Working Groups

Working Groups lie at the heart of the Federation's scholarly exchanges. The purpose of these groups is to provide sustained scholarly dialogue and continuity of exchange over time, foster new directions in research, and connect members with each other.

Descriptions and contact information are detailed on each group’s sub-page (see below). “The Guidelines for Working Groups” (rev. 2024) further explain the function and administrative protocols.

Meeting at the yearly conference, but sometimes in between as well, the working groups develop a program of research related to their focus. Membership is fluid, but a core of long-term members provides the critical continuity, ongoing developmental leadership, and the basis for project development.

Groups reflect an array of topics within theatre and performance research. The capacity for IFTR to absorb groups is limited, and the longevity of any particular group varies based on factors such as members’ interest, group aims, and disciplinary trends. New groups may be proposed by any Member(s) of IFTR by submitting a proposal to the Executive Committee which clarifies the topic under consideration and maps out a starting procedure and goals (advice on how to start a working group can be obtained through the “Guidelines for Working Groups”).

In addition to IFTR’s annual thematic call for proposals, each working group issues its own call which is posted on its sub-page. IFTR members may join any working group, but membership is informally limited to one group at a time. Prospective members are encouraged to contact a group’s convener(s) to find out more about the specifics of the current projects of each group.

Most groups welcome auditors at the annual conference, however IFTR members are restricted to submitting only ONE application to participate in the program of a given conference (i.e. to a working group, OR general session, OR New Scholars Panel). For information about how to submit to a working group, check links on IFTR’s conference webpage.

Anyone attending the conference is welcome to affiliate with a Working Group. For example, if you are presenting in a New Scholars Panel or a General Panel and wish to attending a particular Working Group, reach out to its convenor(s) to ask for access to the schedule and precirculated papers.

TESTIMONIALS

I had presented twice at the New Scholars Forum and had already attended the Feminist Working Group sessions at these conferences. I wanted to challenge myself and get more precise and detailed feedback on my writing and my MA thesis, so I decided to present in a Working Group. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to present my work in the Feminist Working Group and to receive considerable encouragement and insightful feedback from senior academics. If this is your first time at the IFTR and you are not sure which group to join, I would recommend attending different working groups to see which one suits you best. It is the best way to get in touch with other scholars working on similar approaches and topics.

~ Sophie Totz, University of Cologne

After my presentation at the New Scholar Forum in 2022, I joined the Samuel Beckett Working Group in 2023. In 2024, I attended the Translation, Adaptation, and Dramaturgy Working Group because this aligned well with my focus on the intercultural exchange between the Chinese theatre and the world. In each working group, I submitted a 3000-word paper around a month before the conference, read the other scholars' papers in advance, and presented my paper for 10 minutes followed by a half hour discussion. This facilitated closer relationship with the scholarship in the field, fostered friendships, enabled me to be an active participant, and generated ideas for revision leading to publication and my PhD.

~ Chengyun Zhao, Trinity College Dublin

I participated in the New Scholars Forum in 2021, an experience that helped me be competitive for the New Scholars Prize in 2023. Recently, I joined the Political Performance Working Group, which broadens my academic vision of political performances on a global scale and enables me to reflect on a specific topic, such as leftist theatre, from different intercultural perspectives.

~ Chaomei Chen, Trinity College Dublin