Student: Roan Shea
Graduation date: May 2018
Capstone type: Non-thesis
Capstone project:
Performing Truth: The Navigation of Climate Change Reality in the United States
Capstone file(s): Show file | Show file | Show file
My capstone project consists of a scholarly summary and original piece of theatre that both explore the concept of the performance of truth. The central question of my research is the following: How might an increased consideration of the performance of truth help provide a more comprehensive picture of reality? I go after this question in the context of the March 29th, 2017 US Congressional Hearing on Climate Science, where I analyze the proceedings through my own framework of performance and truth. With a narrative and performative analysis I demonstrate the effects this specific performance had on audience understanding of climate reality. In conclusion I suggest that instead of attempting to eliminate performance from our truth-seeking for the sake of objectivity, we should instead work towards fully recognizing and understanding our own situatedness withing the inevitable performances around us. By doing this we can in turn become more objective.