Joshua Edelman worked as a research fellow at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, University of London. Louise Ejgod Hansen holds a research position at the theatre section of Aarhus University.Quirijn Lennert van den Hoogen is university lecturer of arts sociology and arts policy at the University of Groningen.

"[This book] opens up an interesting and necessary debate in theatre analysis. It is arguable whether theatrical autonomy, being a concept that is almost impossible to define without a certain amount of reductionism, can be the key concept in further research on theatre sociology, but precisely the research of concrete cases will answer this question. It is therefore a valuable book that will help any researcher or student rethink his or her methodological approach." - Ga¿per Troha, Amfiteater, Journal of Performing Arts Theory Vol. 5, no. 2

• Introduction, 1. How can we define autonomy?, 2. The concept of artistic autonomy, 3. Autonomy in the contemporary theatre, 4. How agents in theatre fields make use of claims to autonomy, 5. How theatre organization shapes claims to autonomy, 6. How claims to autonomy serve those outside theatre fields, Conclusion, References