery,likePrometheus’unendinghellandthecrueldestinyof repetitionsandtorturousboredom.BylaborImeanworkandthatwhichbothentailsworkandexceedsit,i.e.,theworkof thebrainandtheworkof thebodythatisbothseparateandinseparableundertheinfinitetemporalitiesof labor.BylaborImeanajobanditsresonances,i.e.,somethingthatonemustgetdoneandtheemotionalaf-

fect,materialcontext,andsharedbelongingthatgiveitformandmakeitintegraltowhatitmeanstobehumanandthatmakeour

accesstoandneedforlaborahumanright.Likefreedom,“Laborbecomestrulycriticalwhenitisshared”(Chang2010,91).Iamarguingthatweallareandwemustbealaborforcetogether.BriankleG.Changstates:

Labormatters.Itcutsandcutsintomat-ter…themotherof all.Tolaboristoaffirmlifewhichbeginswithlabor…In-asmuchasthefactof laboristhatwith

...to labor constitutes the human condition.

By labor, in this instance, I mean work and the ontology of work as well as its poetic experience and imaginings about itself.


itlifebeginsandgoeson,thetruthof lifeisthatlabordefines,thatis,makesfinite,muchof whatwedoandareinlife,thatlabor,havingalwaysandal-readybegun,survivesitsownmanifoldarticulations,includingallthatseekstonegateit.…Thetransitionfromonetypeof labortoanotherthusnotonlybringsachangeintheformsof lifeinwhichonefindsoneself,italsode-mandsachangeof thelensesthroughwhichoneviewsthehistorythatisjustpastandone’sownplaceinthehistorythatisnowunfolding(90).

If webelievethat“laboraffirmslife,”bringslifeintobeingandsustainsit,throughitsexcessesof formsandperformances,thenthejobswedo,theworkweembody,implicatesoursurvivalandhis-tory’sunfoldingpresent.

“Never Cross a Picket Line”

A woman enters from upstage left; she is trying to make her way downstage, past a throng of human shadows. The figures are circling the stage; they are walking from left to right and right to left in desperate motion. They are searching, but we do not know what they are searching for or why. The shadows are oblivious to the woman and the woman is not affected by the shadows. She appears ignores them. They are only backdrop for her story. Her atten-tion is only with the audience and her story. The woman moves past the shadows and sits downstage center. She welcomes the audience with a playful demeanor that be-comes a striking contrast to the searching shadows upstage. When the woman speaks, the shadows lose their despera-tion and begin to move in slow motion. TheWomanspeaks:“Nevercrossapicketline”werethefirstwordsIeveruttered.Nevercrossapicketlinewerewordsassacredinmyhouseasfather-son-holyghostwereinotherhomes.Crossingapicketlinewaslikecrossingoverintoadark,emptyvoidwhereyouturn-inyourmembershipcardtoeverbeingrightaboutanythingagain.Youcrossapicketlineandyouwereforeverintheabyssof “thewrongside”abouteverything.

As the woman speaks, some of the shadows upstage begin falling to the ground, as if tired or sick; the other shadows hold them up helping them walk the journey—the search. There are shadows that fall and do not rise. Others lay still, motionless.

TheWomanspeaks:MyfatherwasaUnionman.Hewasthepresidentof theHotelServiceWorkersUnionLocal#593.But,hewasalsoafatherwhosangtousatnightaboutprettywhitehorsesandcradlesthatrocked.HewasalsothebestLouisianacookthereeverwasandmadethebestgumboI’veevertasted,still.Hewasahusbandwhowantedmymothertostayhomeandtakecareof the“girls”andhergarden.Shegrewtulips.MyfatherwasaUnionMan.BeingintheUnionwashissavinggrace.As the woman continues to speak, there are only a few shadows left, still walking in slow motion and searching. They are holding on to each other, as if it is only each other and the desperate search that keeps them all from going under.

TheWomanspeaks:Myfatherusedtosaytherearenobadpeoplethereareonlypeoplewithoutopportunities.Beforehewaspresidentof theUnion,myfatherwasawaiter.HewaitedtablesattheShermanHotelatnightandsoldnewspapersduringtheday.Hewouldcomehomefromthepaperstand,changeclothes,andthenleaveoutagaininhiswaiter’sblackjacketandwhiteshirt.Everynightheandmymotherwouldcounthistips.ThetipshelppayformytuitionatSt.EdmundsEpiscopalGrammarSchoolandformeandwintercoatsformysisterandme.Suddenly the shadows stop. They all stop. One shadow begins to dig deep in the ground with its hands. No longer in slow motion, this single silhouette starts digging—digging, digging with a fierce urgency. The others now fall to the ground to dig; all of them are now digging quickly and urgently.

