| Teaching Civic Engagement Globally is the result of collaborative work spanning scholars from multiple disciplines, fields, and careers. Political scientists, educators, and students have joined to produce important, timely research. |
Chapter 15: In a Democracy We Must Act! Theatre as a Tool for Developing Civic Engagement
by Xaman Minillo and Mariana Pimenta Oliveira Baccarini, Federal University of Paraíba
How can we develop civic values and skills in societies like Brazil where political change has traditionally had little connection to popular action, and far-right leaders promote authoritarianism in ways that challenge the nation’s commitment to minority rights and democratic institutions? This chapter shows how theater can be a way to promote civic engagement. Bringing the experience of a student-led community outreach inspired by Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed, we demonstrate how political theater can foster deep engagement with political issues and active citizenship among college students in Brazil. The chapter details the pedagogical approach used, which was inspired by Freire’s program of education as a promoter of emancipation, as well as Boal’s theatre of the oppressed. It also features the development of the Interna-só-na-mente Political Theater Group and, through its assessment, demonstrates how theatre can promote civic values, knowledge, and engagement in a student-led community outreach initiative and encourage spectators to become spect-actors.
About Teaching Civic Engagement Globally
Educators around the globe are facing challenges in teaching politics in an era in which populist values are on the rise, authoritarian governance is legitimized, and core democratic tenets are regularly undermined. To combat anti-democratic outcomes and citizens’ apathy, Teaching Civic Engagement Globally provides a wide range of pedagogical tools to help the current generation learn to effectively navigate debates and lead changes in local, national, and global politics. Contributors discuss key theoretical discussions and challenges regarding global civic engagement education, highlight successful evidence-based pedagogical approaches, and review effective ways to reach across disciplines and the global education community.