D. Tech. Drama / Environmental degradation and climate change are issues of significant global interest in the twenty first century. Though there is widespread acknowledgment that natural disasters often stem from causes and foundations which may be difficult to explain, scientific evidence is beginning to emerge of human influence on global climate change and ecosystem destabilization. Development and environmental studies researchers are of the opinion that solutions to environmental problems also require input from social science and the humanities because the environment itself is naturally subject to sociological variables, especially in the interaction between people and the environment. A multi-disciplinary approach for engaging environmental issues has given rise to environmental humanities and other applied disciplinary perspectives. There is global concern about environmental issues and their impact on development, however in the field of communication and applied media there is inadequate amplification of how the environmental problems hamper the development of many societies, especially in developing countries. The mainstream media is the established communication network for environmental and other education campaigns, such as radio, television, and newspapers, yet its impact appears stifled by the absence of cultural relatability and participatory requirements. Development communication researchers have determined there is an opportunity to use alternative media channels and a participatory form of communication which is effective at sensitisation and conscientisation of the populace, especially indigenous peoples in rural locations, towards environmental issues. The dramatic arts have been identified as a creative and strategic communication field capable of addressing this problem in environmental communication and development advocacy. This research explores the role of theatre and performance in integrating cultural resources through communal interaction, education and social change. The accessing of the catalytic role of cultural resources in development communication using theatre is tested in a local context involving people-led participatory activities for creating awareness about the environment. This research is therefore an assessment of a practical applied theatre exercise for mitigating environmental problems.

Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is a study of Theatre for Development (TfD) in Kenya. It is an attempt to map out and describe different manifestations of the practice which would, in a way, act as a critical model for practitioners and other stakeholders. However, this is in no way an attempt to provide a rigid all-purpose theoretical model, but nonetheless to offer ways, through a description of aspects of Theatre for Development, within which and through which social and behavioural transformations in this eclectic field may take place. To this end, case studies of a few indicative and contrasting examples of Theatre for Development will be used to provide a mirror which will enable its practitioners to reflect upon and critique their own practices as a way of achieving optimum effectiveness. The works of Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal provide the study with a theoretical model in which its basic assumptions and arguments are tested and developed. These two authors, whose works are related in many ways, privilege the use of participatory approaches in the process of creating critical consciousness and promoting change in the individual and in society; these are fundamental requirements in any meaningful practice of Theatre for Development. The findings of this study reveal the discursive and eclectic state of the practice of Theatre for Development in Kenya as originating from a multiplicity of factors such as the skills (or lack thereof) of the practitioners, government interference and the prescriptive agenda and demands of the project funding bodies, institutions and agencies as well as the proliferation of NGOs using Theatre for Development but lacking its foundational philosophy and methodology. This study therefore suggests that, for the enterprise to be more effective and efficient there is a serious need to reflect critically on its procedures and methodology in order to improve and guide its operation. These fundamental aspects include collaborative research, codification, interactive participation, and facilitation and intervention, and are not prescriptive matters but descriptive, arrived at through a critical analysis of a number of Theatre for Development activities in Kenya. Ultimately the research process has thus highlighted a number of weaknesses and strengths in the practice of Theatre for Development in Kenya. Because Theatre for Development is a performance event, the study utilised both quantitative and qualitative research methods. This was necessary, because the study depended on a bibliographical review, unstructured interviews and action research, where the researcher participated in Theatre for Development projects, happenings and related activities / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is ‘n ondersoek na Teater vir Ontwikkelling in Kenya. Dit poog om die verskillende manifestasies van die praktyk te karteer en beskryf waardeur dit, tot ‘n mate, a kritiese model vir praktisyns en aandeelhouers kan dien. Die onderneming is egter op geen wyse ‘n soeke na ‘n rigiede, allesomvattende teoretiese model nie, maar bied tog ‘n beskrywing van aspekte van Teater vir Ontwikkelling waarbinne en waardeur transformasie van sosiale optrede en handeling in hierdie eklektiese veld kan plaasvind. Met dit in gedagte word na ‘n aantal toepaslike en kontrasterende gevallestudies van Teater vir Ontwikkelling gekyk om ‘n perspektief te ontwikkel wat praktisyns in staat sal stel om hulle