Democracy, theatre and performance : from the Greeks to Gandhi /
David Wiles.
- vii, 241 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction: democracy as performance -- Rhetoric in Athens -- Acting versus sincerity: Aeschines versus Demosthenes -- Puritan democracy: the English revolution -- Oratory in the French revolution -- American democracy: from the founders to feminism -- Democracy as a universal good: Gandhi, Tagore and the new India -- Theatre and theatocracy in democratic Athens.
"David Wiles boldly reframes democracy as a form of theatre, moving from Athens to the English, French, and American revolutions, and to Indian independence, exploring how democracy really works. Engagingly written, his book will reshape thinking for students and general readers in theatre, history and political science alike"--