This volume explores the vast and varied landscape of performance studies, examining behaviors across diverse contexts and cultures. Richard Schechner, a leading figure in the field, brings together essays from prominent anthropologists, artists, and theorists to offer a comprehensive introduction to performance studies. The book investigates a wide array of performance behaviors, including dance, ritual, conflict resolution, sports, storytelling, and display, across numerous circumstances and cultures. It critically engages with fundamental questions such as the interplay between training and performance, the universality versus cultural specificity of performance behavior, and the intricate relationships between ritual and aesthetics, popular entertainment and religion, and sports and theater/dance.

This collection is recognized as a foundational text within the burgeoning field of performance studies, valued for its interdisciplinary approach and the caliber of its contributors. It serves as a definitive introduction, offering scholars, teachers, and students across anthropology, theatre, folklore, semiotics, and performance studies a comprehensive overview of key concepts and debates. The essays collectively map the scope of performance studies, highlighting its relevance to understanding human behavior in its myriad forms.