TheWomanspeaks:Myfathersaidhewasalaborman,becausetolaboristobealive.Hesaidhewasalabororga-nizerbecausetolaborwithdignitywastobecivi-lized.Healwayssaidyourlaborshouldbeyourtickettofreedomnotthedoorwaytoslavery.


The woman now turns her back to the audience and gazes at the shadows upstage. As the shadows dig into the ground, a small spring begins to sprout. It is water. A small spring of blue water is now projected on an upstage screen. The shadows dig faster; they keep digging and the small spring grows larger, and larger. The screen now represents a surging force of blue water. The shadows taste the water, drink it, play in it, and bathe in the water. The Shadows come alive again in the water. They are a rainbow of unidentifiable forms and colors.

Temporality and Utopia OnMonday,October18,2010,intheNew York TimesRobertReichwrote:

It’saperfectstorm.AndI’mnottalkingabouttheimpendingdangersfacingDemocrats.I’mtalkingaboutthedangersfacingourdemocracy.First,incomeinAmericaisnowmoreconcentratedinfewerhandsthanit’sbeenin80years.Almostaquarterof totalincomegeneratedintheUnitedStatesisgoingtothetop1percentof Americans.Thetopone-tenthof onepercentof Americansnowearnasmuchasthebottom120millionof us.Whoarethesepeople?…..they’retopexecutivesof bigcorporationsandWallStreet,hedge-fundmanagers,andpri-vateequitymanagers.TheyincludetheKochbrothers,whosewealthincreasedbybillionslastyear,andwhoarenowfundingteapartycandidatesacrossthenation.MostAmericansareintrouble.Theirjobs,incomes,savings,andevenhomesareontheline.Theperfectstorm:Anunprece-dentedconcentrationof incomeandwealthatthetop;arecordamountof secretmoneyfloodingourdemocracy;andapublicbecomingincreasinglyangryandcynicalaboutagovernmentthat’srais-ingitstaxes,reducingitsservices,andunabletogetitbacktowork.We’relosingourdemocracytoadifferentsystem.It’scalledplutocracy.

Iaminterestedinhowtherighttolaborcanmakeamaterialdifference—howitcanmakematerialityandun-makeit—inthispres-enttimebutalsointhefuture,forfuturity.If asChangstates,“matteristhemotherof all,”thepropositionthatphysicalmatteristheultimatereality,thenitfollowsthatallexistence,includingconsciousness,affect,andideologyemanatefromtheoverarchingdynamicsof matteror,moreprecisely,apoliticaleconomyof physicalandex-istentialphenomena.Thecoreideaisthathumanbehaviorandsocietyisfundamentallyshapedbythesocialandtechnicalorganizationof economicproductionandexchange.Obviouslythepro-cessesof socialchangecanneverbeattributabletoculture,knowledge,orideasisolatedfromthematerialconditionsof humanlifeorinthewayeconomicactivitiesandarrangementsthenvalue,reward,andorganizethesocialityof spaceandtime(Conquergood,2005). Thequestionthenbecomes:Whatdowedonow?Ibelieveoneof thefirstthingsweneedtodoistore-thinkthenatureof laborandhowtherighttolaborbecomesmoreurgentandexpansivewhenwebegintoconsiderhowtheontologyof laborisinherenttomostoralllivingspeciesaswellastotheaffectiveandemotionaldynamicsof humansurvival.Toconsidertheontologyof laboristore-envisionourmaterialandaffectivelife-worldsandthefuture.Indoingso,thismo-mentof “plutocracy”thatReichdescribesisnotafatalisticforecastof ourfuture,butawarningforabetterone.Laborasahumanright,andtheontologyof laborasinherenttohumansurvival,mustencompassfuturity.Therefore,wemustexcavatethepossibilitiesof temporality.Tem-

poralityisdefinedas:of orrelatingtoorlimitedbytime;worldly;secularorlay;characteristicof ordevotedtothetemporalworldasopposedtothe

spiritualworld;Lastingonlyforatime;noteter-nal;passingthroughourtemporalexistence;of orrelatingtotimeasopposedtoeternity;of orrelatingtoearthlylife;of orrelatingtogrammati-caltenseoradistinctionof time;of orrelatingtotimeasdistinguishedfromspace;of orrelatingtothesequenceof timeortoaparticulartime;

We must then ask ourselves: “What is most desirable in this existential present that will

push us toward a future we desire?”

