Critical Pedagogy in Practice: Forum Theatre as an Approach to Addressing Controversial Issues in Norwegian Religious Education
Using Forum Theatre and Pedagogy of the Oppressed to Address Controversial Issues within the Norwegian Democratic Welfare State’s RE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20377/rpb-1936Keywords:
controversial issues, forum theatre, religious education (RE), critical pedagogyAbstract
This article explores the adaptation and application of Augusto Boal's forum theatre in the context of Norway's Religious Education (RE) in the 2020s. The aim is to examine how this interactive theatrical form, initially developed in the military dictatorship of 1970s Brazil, can address controversial issues in a democratic welfare state. Despite the contrasting settings, the article reveals that oppression mechanisms still exist within the education systems of democratic welfare states, making forum theatre a relevant tool. Rooted in Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, forum theatre is used to scrutinize power asymmetries, advocate for societal change, and foster empowering practices among both teachers and students. I argue that forum theatre, as a drama-pedagogical approach, has the potential to navigate and mitigate recognized challenges in discussing controversial issues within educational settings. However, the practice of forum theatre in democratic welfare states presents complexities due to blurred distinctions between oppressor and oppressed, unlike its original context. This underlines the need for careful and conscious reflection to prevent unintentional disempowerment of students who are already marginalized or oppressed.
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