eie praktyke krities en effektief te kan evalueer. Die werk en geskrifte van Paulo Freire en Augusto Boal verskaf die teoretiese model vir hierdie ondersoek, wat die basiese beginsels en uitgangspunte daarvan in die Afrika-konteks uittoets en ontwikkel. Hierdie skrywers, wie se werke nou verband hou met mekaar, gee voorkeur aan ‘n interaktiewe, deelnemende benaderings tot die ontwikkelling van ‘n kritiese bewussyn en die stimulering van verandering by die individu en in die gemeenskap. Dié benaderings is fundamenteel tot enige sinvolle aanwending van Teater vir Ontwikkelling. Daar is bevind dat die beoefening van Teater vir Ontwikkelling in Kenia uiters eklekties en uiteenlopend van aard is en dat hierdie stand van sake toegeskryf kan word aan ‘n verskeidenheid faktore, insluitend die vaardighede (of tekort aan vaardighede) van praktisyns, inmenging deur die regering, voorskriftelike agendas en vereistes gestel deur borge en befondsingsagentskappe, edm. ‘n Ander faktor is die geweldige toename in nie-regeringsorganisasies (NGO’s) wat van Teater vir Ontwikkelling gebruik maak terwyl hulle nie oor die basiese filosofiese en metodologiese kennis en opleiding beskik nie. Die bevinding is dus dat sodanige programme slegs meer effektief en doeltreffend bedryf kan word indien daar ernstig besin word oor fundamentele prosedures en metodologieë, om aan die verdere bedryf van die program(me) rigting te kan gee en uitkomste te verbeter. Fundamentele aspekte hierby betrek sou insluit spannavorsing, samewerking, kodifisering, interaktiewe deelname, fasilitering en intervensie, wat nie voorskriftelik is nie, maar beskrywend en rigtinggewend van aard, afgelei uit ‘n kritiese ontleding van ‘n aantal Teater vir Ontwikkelling aktiwiteite in Kenia. Die navorsing het dus uiteindelik ‘n aantal sterk- en swakpunte in die praktyk van Teater vir Ontwikkelling in Kenia belig. Omdat Teater vir Ontwikkelling ‘n aanbiedings-gebeurtenis (“performance event”) is, het die ondersoek beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik. Dit was nodig omdat die ondersoek gebruik gemaak het van formele literatuurstudie, sowel as ongestruktureerde onderhoude en aksienavorsing, waartydens die navorser self deelgeneem het aan van die Teater vir Ontwikkelling projekte, gebeure en aktiwiteite.

A presente dissertação é fruto do interesse da pesquisadora pela linguagem teatral e suas conexões com o campo da saúde. Neste recorte, objetivamos conhecer de que maneira as atividades de teatro têm sido compreendidas e operacionalizadas no trabalho realizado nos últimos anos pelo Instituto Pombas Urbanas no Centro Cultural Arte em Construção, distrito de Cidade Tiradentes, analisando se e como elas podem estar relacionadas com a Promoção da Saúde de jovens participantes do projeto. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo etnográfica, onde acompanhamos durante um ano o trabalho realizado pelo grupo de teatro Pombas Urbanas nesta Organização da Sociedade Civil de Interesse Público (OSCIP) que volta seus trabalhos para a comunidade. Foi realizada observação etnográfica composta por observação participante, dezessete entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os atores do grupo Pombas Urbanas, jovens do Núcleo Teatral Filhos da Dita, da Turma Jovem e da Turma Iniciante, além de análise documental. Analisamos qual a relação existente entre a participação nestas atividades, a redução da vulnerabilidade e o empowerment considerados como componentes importantes da Promoção da Saúde. Como resultados apontamos que, no caso estudado, a vivência teatral tem contribuído para a promoção da saúde dos participantes, especialmente através da metodologia de teatro comunitário utilizada pelo grupo, com ênfase na escuta, estímulo ao diálogo e relações não hierárquicas ou competitivas entre os participantes. Esta vivência tem possibilitado que eles considerem estar aumentando seu autoconhecimento e sintam-se protegidos e apoiados uma vez que consideram que a vivência teatral tem possibilitado uma sólida ampliação de sua rede de apoio social. Também tem permitido a valorização de suas origens, o desenvolvimento de habilidades sociais e que tenham maior consciência crítica em relação a questões como consumismo, trabalho/lazer, uso de álcool e/ou drogas e questões relacionadas à sexualidade, como o uso de preservativos e a escolha de parceiros. Toda essa vivência tem gerado saúde porque, integradamente às questões já expostas, tem permitido que os jovens reflitam e optem por seus projetos de vida de forma que se sintam mais realizados e satisfeitos, além de realizarem importantes intervenções e ações políticas na comunidade em que vivem / The present dissertation is fruit of the researcher interest for the theatrical language and connections in healthcare field. In this clipping, we aim to know how the theater activities have been understood and operated through recent years in the work carried by the Instituto Pombas Urbanas in the Centro Cultural Arte em Construção, district of Cidade Tiradentes, analyzing if and as they can be related with the Health Promotion of young project participants. It is a qualitative research, of ethnography type, that we followed during one year the work carried through by the theatres group Pombas Urbanas in this Organization of the Civil Society of Public Interest (OSCIP) that returns its works toward the community. It was made an ethnography observation that included observation, participant comments, seventeen interviews half-structuralized with the actors from group Pombas Urbanas and juveniles from Núcleo Teatral Filhos da Dita, Turma Jovem and of the Turma Iniciante, beyond documentary analysis. We have analyzed which the preexisting relation between the participation in these activities, the reduction of the vulnerability and empowerment considered as important components of Health