Dr. Donia Mounsef
Education
PhD (French & Theatre), University of British Columbia, 2000.
MA (French), University of Alberta, 1994.
Career Achievements
Vice Dean, Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta. 2021-2022
Associate Dean Academic, Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta. 2020-2021
Professor of Drama and Etudes théâtrales (CSJ), University of Alberta. 2018-present
Acting Section Head, Arts, Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta. 2016-2017.
Section Head, Arts & Language, Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta. 2009-2012.
Associate Professor of Drama and Etudes théâtrales (CSJ), University of Alberta. 2007-2018.
Associate Professor of French & Theatre Studies, Yale University. 2006-07.
Assistant Professor of French & Theatre Studies, Yale University. 2000-06.
Grants, Fellowships & Awards
Great Supervisor Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (2020)
Timms Innovation Fund (2018)
President's Fund for the Creative and Performing Arts (2018- 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2010, 2009)
Kule Institute for Advanced Studies, Dialogue Grant, PI (2016-2018)
Teaching Award. Campus Saint-Jean (2016)
Killam Conference Travel Fund (2015, 2013)
SAS-Travel and Research Fund (2015, 2012, 2011, 2008)
Kule Institute for Advanced Studies, Collaborator (2012-2013)
Killam Research Fund, (2011-2012)
Publications
Books
Atrocity's Spectacle: Coercive Desire in Contemporary Culture [In Progress]
Chair et révolte dans le théâtre de Bernard-Marie Koltès. (Paris : L'Harmattan, 2005)
Edited Collections
Co-editor with Sourayan Mokerjee. Edited collection, Toxic Media Ecology: The Cultural Politics of Planetary Crises. Athabasca University Press [Under Consideration]
Co-editor with Josette Féral. "The Transparency of the Text: Contemporary French and Francophone Writing for the Stage," Yale French Studies (Vol. 112, Fall 2007)
Editor, "Performing the Text, Performing the Self," Theatre and Performance Special Issue, Yale Journal of Criticism, (Vol. 16.1, Spring 2003).
Articles & Book Chapters
“The Future Performative: Staging the Body as Failure of the Archive.” Global Performance Studies 2.2 (Nov. 2019).
“Fascinating Queer Fascism”: The Situationist International and Contemporary Sexual Politics.” Contours Journal, Issue 9 (Summer 2019). SFU Humanities Institute.
"Andragogie, altérité, et performance: mise en jeu et mise en espace de l'autre en milieu minoritaire." Chapitre dans L'éducation supérieure et la dualité linguistique dans l'Ouest canadien : défis et réalités. Samira El-Atia, Ed. Presse de l'Université Laval, 2018. 175-188.
"Atrocity, Banality, and Jouissance in Performance." Understanding Atrocity: Remembering, Representing, and Teaching Genocide. Ed. Scott W. Murray. Calgary : University of Calgary Press, 2016. 253-272.
"Violence, vraisemblance et bienséance: corps souffrants, corps effarants dans le théâtre et la danse contemporains." Revue Krypton. [No 5/6, 2015]
"Média(cri)ture scénique et intermédialité : Le texte dramatique entre théâtre écranisé et écran théâtralisé". Littérature médiagénique : Ecriture, musique et arts visuels. Ouvrage collectif (François Guiyoba, Editeur). (Paris: L'Harmattan, 2015) : 147-164.
With Natalie Meisner, "Gender, Humour, and Transgression in Canadian Women's Theatre." Prague Journal of English Studies. Vol. 3:1 (2014): 47-63.
With Mai Hussein, "Performing Translocal Memory:Testament and Testimony in Contemporary Theatre & Performance." Journal of Global Studies and Contemporary Art/ Revista de Estudios Globales y Arte Contemporáneo. Vol. 2, n. 2 (2014): 123-144.
With Natalie Meisner, "From the Postdramatic to the Poly-dramatic: The Text/Performance Divide Reconsidered." Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, 26:1 (Fall 2011): 85-102.
"The Desire for Language, the Language of Desire in the Theatre of Bernard-Marie Koltès." Yale French Studies Vol. 112 (Fall 2007): 84-98.
With Josette Féral, "Editors' Preface: The Transparency of the Text." Yale French Studies vol. 112 (Fall 2007): 1-4.
