(A) Change Society A collaborative research into the possibilities of changing the society through participatory theatre.

Abstract

In this collaborative research, different theatre facilitators have been involved in order to develop new participatory theatre practices that aim to change structural inequalities and oppressions. In this thesis these different techniques are understood from the perspective of different social theories, namely Marxism, system theory and the ethics of care. On the basis of these theories, different possibilities are explored to examine how participatory theatre can change society. The final argument of this thesis is that participatory theatre facilitators should understand and develop the theoretical foundation of their work more than they have tended to do in the past and accordingly change their theatrical practices. This would enable them to develop participatory theatre practices to influence a society that is currently more and more focusing on individual responsibility and which neglects the social structures that create inequality.