Production of Spider Talks is paused due to the University’s Physical Distance Framework and CDC guidelines. The popular video series, featuring President Ronald A. Crutcher interviewing UR faculty about their areas of expertise and research, is planned to resume in 2021. For now, we’re featuring a selection of episodes from past seasons in our Spider Talks Rewind series.

This episode, “Performance as a Tool for Social Change” features Patricia Herrera, associate professor of theatre. Herrera’s teaching and research focus on contemporary theater and performance, with an emphasis on social justice, identity politics, and transnationalism.

As protests erupted around the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd and continue daily, Herrera is keenly aware of how protest and performance in the streets can help us reimagine future possibilities. 

“Performance has a unique way of gathering people together, inspiring them, and then transforming that inspiration into understanding, action, and change,” she says.

Spider Talks Rewind will appear on UR Now through the end of 2020. In October, political science professor Ernest McGowen is featured, discussing his expertise on the changing political landscape.  

Related:

• View all Spider Talks episodes.