Performing Postsocialism: International Symposium at the University of Vienna on 9–10 April 2026

The international symposium “Performing Postsocialism: Cultures of Performance-Making in Twenty-First-Century China” took place on 9–10 April 2026 at the Jura Soyfer Saal, Hofburg. The event was organized by the Performing Postsocialism Project Team at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Vienna.

The programme opened with a keynote by Sheldon Lu (University of California, Davis) on “History, Memory, Temporality in Postsocialist Performance in 21st-Century China.” Day One featured three panels—”Making Postsocialist Affect,” “Making Postsocialist Agency,” and “Making Postsocialist Ritual”—exploring interactive theatre, (post-)revolutionary dance dramas, transcultural resonance, performative silence, and urban ritual cultures.

Day Two focused on “Making Postsocialist Policy” and “Making Postsocialist (Eco)systems,” addressing diplomacy, cultural governance, institutions, and performance ecologies. The programme concluded with “Making Postsocialist Futures,” examining bodies, technologies, and artistic labour.

The artistic programme presented Qu Chang and Ye Hui’s “Linger In Sounds: The (For)getaway,” followed by a DJ set by Hotpotposse at BEK Forum.