"Théâtralisation et corps hystérique dans Portrait de Dora d'Hélène Cixous." Feminismo/s : Revista del Centro de Estudios Sobre la Mujer de la Universidad de Alicante n. 7 (Fall 2006): 103-118.
"The Seen, the Scene and the Obscene: Commodity Fetishism and Corporeal Ghosting." Women and Performance: A Journal of Feminist Theory Vol. 15.1 (2005): 243-261.
Conference Papers
"Espaces migratoires, non-lieux, et 'braconnage identitaire' dans le théâtre transculturel canadien." AFEC (Association française des études canadiennes). Université d'Avignon, France (June 13-15, 2018)
"Incarceration as Mise en scène: Documenting Photographic Evidence as Fetish in Performance." Carceral Cultures Conference, Canadian Association for Cultural Studies, SFU, Vancouver (March 1-4, 2018)
"Water Protectors: An Indigenous Cosmology in Performance." Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Conference, UBC, Vancouver (June 22-25, 2017)
"Performance in Liquid Times." Water Ecologies in Theatre Seminar. Performing the Anthropocene Conference, University of Toronto, Canadian Association for Theatre Research (May 27-30, 2017)
"Bodies of Evidence: Post-Truth in the Digital Age." Media in a Post-Truth Era, Around the World Conference, U. of Alberta KIAS & Humanities Computing Digital Conference, Edmonton (May 4, 2017)
"Performing Queer Fascism: Situationist Détournement and Dérive and Contemporary Sexual Politics." Spectacle of Fascism Conference, SFU, Vancouver (April 7-9, 2017)
"Dro(w)ning not Waving: Toxic Media, Toxic Bodies." Toxic Media Ecologies Symposium. Intermedia Research Studio, University of Alberta (March 8, 2017)
"Getting W.E.T.: A Foggy History." Under Western Skies Conference, Mount Royal University, Calgary (Sept. 27-30, 2016)
"Playing to/with Drones: Surveillance, Sousveillance, and Performing Locative Resistance." Canadian Association for Theatre Research, Congress 2016, Calgary. CATR Seminar: "Scattered Communities: Performance, War, and Displacement" (May 28-June 1, 2016)
"The Economies of Failure in Performance: Staging Memory as 'Archive Fever'." Memory Economies Symposium, Edmonton, University of Alberta (May 25-26, 2016)
"Performing from Below: Drone Theory, Surveillance, and Toxic Media." Toxic Media Ecologies : Critical Responses to the Cultural Politics of Planetary Crises. Intermedia Research Studio, University of Alberta (March 12, 2016)
"Mediating Documentary Theatre or Visual Evidence as Fetish in Performance." FOOT Festival and Conference, University of Toronto, Drama Centre (Feb. 5-7, 2016)
"Telemediating Temporal Distance: Performing Presence in Uchronic Time." Performance Studies International, Fluid States North Conference. Copenhagen, Denmark (June 18-21, 2015)
"Biopolitics and the Posthuman Actor on the Intermedial Stage." Bodies on Stage: Acting Confronted by Technology Conference. Université Paris III, Sorbonne-Nouvelle (June 3- 5, 2015)
"Performing Exceptionalism: Photography, Tableaux Vivants, & the Violence Spectacle." Panel "Photography, Testimony, & the Voyeuristic Gaze: Bearing Witness to Trauma." North East MLA Convention, Toronto (April 30-May 3, 2015)
"The Intermedialist Actor: Materiality and Mediaturgy in the Performing Arts." U. of Alberta, Intermedia Research Symposium: Making Research: Materiality, Creativity, and Intermediation. (March 14, 2015)
"Performing Surveillance as Irony or what Happens to the Holes when the Cheese is Gone." Panel "Surveillance and its Discontent." American Circuit American Secrets Conference, Banff Centre for the Arts (Sept. 18-21, 2014)
"Eco-Echo Poetics on the Move". Site-specific Performance Poetry and Poster Session. Under Western Skies Conference, MRU, Calgary (Sept. 9-12, 2014)
"Straddling Creative Research and Critical Research." Panel "Other Forms, Craft & Criticism." Canadian Creative Writers and Writing Programs Conference. UBC, Vancouver (May 15-18, 2014)
