Lihus M. Performance as a communicative event: social-philosophical analysis.

The research is devoted to the social-philosophical analysis of the performance phenomenon and its conceptualization as a communicative event. According to the research purpose, the logic of the dissertation is reflected in the consecutive research steps aimed to justify the relevance of the performance examination as a social-cultural phenomenon instead of its consideration as an art genre, and definition of its communicative potential through the lens of analysis of social-cultural contexts of its manifestation. The first theoretical research step is the definition of the performative turn specificity in the field of humanities as a premise to consider the philosophical foundations of the activation of academic interest in the performance as social-cultural phenomenon but not just an art genre. The definition of social-cultural and philosophical foundations of the performative turn and its consequences reflected in the transformation of the academic research principles ensures the distinction and analysis of three social-philosophical approaches to performance. Methodological typification of these approaches is conducted in accordance with the definition of performance within these theoretical frameworks as a presentation of skills in front of the audience (in the works of E. Fischer-Lichte and S. Frith), representation of typical behavioral patterns (in E. Goffman’s and R. Schechner’s conceptions), and a collective action aimed at pragmatic success (from the position of J. Alexander’s cultural pragmatics). Therefore, the foundations of presentational, representational and pragmatic approaches to the definition of performance are discusses and evaluated.