Environmental Justice and Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed: a Unique Community Tool for Outreach, Communication, Education and Advocacy

Abstract

Our article, Environmental Justice and Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed: a Unique Community Tool for Outreach, Communication, Education and Advocacy, describes this transformative process, explores the theoretical and scientific influences behind the method and unpacks the collaborative dynamic modulating the efforts of community activists, nonprofit environmental professionals and academics to achieve and refine their working relationship. The text is accompanied by photos from actual sessions that illustrate how the methodology embodies concepts from environmental and social sciences to promote scientific literacy, and also uses short uncomplicated scenes to show how environmental injustices adversely affect both physical and mental health, and the larger economy of impacted communities. The fact that 85% of these towns and neighborhoods are communities of color underscores the fact that race and class are keys to the struggle for environmental justice. The Forum Theater methodology also provides a dialogic structure for deconstructing these deep-seated, bitterly divisive issues with sensitivity and respect. [Article copies available for a fee from The Transformative Studies Institute. E-mail address: Website: http://www.transformativestudies.org ©2008 by The Transformative Studies Institute. All rights reserved.]