2010 B. Aubrey Fisher Memorial Lecture * 5

chronology.Wemustthenaskourselves:“Whatismostdesirableinthisexistentialpresentthatwillpushustowardafuturewedesire?” Thequestionbegsforabetterfuturethanwhatthepresentholdsforusnow.Inmyworryovertherighttolabor,temporality,andthefutu-rity,Iturntotheoriesthatequatethefuturewiththeutopian.JoseMunozstates:“Somethingthatshouldmobilizeus,pushusforward.Utopianisnotprescriptiveitrenderspotentialblueprintsof aworldnotquitehere,ahorizonof possibil-ity,notafixedschema”(2005,225).IncitingTheodorAdornoandHerbertMarcuse,Mu-nozaddsthat“utopiaisprimarilyacritiqueof thehereandnow,itisaninsistencethatthereis,astheyputit,‘somethingmissinginthehereandthenow’”(226).If theutopiaiswithinapresentthat“pushes”ustowardamultiplicityof possiblefutures—alternativesandpotentialities—thenthisbecomesahopeforabetterworld.Munozgoesontostate:“…butinthisinstance,IdwellonhopebecauseIwishtothinkaboutfuturity;and,hope,Iargue,istheemotionalmodalitythatpermitsustoaccessfuturity,parexcellence.” This“emotionalmodality”thataccessesthefuturethrough“hope,”Ifindmostcompellingandgenerativethroughart.Intheinter-animationbetweenartandfuturity,itis“hope”thatisnowembodiedandmadeeventful.ForFelixDeleuzeartcanfunctionasa“lineof flight,”thatis,anunendingsignifyingandmaterialforcethatbothtraversesandcombinesindividualandcollectivesubjectivitiesanddesires,challengingcommonsenseandnormativity,asitpushesittothelimitinitscombinationsandreconfigurations.Thecon-nective,expansiveandde-territorializingcharacterof linesof flight,whenconsideredintermsof art,“drawsourattentiontotheethicaldimensionsof art….Artmakespossible,itenablesustobroadenourhorizonsandunderstanding,sensitizingustoourownaffectivedimensioninrelationtotheworldasawhole”(Lorraine2005,144).ForMu-noz,itisthismovetowardautopianaestheticsthat“fuelsthepoliticalimagination”anddoesthelaborof enactingapoliticsof futurity(228).

Insummary,howthendothesenotionsof materiality,temporality,futurity,art,andhope,particularlyastheyaremanifestthroughtheartof performance,relatetothedignityof laborandlaborasahumanright?First.If utopiacanpro-vide“blueprintsof aworldnotquitehere”andguideustowardahorizonof possibilitybecause“somethingismissinginthehereandthenow,”thenReich’splutocracyservesonlyasawarningtopushusbeyondthispresenttowardinventingmultiplefuturepossibilitieswherelabor,inits

myriadforms,becomesarightandanopportunityforusall.Second.Itisattherealmof ouremotions,ouraffectivelivesandthedesireforabetterfuture—

withoutpainandwant—whereour“emotionalmodalities”andourstructureof feelingsbecomethedrivingforcetore-imaginefundamentaleco-nomicrelationswherelaborbecomesaguaranteedrightforeveryhumanbeingontheplanet.Third.Itisartthatcreates“linesof flight,”whereweareexposedtounendingsignification,symbols,andmaterialforcesthatbothtraverseandcom-bine“individualandcollectivesubjectivitiesanddesires”thatthenshowusthewaytochallengenormativeandhegemonicideologiesof labor,withinvigoratedhope,tothinklaboranewasdignity,adignitythatisalignedwithprinciplesof democracy.Fourth.Art“fuelsthepoliticalimagi-nation”andenablesustobeallatonceenrap-tured,inspired,anddisturbedpushingusfromtheimaginedtotherealwheresocialmovementsarebornthatfermentdirectactiontowardeconomicjusticeinthedistributionof laborandwealth.