Promotion. As results we point in the studied case, the theatrical experience has contributed to participants health promotion, specially through the group communitarian theater, highlighting the listening, stimulating the dialogue and relations without hierarchy or competition among participants. Those life experiences have been making possible that they are considering an increase in their self-knowledge and feel themselves protected and supported once that they consider that the theatrical experience has been empower a solid increase of their social support net. It has also allowed the origins valorization, the social abilities development and have greater critical conscience concern at consumerism, work/ leisure and use of alcohol and/or drugs and questions related to sexuality, as the use of condoms and the choice of partners. All this experience has generated health because, jointly the previous mentioned questions, it has allowed the juveniles reflect and choose their life projects in a way that they feel accomplished and more satisfied, beyond achieving important interventions and politic actions in the community where they live

A presente dissertação é fruto do interesse da pesquisadora pela linguagem teatral e suas conexões com o campo da saúde. Neste recorte, objetivamos conhecer de que maneira as atividades de teatro têm sido compreendidas e operacionalizadas no trabalho realizado nos últimos anos pelo Instituto Pombas Urbanas no Centro Cultural Arte em Construção, distrito de Cidade Tiradentes, analisando se e como elas podem estar relacionadas com a Promoção da Saúde de jovens participantes do projeto. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo etnográfica, onde acompanhamos durante um ano o trabalho realizado pelo grupo de teatro Pombas Urbanas nesta Organização da Sociedade Civil de Interesse Público (OSCIP) que volta seus trabalhos para a comunidade. Foi realizada observação etnográfica composta por observação participante, dezessete entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os atores do grupo Pombas Urbanas, jovens do Núcleo Teatral Filhos da Dita, da Turma Jovem e da Turma Iniciante, além de análise documental. Analisamos qual a relação existente entre a participação nestas atividades, a redução da vulnerabilidade e o empowerment considerados como componentes importantes da Promoção da Saúde. Como resultados apontamos que, no caso estudado, a vivência teatral tem contribuído para a promoção da saúde dos participantes, especialmente através da metodologia de teatro comunitário utilizada pelo grupo, com ênfase na escuta, estímulo ao diálogo e relações não hierárquicas ou competitivas entre os participantes. Esta vivência tem possibilitado que eles considerem estar aumentando seu autoconhecimento e sintam-se protegidos e apoiados uma vez que consideram que a vivência teatral tem possibilitado uma sólida ampliação de sua rede de apoio social. Também tem permitido a valorização de suas origens, o desenvolvimento de habilidades sociais e que tenham maior consciência crítica em relação a questões como consumismo, trabalho/lazer, uso de álcool e/ou drogas e questões relacionadas à sexualidade, como o uso de preservativos e a escolha de parceiros. Toda essa vivência tem gerado saúde porque, integradamente às questões já expostas, tem permitido que os jovens reflitam e optem por seus projetos de vida de forma que se sintam mais realizados e satisfeitos, além de realizarem importantes intervenções e ações políticas na comunidade em que vivem / The present dissertation is fruit of the researcher interest for the theatrical language and connections in healthcare field. In this clipping, we aim to know how the theater activities have been understood and operated through recent years in the work carried by the Instituto Pombas Urbanas in the Centro Cultural Arte em Construção, district of Cidade Tiradentes, analyzing if and as they can be related with the Health Promotion of young project participants. It is a qualitative research, of ethnography type, that we followed during one year the work carried through by the theatres group Pombas Urbanas in this Organization of the Civil Society of Public Interest (OSCIP) that returns its works toward the community. It was made an ethnography observation that included observation, participant comments, seventeen interviews half-structuralized with the actors from group Pombas Urbanas and juveniles from Núcleo Teatral Filhos da Dita, Turma Jovem and of the Turma Iniciante, beyond documentary analysis. We have analyzed which the preexisting relation between the participation in these activities, the reduction of the vulnerability and empowerment considered as important components of Health Promotion. As results we point in the studied case, the theatrical experience has contributed to participants health promotion, specially through the group communitarian theater, highlighting the listening, stimulating the dialogue and relations without hierarchy or competition among participants. Those life experiences have been making possible that they are considering an increase in their self-knowledge and feel themselves protected and supported once that they consider that the theatrical experience has been empower a solid increase of their social support net. It has also allowed the origins valorization, the social abilities development and have greater critical conscience concern at consumerism, work/ leisure and use of alcohol and/or drugs and questions related to sexuality, as the use of condoms and the choice of partners. All this experience has generated health because, jointly the previous mentioned questions, it has allowed the juveniles reflect and choose their life projects in a way that they feel accomplished and more satisfied, beyond achieving important interventions and politic actions in the community where they live