Gender consciousness through applied theatre

Abstract

This paper describes an experience of the use of applied theatre for the promotion of gender equality. The fact that women continue to face multiple forms of discrimination as human beings, citizens and professionals justified the search of alternative training models. The Empowerment Labs focused on the amplification of power, freedom and action of two groups of women: university students and unemployed women. The core of the approach followed was guided by a fundamental question: 'can theatre raise consciousness and empowerment in the context of gender equality?' The results obtained through different internal assessment tools provide evidence of change in what feminist awareness and personal empowerment are concerned. We present and discuss the process and results of this experience including the advantages and limitations of applied theatre in certain types of outcomes.

Theatre as a Social and Educational Experience: A Case Study With Homeless People in Spain

“…To investigate AT practices, the most used methodology is 'practice as research' (Nicholson, 2005) where social intervention and research merge. This hybridisation makes it possible to work jointly on various objectives, such as producing new knowledge through research techniques, modifying specific realities because of innovative practices or promoting social learning and the participation of the agents involved (Sales-Oliveira et al, 2019). In this study we have opted for a strategy that is closer to 'participation with observation' or 'observant participation' than to the usual participant observation, because in the research scenario the first author assumed a triple role: as researcher, theatre teacher and artistic creator.…”

La Performance Teatral como Dispositivo Transferencial Crítico de la Violencia Micromachista en Adolescentes

“…Si hay un ámbito especialmente relevante para valorar el papel que puede jugar la dramatización teatral como herramienta de concientización, empoderamiento y transformación social es el vinculado a la mujer y el género (Gallagher y Rodricks, 2017). La dramatización teatral se transforma en un recurso creativo y estético que facilita la visibilización y comprensión de problemáticas como la discriminación, las opresiones, la desigualdad y/o la violencia en contra de las mujeres (Sales Oliveira, et al, 2019). La utilización del teatro como herramienta didáctica para la prevención de la violencia de género y la promoción de igualdad, no sólo ayuda a simbolizar situaciones injustas y opresoras de la vida cotidiana para poder comprenderlas, cambiarlas y mejorarlas (Stahl, 2018), sino que también hace referencia a la potencialidad que tiene como recurso de transformación individual, colectiva y social (Taylor, 2019).…”