This thesis describes a study that examined the creation of a theatrical commons that aimed to broaden and deepen democratic engagement among diverse citizens in one public school community. The researcher considered how Forum and Image Theatre (Boal,1979, 1995, 1998, 2002; Diamond,2007) help people to name and invent different possibilities to address complex school community challenges at an individual and community level. It involved former refugee youth, guardians, parents and the general public as they critiqued the potential of a theatrical commons to represent their voices which are at times, marginalized from decisions made in the community and at a policy level. This participatory action research project drew heavily on the theatrical imaginations of Augusto Boal and David Diamond. The aims of this work were grounded in critical theory (Apple, 2008 & 2009; Chomsky, 2000; Freire, 2008; Furman & Gruenwald, 2004; Giroux, 2008; Kincheloe & McLaren, 2005). The study itself was divided into three phases: the participants’ identification of a community problem that was of great importance to them (phase 1), a workshop series that sought to explore the tensions and complexities embedded in the community dilemma, (phase 2), and a performance by the participants in a Forum Theatre event (phase 3) that invited members of a school community to imagine new possibilities for addressing a community problem. Participants were invited to reflect critically on the ability of Image and Forum Theatre to ignite critical dialogue in a diverse school community. The study’s findings indicate that space was created for participants to raise their voices in the following ways: (1) The participants defined the social justice issue that informed the workshops and the play; (2) Image theatre troubled the hegemony of the English language; (3) The participants defined, scripted and shared their struggles in the wider community; (4) Numerous opportunities occurred in the study that provoked multiple interpretations of complex community issues, and; (5) The audience members moved from the role of observer to spect-actor on the night of the performance.

This thesis describes a study that examined the creation of a theatrical commons that aimed to broaden and deepen democratic engagement among diverse citizens in one public school community. The researcher considered how Forum and Image Theatre (Boal,1979, 1995, 1998, 2002; Diamond,2007) help people to name and invent different possibilities to address complex school community challenges at an individual and community level. It involved former refugee youth, guardians, parents and the general public as they critiqued the potential of a theatrical commons to represent their voices which are at times, marginalized from decisions made in the community and at a policy level. This participatory action research project drew heavily on the theatrical imaginations of Augusto Boal and David Diamond. The aims of this work were grounded in critical theory (Apple, 2008 & 2009; Chomsky, 2000; Freire, 2008; Furman & Gruenwald, 2004; Giroux, 2008; Kincheloe & McLaren, 2005). The study itself was divided into three phases: the participants’ identification of a community problem that was of great importance to them (phase 1), a workshop series that sought to explore the tensions and complexities embedded in the community dilemma, (phase 2), and a performance by the participants in a Forum Theatre event (phase 3) that invited members of a school community to imagine new possibilities for addressing a community problem. Participants were invited to reflect critically on the ability of Image and Forum Theatre to ignite critical dialogue in a diverse school community. The study’s findings indicate that space was created for participants to raise their voices in the following ways: (1) The participants defined the social justice issue that informed the workshops and the play; (2) Image theatre troubled the hegemony of the English language; (3) The participants defined, scripted and shared their struggles in the wider community; (4) Numerous opportunities occurred in the study that provoked multiple interpretations of complex community issues, and; (5) The audience members moved from the role of observer to spect-actor on the night of the performance.

Community Renewal International is a not profit group based in Shreveport, La. whose mission is to partnering with God and with each other to make our world a home where every child can grow up safe and loved. This report is the personal account from the photographer of a photojournalism project covering the organization. It includes the struggles of, stories from, and intention of the photographer. / text

以土地重劃方式辦理農村社區更新在台灣地區係屬較新且正積極辦理中的農村社區更新方式。究竟這種方式的理論基礎何在？其優劣點與可行性如何？又其可能面臨何種困境？又理論與實際間之差距多大？這些都是本論文所研究的內容。 　　本論文計有五大章十八小節，其內容如下： 　　第一章：說明本論文之研究動機、研究目的、研究方法與過去相關文獻之回顧，以彰顯本論文之研究價值。 　　第二章：本章先從農村社區所扮演的時代角色轉變與農村在區域經濟上之定位加以界定、再就過去之農村建設及當前之農村社區問題等方面，來就當前農村社區更新之迫切性加以深入的探討。以釐清一般人對農村建設必要性的誤解，同時建立農村社區需要更新之理論基礎。 　　第三章：本章首先針對農村社區土地重劃作一概略性的陳述。其次，再從理論面對此種更新模式之可行性、更新效益及其可能面臨的困境三方面加以探討。最後，本論文提出一些因應的對策，以為彌補這種更新方式缺失之參考，同時，根據理論研擬未來之農村社區更新所應依循之建設方向，以為今後辦理之參考。 　　第四章：台灣地區實施農村社區土地重劃，自民國七十六年至今，已先後於若干農村社區試辦。然而，依據台灣省政府地政處及行政院農委會的相關資料指出，在這些試辦的案例中，實以台中縣大安鄉松雅社區、雲林縣土庫鎮溪埔寮社區，及新竹市富山農村社區三個案例較具成效。其中，尤以新竹市的富山村社區為較晚近，規劃較為完善，且為主辦單位所津津樂道者。因此本研究採此案例為個案研究之對象。藉由官方資料佐助、現場堪察訪問及問卷調查方式，對此案例之具體效益、面臨困境及未解決之問題深入的研究，以檢視理論與實際作業間之差距，同時發掘新問題，以為日後實施之參考借鏡。 　　第五章：提出本論文之結論、建議與後續研究方向。

Indigenous research methodologies encourage indigenous scholars and allies to re-make research. Deliberately positioning academic inquiry as part of a research design, research can sustain and renew a community’s ability to engage their political priorities while fostering a transition back to community-based knowledge production. In this dissertation, I report on two research projects I was involved in that were led by Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations. Both projects examine Tla-o-qui-aht knowledge systems and values in relation to other lifeforms like salmon. I document how the Tla-o-qui-aht community and I, as a researcher, navigated a series of existing institutional and community-based ethical processes together and were able to create new ones to guide our research as well as research in the future. These processes included: creating a Tla-o-qui-aht Research Liaison position, establishing a Traditional Resource Committee for the review of all research involving Tla-o-qui-aht, and relocating the researcher to the community. The practices emerging from these processes reoriented Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations’ research accountabilities toward their ḥaw̓iiḥ (hereditary chiefs) and ḥatkm̓iiḥ (high-ranking women) as part of their regeneration of their relationships with the ḥaḥuułi (chiefly territories). This praxis of indigenous research in Tla-o-qui-aht ḥaḥuułi, that is, ensuring that practice is informed by community knowledge, demonstrates the importance of placing research leadership in the community. By situating leadership and researcher in community the ontologies of Tla-o-qui-aht knowledge systems emerged as a way to describe dissonance, recentre lived values and imagine possible futures of abundance. The use of filming as research method, centring Ciiqciqasa (speaking Nuučaan̓ułʔath), digitization of community records, and analysis of existing community records of ḥaaḥuupa (teaching, storytelling) were directed by Tla-o-qui-aht and reflect how academic research can serve community renewal. / Graduate / 2023-05-31