1st Edition

Circus for Social Change Social Circus in Context

By Katie Lavers, Jon Burtt, Emmanuel Bochud Copyright 2026
316 Pages 45 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

316 Pages 45 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

316 Pages 45 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

In this volume Social Circus is explored in depth by three Circus Studies scholars working with the aim of creating new ways of engaging with the field. Lavers, Burtt, and Bochud investigate the way that Social Circus transforms in response to its immediate environment, and particularly its social, political, and cultural context. Extensively illustrated, with photos of different Social... Read more

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Cirqiniq: The Decolonising of Social Circus in Nunavik

Chapter 3. LifeLine: Funambulism and Social Circus

Chapter 4. Circus Harmony and Zip Zap Circus: Social Circus Combatting Prejudice

Chapter 5. Circo Laheto: A Social Circus Making the Road by Walking

Chapter 6. Women’s Circus: Feminist Social Circus in Australia

Chapter 7. The MMCC: Decentralised Social Circus in War and Conflict Zones

Chapter 8. Games in Social Circus

Chapter 9. Voices

Biography

Katie Lavers is a writer and researcher and is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. She is a widely published Circus Studies scholar, Co-Editor of the Routledge Circus Studies Reader (2016), and Co-Author of Contemporary Circus (2019) now available in English, Chinese, and Korean.

 

Jon Burtt is the Director of the Master of Creative Industries and Senior Lecturer in Creative Arts at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. He is an award-winning director, choreographer, and performer, and an educator and Social Circus instructor. He is a widely published Circus Studies scholar and Co-Author of Contemporary Circus (2019).

 

Emmanuel Bochud is currently a Social Innovation and Training Director at HUPR (Center for Research on Human Potential) based at the National Circus School, Montreal, Canada. Widely regarded as a world expert in Social Circus training, he is the former Team Leader of Programs and Partnerships in Cirque du Soleil’s Public Affairs and Social Responsibility Program which included Cirque du Monde, Cirque du Soleil’s Social Circus wing.