Performativity and Transgression

The idea to explore the interrelations of performativity and transgression in the performing arts and in the public sphere evolved some years ago when we started organizing an annual conference of the Association of Nordic Theatre Scholars in collaboration with the Union of Estonian Theatre Researchers and Critics.The conference titled "Performativity and Transgression" took place at the University of Tartu, Estonia 13-15 October 2022.With the event, we also celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of theatre studies at the University of Tartu.Estonian video artist, scenographer and theatre director Ene-Liis Semper, Norwegian director and performance artist Vegard Vinge, and German scenographer and director Ida Müller gave fascinating keynote speeches about their transgressive works in the theatre.In addition, thirtyone papers were presented at the conference by Nordic theatre scholars, Estonian literary researchers and theatre makers.Overall, more than 100 participants attended the event.This special issue is based predominantly on the papers presented at the conference.We invited contributions to address the following questions: Why and how does performativity make certain issues, styles, or tools transgressive?What are the strategies, processes, and consequences of transgressions?What are the debated boundaries, norms, conventions, and traditions in the performing arts?What kind of cultural, social, political, and religious contexts cause transgressions?Who has established the restrictions that performative transgressions try to overcome, and why?In the following, we define and contextualize the notions of performativity and transgression and introduce articles that tackle the topics.