There has been little research into the sociology of theatre in Hungary. The basic questionnaire (and its variants) developed by the earlier international STEP (Project on European Theatre Systems) research project did not focus primarily on social (e.g. demographic) data sets (which would be the task of classical theatre sociology), but on the group-level mapping of spectator experiences (thematic, aesthetic, communicative, contextual, identification) (using qualitative and quantitative tools). In this workshop, we will discuss questionnaires as methodological guides for students and researchers, related methodological problems, contemporary theories in the sociology of theatre, research to date and the latest research with international experts, national academics and students. The workshop aims to promote research in the sociology of theatre in Hungary. The proceedings of the workshop will be published in the journal Uránia in Hungarian and English.

Invited contributors: Hans van Maanen, University of Groningen, professor emeritus; Chris Balme, LMU Munich; Stephen Wilmer, Trinity College, Dublin; Joshua Edelman, Manchester Metropolitan University; Marlieke Wilders, University of Groningen; Antine Zijlstra, NHL Stenden, Leeuwarden; Hedi-Liis Toome, University of Tartu; Magdolna Balkányi, University of Debrecen, professor emeritus; Lilla Gódor, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary (KRE), MA student in Theatre Studies

Organisers: Enikó Sepsi (KRE) and Attila Szabó (KRE-SZFE) 

(24 March 2023)