告别“实证主义”:北美“戏剧史编纂学”的缘起与路径

Beyond Positivism: The Emergence and Approaches of Theatre Historiography in North America

20世纪80年代以后,身处北美的戏剧史学者在批评理论的影响下自觉地反思德国“戏剧学”在北美学界的历史遗产。北美学者使用“戏剧史编纂学”的概念来理论化戏剧史研究,并以此为基础来探索不同于实证主义的戏剧史研究方法。戏剧史编纂学关注的是戏剧史研究中根本性的假设、原则与方法。戏剧史编纂学让学界重新认识了戏剧的本质属性、戏剧史研究材料和研究对象,为欧美戏剧史研究进入“后实证主义戏剧史”的历史阶段提供了重要的理论基础。

Beginning in the 1980s, under the influence of critical theories, theatre historians in North America began to critically reflect upon the historical legacy of Theaterwissenschaft(Theatre Studies). Scholars adopted the concept of “theatre historiography” to theorize research on theatre history. This intellectual move sought to explore methodologies that differ from a positivist approach to theatre history. Theatre historiography is concerned with the most essential assumptions, principles, and methodologies that determine how theatre history is produced. The emergence of theatre historiography has facilitated a renewed understanding of the essential nature of theatre, materials for research in theatre history, and research subjects. Theatre historiographers in North America have thus laid out the theoretical foundation for postpositivist theatre history within the Euro-American context.