The Rhetoric and Symbolism of Performance

(ExcerptsfromAndrewRoss’sessay:“TheMak-ingof SustainableLivelihoods.”ForumonLaborinCommunicationandCritical/CulturalStudies,BriankleG.Chang,Editor,March2010.)A woman about sixty years old enters downstage center. She moves in and out of different characters performing as “Readers.” They are standing all about the stage; each is

If the utopia is within a present that “pushes” us toward a multiplicity of possible futures—

alternatives and potentialities—then this becomes a hope for a better world.


holding an oversized book with the word LABOR written in large letters. As the old woman circles the Readers she begins speaking as they silently read, intensely, focused on their oversized books:

WomanOne:MygrandfatherwasanIndianNegro.Heknewhowtoworkwithhishands.Hewouldsay:“Givemeyourrags.Givemewhatyoudon’tneed.”Heusedtomakerugswiththemrags.Yeshedid.Hetiedtheragsonapoleandmakerugs.Hecouldmakecornshucksoutof basketstoo.Youknow,everybodywantedtobuymygrandfa-ther’sbaskets.The woman now picks up her own “Labor” book that is lying on the stage floor. She now joins the other Readers and begins silently and intensely reading from the book as one of the upstage Readers begins reading out loud:

ReaderOne:“Thefinancialmeltdownmaywelldeliveronaplatetheeasy-to-exploitworkingconditionsthatemployershavepushedlongandhardfor…(Ross,93).”A woman downstage right enters the stage. She, like Woman One, begins speaking as she weaves slowly between the Readers standing about the stage

WomanTwo:IworkedattheFordplantfortwentyyears.ItwastheplaceIknew.ItwaswhatIdidandev-eryonewhoworkedthere,well,wewerefamily.Itisallgone.Likepartof meisgone.Itisnotjustthewages;itismylife—theroutineof mylife.Wewereanextendedfamily.I’vebeentryingveryhardtorethinktimeandwhataday…justadayreallymeans.Like Woman One, Woman Two now picks up her own “Labor” book that is lying on the stage floor. She now joins the other Readers and begins silently and intensely reading from the book as one of the downstage Readers begins reading out loud:

ReaderTwo:If andwhenjobsreappear,theyhavetolooklesslikelotterytickets….Everyone should have a right to choose their own balance of freedom and security in employment and we should craft

policies to ensure that making the wrong choices does not prove catastrophic (94). A man downstage Left enters the stage. He, like Woman One and Two, begins speaking as he weaves slowly between the Readers standing about the stage.

ManOne:Ihatemyjob.Iwatchtheclockuntiltimepasses.Iwanttofeelwhatit’sliketolovewhatyoudo.IwanttodoworkandknowthatIhavedonesomethingthatitmeanssomething.ThatIamworthsomething.Like Woman One and Woman Two, the man now picks up his own “Labor” book that is laying on the stage floor. He now joins the other Readers and begins silently and intensely reading from the book as one of the downstage Readers begins reading out loud

ReaderThree:Thepeopleformerlyknownasemployeesforthosewhoanswertothatdescriptionareincreasinglythinontheground.Cantheylearnhowtobehavelikestewardsof peoples’livelihoods,bycommittingtoworkersinthelongterm?(95).Man Two enters from upstage center. He is a young man in his early twenties. He walks downstage center straight through the readers, as he brushes past several of them on his way to speak to the audience. All the Readers turn from their books to look at him.

He speaks to the audience and stops just in front of the book, lying before him, on the stage floor. He looks at the book but does not pick it up.

