Frank J. Korom (2013) explains that in the capitalist process of globalization and transculturalism, the immanent local performing practices become the new form of cultural innovation. This is commoditized, signified and situated by the people and self-proclaimed as identity. Hence, the art of folk and local performances can be considered as both creative and artistic practices and the discursive politics of cultural identification among various social groups. We are in urgent need to investigate and understand this complexity founded in folk performances in which local people play as social and cultural agency negotiating with other groups in multi-layers of social dimension.
This conference provides the opportunity for both Thai and foreign scholars to further the study of folk performances in the Southeast Asian region focusing on the 6 categories of dance, theatre, music, extemporized song, puppetry, and circus art. This conference will contribute significant new knowledge to the public forum. Its aim is to create a platform on which the local people of this region can demonstrate their own cultural identity through folk performance.