Research in the area of performance poetry is still relatively new to the field of communication. Using Hecht’s Communication Theory of Identity, this study explores performance poetry as a communicative tool for identity management. By observing the performances of five poets from six seasons of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, a thematic analysis of the communication practices that occurred during the performances was used to code the processes of identity management. Additionally, this study explores how validation of enacted identity occurs between the poets and their audiences. Findings suggest that performance poetry could effectively be utilized as a tool in identity management that would offer both a macro and a micro evaluation of multiple identities on multiple levels; and validation occurred as either a natural or prompted response. Overall, this study demonstrates the usefulness of performance poetry in not only self-expression by also as valuable instrument in managing identity.
","abstract_html":"<p>Research in the area of performance poetry is still relatively new to the field of communication. Using Hecht’s Communication Theory of Identity, this study explores performance poetry as a communicative tool for identity management. By observing the performances of five poets from six seasons of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, a thematic analysis of the communication practices that occurred during the performances was used to code the processes of identity management. Additionally, this study explores how validation of enacted identity occurs between the poets and their audiences. Findings suggest that performance poetry could effectively be utilized as a tool in identity management that would offer both a macro and a micro evaluation of multiple identities on multiple levels; and validation occurred as either a natural or prompted response. Overall, this study demonstrates the usefulness of performance poetry in not only self-expression by also as valuable instrument in managing identity.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["VanHook, Angela"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Communication, Media and Theatre Arts","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dennis Patrick","Jeannette Kindred","Doris J. Fields"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:27Z","subjects":["Communication","Communication Theory of Identity","CTI","Identity","Performance Poetry","Spoken Word","Arts and Humanities","Theatre and Performance Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/883","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dennis Patrick","Jeannette Kindred","Doris J. Fields"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["VanHook, Angela"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-03-15T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication, Media and Theatre Arts"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Communication","Communication Theory of Identity","CTI","Identity","Performance Poetry","Spoken Word","Arts and Humanities","Theatre and Performance Studies"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/883"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Research in the area of performance poetry is still relatively new to the field of communication. Using Hecht’s Communication Theory of Identity, this study explores performance poetry as a communicative tool for identity management. By observing the performances of five poets from six seasons of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, a thematic analysis of the communication practices that occurred during the performances was used to code the processes of identity management. Additionally, this study explores how validation of enacted identity occurs between the poets and their audiences. Findings suggest that performance poetry could effectively be utilized as a tool in identity management that would offer both a macro and a micro evaluation of multiple identities on multiple levels; and validation occurred as either a natural or prompted response. Overall, this study demonstrates the usefulness of performance poetry in not only self-expression by also as valuable instrument in managing identity.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Uncovering identities through performance poetry"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dennis Patrick","Jeannette Kindred","Doris J. Fields"],"dc:creator":["VanHook, Angela"],"dc:date.available":["2018-03-15T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Research in the area of performance poetry is still relatively new to the field of communication. Using Hecht’s Communication Theory of Identity, this study explores performance poetry as a communicative tool for identity management. By observing the performances of five poets from six seasons of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, a thematic analysis of the communication practices that occurred during the performances was used to code the processes of identity management. Additionally, this study explores how validation of enacted identity occurs between the poets and their audiences. Findings suggest that performance poetry could effectively be utilized as a tool in identity management that would offer both a macro and a micro evaluation of multiple identities on multiple levels; and validation occurred as either a natural or prompted response. Overall, this study demonstrates the usefulness of performance poetry in not only self-expression by also as valuable instrument in managing identity.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/883"],"dc:subject":["Communication","Communication Theory of Identity","CTI","Identity","Performance Poetry","Spoken Word","Arts and Humanities","Theatre and Performance Studies"],"dc:title":["Uncovering identities through performance poetry"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication, Media and Theatre Arts"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:27Z"}