ManTwo:If youdon’thaveajobthenhowcanyoubeaman?Ibeenlookingforajobforoverayear.Idon’tfeellikeahumanbeing.Icanselldrugs….that’swhatsomeof myfriendsdo.Yep,that’sjustwhattheydo.Wheredoyougowhenyoudon’thaveajob?Stage is black

Wedoperformance,inthisinstance,toaddresstheproblemsthat“besetourworld.”Perfor-mancebecomeslessamirrortoholduprealityasreflectionforusalltosee,butmorelikea“lineof flight”wherewetaketheBrechtianhammer



tothemirrorandcrackitopen.Performancecantrickmaterialtime;itcanoutlawchronology;itcandelimittheboundariesof thepresent;and,intheprocess,somethinggetsdone.Performancesthenbecome,accordingtoRichardSchechner,“en-countersintherealmof doing”wherea“through-lineof action”ismadethroughthesymbolic.Performancetemporalitychangestime;itcannowplayintotherealmof thefutureandteasethefixityof aspecifictimewithinthisthrough-lineof action.Performanceisaboutmanythings,oneof thembeingaboutthealchemyof livinginmultipletimezonesandpossibilitiestowardfuturitythatimagineswhathumanlaborcandointheunfold-ingof history.Performance,humanrightsandthedignityof laborareillustratedthroughtheper-formative,whethermanifestinfatherhoodmemo-riesof unionsandpicketlinesunderthebackdropof thecollectiveworkfromwanderingsoulswhodigforthemiracleof waterandwinintherawla-borof theirsharedneedforsurvivalorwhetherintherhetoricalfragmentsof cautionarytalesandapoliticaleconomythatasksthepracticalquestion:Where do you go when you don’t have a job?

ReferencesChang,BriankleG.(2010).“Forum:IntroductiononLabor.”Communicationand Critical/CulturalStudiesVol.7:1,90-91.Collins,JaneL.,diLeonardo,Micaela,&Williams,Brett.(2008).NewLandscapesof Inequality:Neoliberalismandtheerosionof democracyinAmerica.SanteFe:SARPress.Conquergood,Dwight.(2002).Performancestudies:Interventionsandradicalresearch. TheDramaReview,46,145–156.Handler,JoelF.(1990).ConstructingthePoliticalSpectacle:Interpretationof Entitlements, Legalization,andObligationsinSocialWelfareHistory,56BrooklynLawReview899-97.Hall,Stuart.(Ed.).(1997).Representation:Culturalrepresentationandsignifyingpractice. London:Sage.Lorraine,Tamsin.(2005).“Linesof Flight,”TheDeleuzeDictionary.Ed.AdrianeParr. NY:ColumbiaUP.Madison,D.Soyini.(2011).“TheLaborof Reflexivity”CulturalStudies<=>CriticalMethodologies. Vol.11:2,129-138.Madison,D.Soyini.(2010).Actsof activism:Humanrightsasradicalperformance.Cambridge,MA: CambridgeUniversityPress.Munoz,JoseE.(2005).“Queers,Punks,andtheUtopianPerformative.”InTheSageHandbook of PerformanceStudies(Eds.)Madison,D.S.andJ.Hamera(pp.22-231).ThousandOaks,CA: SagePublicationsKolben,Kevin.(2010).“LaborRightsasHumanRights?”VirginiaJournalof InternationalLaw. Vol.50:2,449-484.Ross,Andrew.(2010).“TheMakingof SustainableLivelihoods.”CommunicationandCritical/ CulturalStudiesVol.7:1,92-95.Schechner,Richard.(2002).PerformanceStudies:AnIntroduction.London:Routledge.Walker,Alice.(1994).“InSearchof OurMother’sGardens”inTheWomanThatIAm:the LiteratureandCultureof ContemporaryWomenof Color.Ed.D.S.Madison,NY:St. Martin’sPress,516-523.

EndnotesiThisisthetitleof oneof thethemesandmissionsof TheWorldSocialForum,aninternationalgrass rootsorganizationwhosepurposeistoworktowardalternativefuturesthroughthechampioningof whatisdescribedasacounterhegemonicglobalizationmovement.TheWorldSocialForumalsoserves asaglobalcivilsocietyof sortsinbringingtogetheranarrayof non-governmentalorganizations,social movements,andadvocacycampaignsfromallovertheworld.iiThesedefinitionsaredrawnfromMerriam-Websteronlinedictionaryandfurtherelaboratedintheessay “TheReflexivityof Labor”byD.S.Madison(seereferences).iiiPoliticaleconomy,generallyunderstood,astheinteractionbetweenpoliticsandeconomics—interactions thatcrosslocal,national,andglobalboundaries.Thisisaffectingboththemicroandmacro,thelocal andtheglobal,domainsof social,civic,andculturallife.I’mdrawingtheconceptmostexplicitlyfrom thebook,Actsof Activism:HumanRightsasRadicalPerformance,byD.S.Madisonandthecollected essays,Landscapesof Inequality,editedbyCollins,et.al.(seereferences).ivDefinitionsof temporalityaredrawnfromMerriam-Websteronlinedictionaryandfurtherelaboratedinmy essay“TheReflexivityof Labor”(seereferences).vStuartHall’snotionof theproblemsthat“besetourworld”arediscussedmostpowerfullyinhisbookon representationbythesametitle(seereferences).