"(Mis)understanding Atrocities or the Semantic Density of the Word "Genocide" in Performance." Panel "(Mis)understanding Atrocities." Understanding Atrocities Conference, MRU Calgary (Feb. 19-22, 2014)
"Transmediated Temporality: Staging the U-Chronic Body in Performance." Panel "Visual and Spatial Representations of Temporality". Performance Studies International Conference, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California (June 26-30, 2013)
"Remediating 'Wound Culture': Genocide as Public Spectacle." Panel: "Iteration of Genocide." Performance Studies International Conference, Stanford University, Palo Alto Calif. (June 26-30, 2013)
"Performing Autobiography and the Intermedial Turn in Feminist Performance Practice." PhiloSOPHIA Conference, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff (May 2-5, 2013)
"Shooting Otherness: Intermediality and the Intercultural Gaze." Panel Intermedial/Intercultural. Performance Studies International Conference. Leeds, UK (June 27-July 1, 2012)
"The People are the Poem": Performing the Political Spring from la Guerre d'Algérie to the Jasmine Revolution." Panel "Traversées identitaires, mémoire de guerre et de revolution." 20th & 21st Century French & Francophone Studies, Long Beach, CA, U Cal Long Beach (March 29-April 1, 2012)
"Interculturalism, Inter-visuality, and Dis-appropriation: Toward a Cultural Anatomy of Looking in the Theatre." Seminar Cross-Cultural Adaptation & Appropriation in World Drama. American Comparative Literature Association, Annual Conference. Vancouver, BC (March 31-April 4, 2011)
"Women, Torture, and the Banality of Jouissance." Panel "Performing Gendered Violence: Jouissance and the 'Pathological Public Sphere.'" Performance Studies International Conference 16, York University & OCAD, Toronto, ON (June 9-13, 2010)
"Of Peace, Poetry and Protest." The Canadian Peace Research Association, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Concordia University, Montréal, QC (May 30-June 3, 2010)
"Vanishing Bodies: Intermediality and Photographic Trauma in Marie Clements' The Edward Curtis Project." Panel: Intermediality and Sexualized Identities in Canadian Theatre. Canadian Association for Theatre Research, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Concordia University, Montréal, QC (May 28-June 2, 2010)
"From Conflict to Conflict Resolution: Theatre Peace Activism and Experimentation in Form." The Canadian Peace Research and Education Association, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Carlton University, Ottawa, ON (May 28, 2009)
"A Comparative Study of Torture on the Contemporary Stage," Canadian Peace Research Education Association, Congress of the Humanities & Social Sciences, Vancouver, BC (June 5, 2008)
Invited Lectures & Presentations
Roundtable: "Spectacle of Fascism in the 21st Century." Spectacle of Fascism Conference, SFU, Vancouver (April 9, 2017)
"Water Ecologies in Performance." Featured Researcher, Faculty of Arts Celebration of Research. U. of Alberta (March 6th, 2017)
"Trumpism, Media Frenzy and Post-Truth." After Trump. Faculty of Arts, U. of Alberta (Dec. 2nd 2016)
"Introduction to Bruno Latour and Gaia Global Circus." Under Western Skies Conference, MRU Calgary (Sept. 29th, 2016)
"Intermediality, Crossmediality, Transmediality: Embodiment and the Mediated Turn in Contemporary Theatre and Performance." Simon Fraser University, Institute for the Humanities. (Jan. 16th, 2014).
"Spectacular Violence: Staging Torture after the 'Age of Sobriety in Punishment'." Simon Fraser University, Institute for the Humanities. (Nov. 7th, 2013).
"Ariane Mnouchkine: Théâtre, passions et collaborations." Department of French, Spanish and Italian, University of Calgary (March 1st, 2013).
"Beyond Drama: A Discussion on 'The New Theatre'", GRAND Ideas, Theatre Junction at The GRAND, Calgary, Alberta (March 6th, 2008).
"Shooting the Stage, Staging the Shot: Embodiment and Performance," Guest Lecture, Faculty of Arts, University of Regina (March, 2007).
