Performative turn

The performative turn is like playing pretend where you become a different character and act like them instead of being yourself. It is when people focus on the actions of people instead of just their words.

For example, imagine you are playing a game of "doctor" with your friends. You put on a lab coat and a stethoscope and pretend to check your friend's heartbeat. Even though you are not really a doctor, you are pretending to be one which can make you and your friends feel like you are really involved in the game.

In the same way, the performative turn focuses on actions that people take instead of just what they say or think. It is about the things we do, as opposed to what we say or think, that help us better understand the world around us. For example, if someone says that they love someone, but they treat that person poorly, their actions speak louder than their words.

So, the performative turn is all about paying attention to what people do and how their actions reveal more about them than just what they say or think.