B. Aubrey Fisher

B.AubreyFisherservedasafacultymemberintheDepartmentof CommunicationattheUniversityof Utahfrom1971to1986.HebeganhisprofessionalcareerasahighschoolteacherandradioannouncerinSouthDakota.AfterreceivinghisMastersandPh.D.degreesfromtheUniversityof Minnesota,hespentfouryearsonthefacultyattheUniversityof Missouri.

ProfessorFisherwasaprominentscholarininterpersonalcommunicationandcommunicationtheory.Hispublishedworkincludesthreebooksandmorethanthirty-fivearticlesandbookchapters.Hewasconsideredoneof themostnotableandinfluentialcommunicationscholarsof histime.Heheldnumerousofficesinprofessionalorganizations,includingpresidentof theWesternSpeechCommunicationAssociation,presidentof theInternationalCommunicationAssociation,andeditorof theWesternSpeechCommunicationJournal.

TheB.AubreyFisherMemorialLecturewasestablishedbytheDepartmentof Communicationin1986torecognizeProfessorFisher’soutstandingachievementsandtoprovideaforumforpresentingoriginalre-searchandtheoryincommunication.

D. Soyini Madison

D.SoyiniMadisonisProfessorof PerformanceStudiesatNorthwesternUniversity,withappointmentsintheDepartmentof AfricanAmericanStudiesandtheDepartmentof Anthropology.SheisalsoanAffiliateintheProgramof AfricanStudies.ShereceivedherPh.D.inPerformanceStudiesfromNorthwesternUniver-sityin1989andtaughtattheUniversityof NorthCarolinaatChapelHillfor19yearsbeforereturningtotheNorthwesternfacultyin2006.

ProfessorMadisonfocusesherresearchontheintersectionsof localactivism,thepoliticaleconomyof hu-manrights,andindigenousperformancetactics.Sheisinterestedinhowapplyingaperformanceanalytictolocalandpublicactsof activismgeneratesapoeticsof understandingandanembodiedepistemologycon-cerninghowactivismisconstituted,itsdimensionsof imaginationandcreativity,anditsrhetoricandpolitics.Madison’scurrentresearchexaminestheperformancetacticsof selectedtransnationallaborunionmove-mentsandtheoralhistoriesof unionleadershipthatreflectspecificpublicdemonstrationsof laborjusticeanddisputes.

ProfessorMadisonhasreceivednumerousteachingawards,includingtheTannerUniversityAwardatUNC-ChapelHillfor“OutstandingandInspirationalTeaching,”theNationalCommunicationAssociation“Spot-lightonScholars,”TheJ.WilliamFulbrightSeniorScholarAward,andTheRockefellerFoundationBellagioResearchAward.