Playwriting, Dramaturgy and Poetry
Playwright, Director and Actor, play Ayyulshun: Soft under Feet. UofA StageLab (Aug. 2018)
Poetry collection, Plimsoll Lines. Windsor & Detroit: Urban Farmhouse Press, 2018. 100 pages
Dramaturge, Tipi Confessions Cabaret Show. The Needle Vinyl Tavern, Edmonton (Oct. 2017)
Playwright, Trajet dit, staged reading at L'Unithéâtre, Edmonton, directed by Steve Jodoin (Sept. 18-23, 2017)
Dramaturge, Tipi Confessions Cabaret show. NAISA, UBC, Vancouver (June 2017)
Dramaturge, Prairie Confessions / Tipi Confessions Cabaret show, UofA Edmonton (Oct. 2016)
Playwright, Director, & Translator, Trajet Dit, UofA StageLab Festival (Aug. 2016)
Translator from English to Lebanese for CBC Radio, "Hi, it's me" Radio Drama by Adrienne Wong, Writer in Residence on Q, CBC (Nov. 2015).
Poetry Chapbook, Slant of Arils. Columbus, Georgia: Damaged Good Press, 2015. 45 pages
Playwright, full length play in French, Trajet dit, lecture publique at L'Unithéâtre, Edmonton (Feb. 2015).
Playwright, short play in French, Trajet dit at the Grand Marché des Arts, l'Unithéâtre and Theatre Yes, Cité francophone, Edmonton (Sept 27-28th, 2014).
Playwright, short play in French, Trajet dit, part of the National Elevator Project, Theatre Yes & Canoe Festival, Edmonton (Jan.- Feb. 2014).
Playwright and Director, "Sleeping Giant" part of Horizontal Précipice Horizontal, U of A StageLab Festival (August 2012).
Organizer, Slam Poetry Workshop, Campus Saint-Jean & Augustana, U. of Alberta (2009 & 2010 & 2015).
Assistant Director, "Métamorphoses en Stock," end of year student performances, Campus Saint-Jean (April 2009).
Dramaturgical advisor for Jeff Page's production of Mouawad's Tideline, Studio Theatre, U. of Alberta (Fall 2009).
Dramaturgical advisor for Jerry Etienne's dramaturgy on Koltès' Roberto Zucco, Studio Theatre, U. of Alberta (Jan-March 2009).
Recent Graduate Supervision
PhD Supervisor, Tonya Chrystian, "Women's Writing and the Eco-critical Canadian Stage." (Drama, 2017-present)
PhD Supervisor, Aida Patient, "Women and the Performance of Knowledge in the Early Modern Period." (Drama, 2017-present)
PhD Supervisor, John Battye, "Intermediality, Embodimnt and Acting." (Drama, 2013-present).
PhD Co-Supervisor, Xavia Publius, "Bots! Bots! Bots!: Cybernetic Genders and Sexualities in US Television." (Drama, 2017-present)
MA Supervisor, Aksam El-Youssef. "Modernist Arabic Theatre and the formation of Identity. (Drama, 2018-present)
MFA Co-Supervisor, Joëlle Préfontaine, "Huh! Bilingual Immersive Theatre." Dept. of Drama, U. of Alberta (2015-2017. Complete).
MA Supervisor, Rohan Kulkarni, "Postcolonial Canadian Theatre" (Drama, 2014-2016. Complete).
MA Supervisor, Tonya Rae Chrystian, "Feminist Performance and Écriture Féminine" (Drama, 2014-2016. Complete)
MFA Co-Supervisor, Josh Clendenin, "Babel en Bhablóin: A Multilingual Somatic Expression of Linguistic Identity." (Drama, 2014-2016. Complete).
PhD Co-Supervisor, Mai Hussain, "Ecriture rhizomatiue dans le théâtre de Mouawad" (Modern Languages & Cultural Studies, 2008-2014. Complete)
MA Supervisor, John Battye, "Translocal Canadian Theatre" (Drama 2011-2013. Complete).
MA Co-Supervisor, Bashair Alibrahim, "Bilinguisme et auto-traduction" (Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, 2011-2013. Complete)
MA Supervisor, Katie Balcom, "Martin McDonagh's Spatial Narratives" (Drama, 2010-2012. Complete)
MA Supervisor, Cynthia Ing, "Interculturalism in the Theatre of Ariane Mnouchkine and Shūji Terayama" (Drama, 2008-2010. Complete)
MA Supervisor, Cassandra Silver, "Theatrical Multilinguism and the Translation of Culture." (Drama, 2008-2010. Complete)
Course-Based MA Supervisor, Rachael Thompson, "Hotel Modern's KAMP." (Drama, 2008-2010. Complete)