1987ThomasM.ScheidelUniversityof Washington

1988MichaelCalvinMcGeeUniversityof Iowa

1989JamesCareyUniversityof Illinois

1990KarlWeickUniversityof Michigan

1991RoderickP.HartUniversityof TexasatAustin

1992JanetBeavinBavelasUniversityof Victoria,BritishColombia

1993 LawrenceGrossbergUniversityof NorthCarolina

1994SamuelL.BeckerUniversityof Iowa

1995SidneyA.RibeauBowlingGreenStateUniversity

1996DonaldG.EllisUniversityof Hartford

1997LindaL.PutnamTexasA&MUniversity

1998ThomasA.McCainOhioStateUniversity

1999RandyY.HirokawaUniversityof Iowa

2000CaroleBlairUniversityof CaliforniaatDavis

2001MichaelS.SchudsonUniversityof CaliforniaatSanDiego

2002AlanL.SillarsUniversityof Montana

2003RobertPepperFederalCommunicationsCommission

2004JosephN.CappellaUniversityof Pennsylvania

2005SharonDunwoodyUniversityof Wisconsin-Madison

2006RandallStutmanCommunicationResearchAssociates,Inc

2007OscarH.Gandy,Jr.Universityof Pennsylvania

2008JohnDurhamPetersUniversityof Iowa

2009K.ViswanathHarvardSchoolof PublicHealth

2010D.SoyiniMadisonNorthwesternUniversity

B. Aubrey Fisher Memorial Lecture

Distinguished Speakers


Stephen&SuzanneAckerDennis&PamelaAlexanderDorisG.AlexanderAmocoFoundation,Inc.AnacondaCompanyJanis&PeterAndersenTravisAndersonRobertK.Avery&C.FrancesGillmorCharlesBantz&SandraPetronioPamelaJ.BarbaraWayneA.BeachMark&CarolBergstromJohnR.Bittner*JohnW.BowersConnieBullisBPFoundation,Inc.CaliforniaStateUniversity,FresnoKennethN.CissnaLindaCobb-ReilyDepartmentofCommunicationKathrynJeanineCongaltonWilliamD.CueAnnDarlingC.SueDavisConnie&GabrielM.Della-PianaCraigDentonDanielDeStephenRolayneS.DeStephen*LloydDreckselMarieN.DurneyDavidEasonNormanElliottDonaldG.EllisElaineE.EnglehardtDeAnnEvans*DonFaules*DeloresE.Feuerstein*IreneFisher&CraigHansenNickieannFleenerRonaldQ.FredericksonGustavW.FriedrichHarryE.Fuller,Jr.TomFulwiderPatriciaGanerRoyB.Gibson*PaulGoehe

AftonC.Greaves*HalbertS.Greaves*CamilleA.GuthCarolHagelHarryW.HainesSandraE.HaggertyRoderickP.HartF.TedHebert*RandyY.HirokawaJoyceHockerThomas&MaryHouselWilliam&ShirleyHughesHumboltStateUniversityE.ArthurHungerford*DavidJabuschJ.Boyer&PatJarvisKennethJensenIbrahimKarawan&MelanieTaylorGaryD.Keele*ClaudiaKnellMargaretKnutsonKevinLamude*DianeFurno-Lamude*Tim&ElaineLarsonDanaLathamDaleG.Leathers*RichardL.LippkeStephenW.Littlejohn&KarenA.FossDorothyLoganJ.DanielLogan*KarenLundbergMyronLustigJohnC.&GwenMawThomasA.McCainJerilynS.McIntyre&DavidSmithNancyN.&GeorgeD.MellingTamaraMelvinNikosMetallinosRobertC.MeyerMichiganStateUniversityFrankE.MillarJohn&SallyMitchellJosephA.MunshawJodyNyquistAnnO’ConnellMarcellaOberle*OhioStateUniversityAlexisOldsChristineOravec

MichaelPacanowskyGeorgette&FrankPageJacquelineG.Page*JudyC.Pearson&PaulNelsonPennsylvaniaStateUniversitySuePendellRobertPepperDarrellT.PiersolLindaPutnamStarrD.Randall*RandomHouse,Inc.GinaM.RiekeL.EdnaRogersLawrenceB.RosenfeldChrisSadlerMikeSalvadorJackA.SamoskyDick&JoannSchaeferThomasM.ScheidelHaroldSchindler*RobertL.SchwichRobertL.ScottAlanL.SillarsMalcolm&CharSillarsWayneA.SilverPamelaS.SilveyMichaelSmilowitzParryD.Sorensen*JoSpragueCharlotteStarksBarbaraC.ThorntonBob&PatTiemensDouglasTrankNicholasTrujillo&LeahVandeBerg*Kristin&GeneValentineC.ArthurVanlear,Jr.MinaVaughn*RobertW.VogelsangNancyJ.H.Wallace*BarbaraP.WarnickWeberStateUniversityWayneS.Werbel&LynneR.Phillips-WerbelDorothyWilliamsBillWilmotQuintusC.Wilson*Universityof WyomingEdwardA.Yeates

*Deceased

B. Aubrey Fisher Memorial Lecture

Donors

Department of Communication • University of Utah • Salt Lake City, Utah 84112www.communication.utah.edu

Documents

B. AUBREY FISHER MEMORIAL - University of Utah Fis… · demands of fair wages to include health care, political and civic participation, and social equity, or what Joel Handler calls